Garlic Growing Guide - Harvesting garlic GARLIC GROWING GUIDE The ten steps of growing garlic Harvesting Harvesting garlic is all about timing. Harvest too early and the bulbs will not be fully developed and will lack flavour, harvest too late and the bulb wrappers will lack layers and the garlic will not keep. It is a tricky task to pick the right time, but a little knowledge makes this task much simpler . When to Harvest When to Harvest Climate and Garlic Type Garlic is generally harvested in NZ between November and February. W hen to harvest garlic depends on the type of garlic, the climate zone , sunlight hours, and any local micr o-climate conditions. Seasonal variations can made a huge difference - one particular garlic group can vary up to three weeks between years depending on the weather conditions prior to harvest. The first step in knowing when to harvest is to determine your climate zone and the type of garlic you are going to grow by following our charts below. NZ Garlic Climatic Zones MILD WINTER COOL WINTER COLD WINTER As a general rule, there is an order in which garlic groups are ready to be harvested. The turban garlic group is normally the first to be harvested followed closely by the asiatic type. Then artichoke then creole and purple garlics. Next is the remaining hardneck garlics of porcelain , rocambole and the purple stripe groups. Finally it is the turn of the silverskins . There is about 2-3 week harvesting gap between the early, mid and late harvesting garlics irrespective of the climate zone. Some hardneck garlics are ready when the scape finishes coiling and begins to straighten up. To further refine when garlic is ready to be harvested is the second step of counting the remaining green leaves left on the plant as the leaves brown off. The stem of plants are elongated in colder conditions and the leaves are a little narrower. The false stem is a good indicator of bulb size. As a general rule by measuring the first leaf near the ground if a stalk is 10mm it should have a 40-60mm bulb, 20mm stalk should have a 60-80m bulb and a 30mm stem should have a 80-100mm bulb. Remaining Green Leaves One of the best ways to determine when a garlic bulb is mature is by counting the number of green leaves remaining on the plant. Once the maximum number of leaves is obtained (10-12 depending on the climate zone), the plant puts its energy into bulbing for between 8-10 weeks. As the bulb grows the lower leaves die off. The last week before harvest the cloves tend to get their colour. Each leaf represents one outer skin on the bulb, if garlic is left too late in the soil there might not be any leaves to protect the cloves during curing and storing. Thus do not wait until all the leaves are browned off. It takes about a week for each leaf to brown off so it is easy to determine the likely harvest week. There are two indicators for counting leaves; one for softneck and the other for hardneck garlic. Softneck garlic (silverskin & artichoke ) is harvested when 6-7 green leaves (we go with 6 fully green leaves) remain on the plant. This will ensure that the bulbs have three bulb skin layers to protect the cloves from drying out during storage. Hardneck garlic is harvested when 4-5 green leaves (we go with 4 fully green leaves) remain on the plant. This will ensure the bulbs have at least three bulb skin layers after cleaning the bulbs to protect the cloves from drying out during storage. There is a good reason behind the difference in harvesting based on green leaves between softneck and hardneck garlic. Softneck garlic have three internal leaves that wrap around the internal bulb between cloves, while hardnecks has one internal leaf for this purpose. These internal leaves also become the final top leaves but do not wrap around the outside of the bulb. Thus it is necessary to have more green leaves on the softneck at harvest in order to get the same amount of wrappers protecting the outside the bulb in curing and storage. Pre-harvest Bulb Inspection It can be difficult to see the number of green leaves remaining if your plants have severe rust. Thus if you are unsure as to whether a bulb is ready for harvest it is possible to gently inspect the bulb. Dig beside bulbs without affecting the roots of a few representative plants. Taking care not to touch the bulb or significantly affect the roots and using only your gloved hand gently remove the topsoil near the bulb. Bulbs should be plump but still should have a few bulb wrappers surrounding the bulb. The diagram above illustrates the different stages of bulb development. If the bulb wrapper (skin) is perished and the cloves are starting to appear the harvest is too late. How to Harvest How to Harvest Harvest during fine weather. A g rower can d elay the harvest if needed, but not to the point which will affect the protective bulb wrapper around the cloves. Wet plants and soils encourage mould and decay and it is more challenging to practically remove and clean the crop before curing. If harvesting in mild-winter areas where the clove was planted shallow and is in light soils then the bulb should pull out easily without digging. In heavy soil or if the cloves were planted deeper for colder-winter areas then it is necessary to insert a garden fork or trowel. Use the tool to dig down into the soil under the bulb to loosen and carefully lift up the bulb taking care not to mark it. Do not put too much pressure on the false stem (pseudostem ) , particularly with the softneck and semi-bolting garlics like turbans , asiatics and creoles , as the bulb may separate from the neck . Once out of the soil hold the bulb in one hand and use your other hand to gently rub the roots to dislodge as much soil as possible. Do not use water as this is likely to encourage disease and drying will take longer. During this process look for defects, disease and any unusual development in the neck, bulb or roots. Whatever approach you take, ensure you take care of the bulb and prevent bruising by not banging or damaging them before transporting them to be dried . Likewise, keep the bulbs out of direct sunlight as it can damage the bulb wrapper. Remarkably, sun damage can occcur after less than an hour's exposure ito direct sunlight.

Garlic flowchart to work out the best garlic climate zone for different varieties and characteristics GARLIC PICKER Unsure of which garlic type you wish to grow? Our flowchart will help based on your climate zone and other favorable characteristics of your pick. Identification Flowchart The flowchart below is a useful guide to quickly pick a garlic group. Most garlics grow in all NZ's regions, but some are more suited and grow better for certain climate zones. Choose the most desirable characteristics you are after and the char t will help you along the way. What is your winter climate zone? Mild Climate Mild Winter Climate What characteristics are sought? Early Harvesting These garlics are ready to harvest in early November in mild winter climates Long Storing These garlics can keep for 12+ months if stored in a cool and dry place out of sunlight Plentiful Cloves These garlics generally have 8+ cloves per bulb giving a good number for replanting & eating Great Tasting These garlics are known for their great taste for a range of cooking methods Plait/Braiding Plants These softneck garlic stalks, (particularly silverskins) are able to be plaited for storage Cool Climate Cool Winter Climate What characteristics are sought? Long Storing These garlics can keep for 12+ months if stored in a cool and dry place out of sunlight Plentiful Cloves These garlics generally have 8+ cloves per bulb giving a good number for replanting & eating Great Tasting These garlics are known for their great taste for a range of cooking methods Easy Peeling These garlics have thick or papery skins making them easier to peel Plait/Braiding Plants These softneck garlic stalks, (particularly silverskins) are able to be plaited for storage Cold Climate Cold Winter Climate What characteristics are sought? Medium Storing These garlics can keep for 6+ months if stored in a cool and dry place out of sunlight Plentiful Cloves These garlics generally have 8+ cloves per bulb giving a good number for replanting & eating Great Tasting These garlics are known for their great taste for a range of cooking methods Easy Peeling These garlics have thick or papery skins making them easier to peel Harsh Winter Survival These garlics love super cold winters and are known to survive harsh winter extremes

Garlic Growing Guide - Maintaining garlic GARLIC GROWING GUIDE The ten steps of growing garlic Maintaining Garlic is generally a low maintenance crop. It does not need a lot of effort, but it be can be affected by pests and disease than many other vegetables. Thus, garlic does need some attention while growing and these are some key aspects to consider. Additives Fertilising In addition to preparing the soil before planting it is good to have a fertiliser regime while the plants are growing which consists of at least two phases. Nitro gen is important for leaf growth and is needed early on in leaf growth. Phosphorous is important for root development in the later phase of the plants' life. The first stage is for leaf growth where nitrogen is important. In mild winter climates garlic will grow up to 12 + leaves, while in colder climates less than 12 leaves are produced. Regular monthly fertiliser applications up until the maximum leaf number is obtained will support good leaf health. We apply a general organic fertiliser or blood and bone during this time. It is important to keep a regular fertiliser regime (monthly) during except over winter if the day temperatures are below 12 ° C. In winter rainfall leaches out the nutrients, while in spring the soils are beginning to warm - cold soils do not aid in nutrient uptake. So it is best to maintain a good regular balance of fertiliser just after planting and when the soils warm up in spring. The second stage is bulbing which occurs once the plant nearly reaches the max imum number of leaves before maturing. This is called the transition stage for the plant. At this point, potassium is important for root development as the plant is putting its energy into bulb growth. We apply a general organic potash during this time. Note that each garlic type has a different growing habit. Some are slow to shoot while some take off, some have floppy leaves while others have a very upright appearance. The picture below shows some of the different types all planted at the same time. Mulching Once garlic cloves are in the ground it i s worth considering whether to use mulch on top of the soil, particularly to suppress weeds . While we at Gourmet Garlic do not top cover (we use mulch on farrow beds though) others use mulch in different locations around the country . Often mild to cool winter areas, particularly near the coastal areas need not apply mulch unless the garlic is affected by salt spray or other local conditions. It is best not to apply mulch in wet climate areas. Mulch moderates the soil temperature, and reduces the effect of extremes like snow. In saying that garlic originates in cold extremes and our young garlic shoots in the deep south have no problem surviving with a foot of snow covering them in winter. Few places in the country experience permafrost for weeks on end, unlike some in Siberia, Canada and other northern hemisphere higher latitudes. Mulch retains moisture, suppresses weeds and adds nutrients to the soil. It also has its disadvantages in that it can also keep the soil temperature damp and cool during spring, slowing growth and it can foster disease, mo u lds, pests. It is better to apply mulch after winter for adding nitrogen and reducing weeds. In spring it can suppress the weeds and conditions are warmer reducing the chances of mulch being a cold waterlogged mat. Choose the mulch that holds the least amount of water, overseas sugar cane mulch fits this criteria. There is a bit of an art to using mulch. Mulch should not be too heavy or dense, it should be light and fluffy for shoots to pop through - generally 2-10cm of depth is a good guide. There are a variety of mulch options such as hay, straw, grass clippings and a mix of chopped up leaves. Choose a m ulch source wit h few weed seeds. We do not recommend using black plastic weedmat. The soil can rise above 50 degrees a few centremetres down into the soil stressing the roots and culturing disease. It is better to use this material it for the side linings of beds. If you live in a windy area and are using light mulch such as hay or dried leaves, consider wetting it to reduce its movement around the garden. Mulch is normally removed in spring and if it gets waterlogged it may prevent garlic shoots from rising to the surface. Some growers apply mulch once the shoots are several centimetres high. Watering Garlic should never be allowed to dry out, but should never be saturated ... it should be moist not wet . Roots are shallow (although can descend 60cm) but can still need deep watering. Watering is relatively intuitive often a finger test of dampness is all that is needed. If in doubt purchase a cheap moisture plunger or dig down beside the plant to spade depth and test soil conditions. If the leaf edge is beginning to yellow this is one possible first sign that the plant is deficient in moisture. The most ideal time to water is morning during sunny and warm conditions allowing the plant to dry out and reducing the risk of disease. It is not best practice to water (via a overhead method) in the evening or night as this will result in prolonged leaf wetness which can encourage disease and rust spores. Some places in winter and early spring, like here in the deep south need no or very little additional water in winter or early spring. Of course, those with sandy soils, warmer winters or dry and windy places will need a watering regime to achieve ideal soil moisture conditions even in winter. In these places (particularly without mulch) it might be necessary to water every day or every second day. Consider using a drip system. Sprinklers can wet leaves which encourages garlic rust and other diseases to take hold. It is also important to know when to stop watering. Yes, for garlic the 2-4 weeks before harvesting it is necessary to stop . At this point bulbs are drying out and are vulnerable to excess moisture. Rainfall or continued watering up to harvest time can cause storage rot plus the bulb wrapper can split and be stained. Note that once bulbing begins (8-10 weeks before harvest), the plants immune system becomes inactive and they are more prone to basal or root rot diseases. Weeds Weeding Even with using mulch , persistent weeds can still break through the soil seeking any available light. Wild garlic evolved in the cold mountains of Central Asia. They had little competition in their arid homeland and as a result grew only a few slender leaves which are unable to be replaced. As a result, garlic does not tolerate completion from weeds. It is necessary to keep on top of weeds as soon as they rise out of the soil. Weeds not only shade the garlic leaves but also drain nutrients from the soil and can cause premature bulbing. It is good practice to regularly weed and give garlic the best chance to grow large heathy bulbs. Scapes Scape Removal T he scape is a flower stem and is mostly associated with hardneck garlic types. Before harvesting, hardnec k garlic typically sends up a scape which normally curls then straightens before the garlic is harvested (softneck garlic can scape when stressed). Semi-bolting hardneck types (creole , turban , asiatic ) in milder-winter areas do not necessarily produce a scape. The garlic plant puts energy into forming the scape so many growers remove them to direct the plants resources into developing the bulb. We have found there is a direct correlation of bulb size and scape removal of around 10-30%. We remove the scape before they begin to curl, before they are longer than 20cm tall. If removing the scape, do so on a dry day so the break can heal cleanly without introducing infection and disease. When you see the firm stalk rise up from the middle of the leaves snap (not pull) it off the stalk by hand (if the scape is small) or with secateurs below the umbel before it widens. If the scape is pulled, it may result in the pseudostem becoming weak and will let water down into the bulb. More information is available on our garlic scape page. WarningSigns Warning Signs While garlic is a pretty hardy plant, i t can be affected by range of pest species (nearly 100) and the first warning signs once planted are irregular 'roguing' growth. A garlic grower should be regularly inspecting the garlic growth to find the first signs of irregular growth early. Garlic is one of the most susceptible annuals to disease for three main reasons. Firstly the cloves and bulbils are clones of the plant so unlike seed it can carry forward and accumulates disease to future generations. Secondly bulbs grow in the damp soil and for a long time where they are exposed and vulnerable to a whole range of soil borne diseases. Thirdly there are few infield treatments to cure many garlic diseases. For bacterial and viral issues there is almost no treatment options, while fungal issues only has limited options. The best method is crop rotation, raising the soil, planting good stock and removing rogue shoots early. The first sign is the plant having smaller, yellowing or shriveled leaves compared to others in the bed. It is worth inspecting plants regularly to catch these rogue sick plants as they will never grow into healthy ones. Also, be careful to remove them including the surrounding soil before disposing. To leave sick plants in the soil increases the disease and affects soil health and nearby garlic. Most fungal issues can be reduced by practicing crop rotation (recommended 3+ years), choosing good planting stock, having good watering practices and planting a variety of garlic groups known as polyculture. Once shooting begins look out for the warning signs of disease or other non-uniform growth. While it is handy to have early season garlic like turbans and asiatics , the mid to late harvesting garlics are generally are less prone to seasonal pest and diseases as the season warms up. Garlic produces roots first, before sending out shoots. In mild-winter climates where cloves are planted shal l ower, shoots are likely to appear 1-2 weeks after planting. In such climates where the daytime temperature is above 12°C then leaf growth will continue through winter. In colder climates it can take up to six weeks for leaves to appear. In colder climates only 3-6 leaves will initially grow before the plant goes into dormancy. Once spring arrives and temperatures exceed 14°C, then leaf growth resumes. Note that standard purple stripe and sometimes the porcelain garlic group has an 'alien' early growth form where they lie flat with the ground. Porcelain is also known to be the most susceptible to having viruses. The three main categories of garlic problems, having diseases , unusual growth or affected by pests . Our page on common garlic problems discusses the main garlic diseases encountered by growers in NZ, the irregular growth that an occur and common pests.

Turban garlic type Turban Garlic Group Early Season| Short Storing | 6-12 cloves The Earlybird: Likes to arrive early at the garden party and prefers to be eaten first Turban garlic's name comes from the shape of the umbel which looks like squat Turban head covering. This garlic is often the first type to be harvested. It is a semi-bolting hardneck garlic which grows best in warmer climates with mild winters. It often has two pink triangles on it's false stem. This garlic group produces several cloves per bulb and has a strong purple stripe colour with a blotchy bulb wrapper. It grows best in a mild winter climate . As a semi-bolting hardneck type it generally sends up a flower scape with a relatively solid stem which is not braidable. This garlic might not produce scapes when grown in warmer climates if not vernalised . The garlic has a medium heat and a simple earthy taste and is the best garlic to be used raw in dressings or rubbed into salads. Characteristics Clove & Bulb Appearance The bulb is normally a flat globe shape, general ly has a purple stripe with blotched wrapper (skin) containing between 6-12 cloves. The bulbs have a single layer of cloves. Generally all cloves in a standard size bulb are of a size suitable for planting. The clove skin is a tan or cream colour. The cloves are very distinctive being typically squat , blunt tip a nd fat shaped like no other garlic. They also have short clove tips. They have the shortest storage life of any garlic at around 4-5 months after harvest. B ulbils Turbans are a hardneck garlic which generally sends out a scape (flower stalk) particularly in colder climates. They normally produce 30-100 medium sized cream to light pink coloured bulbils that have a wide tear drop shape. Leaves & Scapes Turbans have a wide floppy leaf . The leaf colour has is pale green. Scapes tend to form a downward 'U' shape, with the umbel having a medium green and long purple blush.

Garlic Growing Guide - Drying garlic GARLIC GROWING GUIDE The ten steps of growing garlic Drying Garlic needs to be cured before storing. The drying process begins in the ground as the plant ceases growing, and the leaves begin to wither. The next stage involves removing the bulb from the soil to finish off this curing process. Why Cure? Why Cure Garlic? Green garlic is garlic that has been harvested and has not dried. It is prone to rotting in storage if it has not been dried properly. The drying process will result in the bulb lo sing up to 30% of its weight due to moisture loss . It also results in the cloves' skin drying out which protects the inside from further dehydration. The curing process helps garlic begin its natural dormancy and bring out the rich, intense garlic flavours. This usually occurs after three weeks of curing. Unless it is being eaten straight away, drying garlic is an important and necessary step before its storage. How to Cure How to Cure Optimal Conditions Garlic once removed from the soil should be cured in a dry and low humidity environment , shaded, out of rain and with some air flow. It is best to remove any large clumps of dirt on the roots or bulb if it was harvested during damp conditions. It is not necessary to remove any bulb wrappers (skin), scapes or roots at this stage. Commercial growers use fans to circulate air but a well ventilated shed will also work. Ideally daytime temperatures should be >20 °C at <55% humidity, with 1m/sec air speed. However in domestic drying conditions try to keep the garlic out of the sun, in a warm, dry place with good air flow. Hanging Garlic is best hung as an entire plant for optimal drying. They are commonly bundled in groups of up to ten plants and strung up with string to dry. It is not good practice to remove any leaf material or roots, despite this being done by larger commercial growers to save drying space. This can open up the plant to infection such as molds into the bulb or basal plate and does not allow the bulb to draw the final nutrients from the leaves. Some growers place garlic in a single layer on a screen, while some home growers use saw horses, ladders, clothing racks or old bed frames for small quantities. We hang ours from rods that holds the bulb upside down to reduce mold that sometimes grows on bundles of bulbs that touch each other. We feel the bulb is in a heathier stage for storing if hung bulb up. Length of Time The length of time it takes garlic to dry depends on a range of factors such as temperature, relative humidity, air circulation, if a scape is present, bulb size and number of clove layers. A basic guide is to allow a month, but it can vary from 4-10 weeks. The longer you leave them to cure, (6-10 weeks) the longer they will store and the bulb wrappers should be dry and wrinkly . Always keep an eye on how they are d r ying and watch for infection of molds or pests.

Garlic Growing Guide - Overview of growing garlic GARLIC GROWING GUIDE The ten steps of growing garlic The Basics Garlic is a sorely misunderstood plant. It is considered to be a food, a spice and a herb. It is a perennial root species grown as an annual root vegetable. What most of us see as a millimeter -thin root base is actually the stem, the edible cloves are swollen leaves, and the bulbs swell only when the plant is dying. Garlic has a unique smell and taste and proven antibiotic and anti-inflammatory powers but the jury is still out as to whether or not it wards off demons, werewolves and vampires . What is Garlic What is Garlic? Garlic is one of the 800 Allium (onion, leek and chive) species and one of just seven that are cultivated. It is the slowest vegetable to mature. Garlic is a single species ( Allium sativum ), and is divided into two sub-species being sativum (non-bolting types silverskin and artichoke varietal groups) and A. ophioscrorodon (bolting types of turban , creole , asiatic , porcelain , rocambole , standard purple stripe , marbled purple stripe and glazed purple stripe varietal groups). Effectively the two sub-species are distinguished by softneck garlic which that does not send up flower stalks, and the hardnecks that do. Knowing how to distinguish the parts of the plant and how the plant grows will help you with your own crop. We could say: get to know your garlic before you grow your garlic. Garlic consists of several parts as the diagram below illustrates. Garlic Plant Diagram Garlic Bulb Diagram Roots & Basal Plate From bottom to top a mature garlic plant consists roots, flat basal plate that roots come out of, and an underground true stem which holds the bulb with one or more layers of cloves under its skin (wrapper). Bulbs The bulb consists of a cluster of cloves. In a softneck bulb the cloves are arranged normally in three layers (the smallest in the centre) forming an oblong bulb shape. Softneck have two fertile leaves which support the bulb development. In a hardneck bulb the cloves generally have a single radial appearance with one fertile leaf. Depending on the location in New Zealand and the garlic group (cultivar), garlic clove is planted between March and June and harvested in November to February. Garlic develops its roots first and then produces leaves later - normally 1-2 weeks later for early harvesting garlic, and up to six weeks for late harvesting types. In the germination period in autumn and early winter the plant will produce 3-6 leaves before the cold harshest part of winter begins. During winter if the temperature is below 12°C (a temperature below which the plant is dormant) the garlic plant will have little to no growth. Once spring appears and temperatures rise above the dormant temperature the garlic rapidly grows and expands. Bulb for mation is dependent on a prolonged cold period, followed by warming spring weather, and increasing daylight length. When the air temperature and soils warm, the plant rapidly grows for 3-4 weeks before forming a bulb. Some garlic groups need more or less of these factors fo r bulb swelling. Bulbs and cloves grown in colder climates will generally be bigger (particularly the strongly bolting hardnecks) but with fewer cloves. Clove s The cloves (2-30) cling together and are the part of the plant that most people divide, eat or plant to grow their next garlic crop from the bulb. The shape of the different garlic group cloves vary. Leaves & Scapes The bulb supports the tall and narrow pseudostem or false stem (technically they are leaves) plus a cluster of leaves. The pseudostem is supple for A. sativum or softnecks (the ones you can plait) or firm for the A . ophioscrorodon hardnecks. Normally, cutting the bulb off the strong stalk of the hardneck after drying requires secateurs. The eight hardneck varietal groups generally send up a long, strong stalk late in the season known as a scape. Bulbils The eight hardneck varietal groups generally send up a long, strong stalk late in the season known as a scape. The scapes' flower stalk (technically an umbel) produces bulbils - this is a secondary survival mechanism for the plant. Bulbils' size can be rice-sized to pea-sized depending on the varietal group. They are in fact clones of the plant just like the bulb and cloves. While people often call bulbs or cloves seed this is not strictly correct, it's just that until recently that was the only way to garlic could be grown. Around the bulbils of the scapes, flowers can form. For more about bulbils, visit our bulbil planting section . True Seed Very rarely the flowers can produce viable black-sand sized seed known as 'true seed' or TGS. With prolonged cultivation (asexual using cloves) over thousands of years, garlic has almost lost the ability to sexually reproduce. It's a marvel for anyone to grow and produce garlic seed these days which normally comes from the purple stripe cultivars with strongly bolting and flowering plants. These are the closest relatives of the old wild garlic. True seed generally does not carry over viruses and has increased vigour allowing growers to selectively breed desirable traits. In NZ it is rare to find someone trying to grow garlic true seed, rarer for the flower to open and seed to form, and nearly impossible for the seed to be fertile and grow into new garlic. We would be keen to learn of any kiwi TGS legends out there. For more about to grow garlic true seed, visit our true seed section . Lifecycle Being the longest growing annual crop, garlic has several stages that take several months to pass through to reach maturity. A planted clove needs to send down roots first before sprouting before winter. The first signs of any diseased cloves can be found at seedling stage with rogue plants. Over winter in colder areas the plant does not grow while in warmer areas slow leaf growth continues. It is not advisable to apply any fertiliser during this cold period as there will be little uptake. In early spring the plant puts alot of its energy into stalk thickening and leaf growth. By late spring and early summer the plant transitions with scapes and some leaves begin browning off as the plant puts its energy into bulb development. The leaves are vulnerable to disease garlic rust at this stage. The final stage is when when bulbs develop cloves and they begin to swell. By now many leaves are browned off and the bulb and basal plate is most vulnerable to wet weather diseases which might be brought over to when it is harvested and cured. Garlic Origins Origins Wild garlic originates in the cold climate of central Asia, on the north-western side of Tien Shan - the 'mountains of heaven'. This long mountain range borders Uzbekistan in the west and China and Mongolia in the east. Wild garlic still grows here and its clos est rel ative is the Standard Purple Stripe group. Garlic was traded via the spice and silk roads over millennia. The Mediterranean, Continental and Asiatic cultures have grown the most desirable aspects of the garlic genetics to suit the regions' climate and specific cuisine of those places. These provincial garlics (of hundreds of cultivars) have shaped the characteristics to help form the ten different global garlic groups we have today. Garlic has been grown and traded for over 5,000 years, with Egyptian tombs depicting garlic bulbs and scripts describing medicines and forms of cooking with garlic. From there garlic spread throughout the ancient world with varying climatic conditions. The widespread cultivation around the globe using cloves (clones of the bulb) over the millennia led wild garlic to diversify into different types - it also resulted in a decline in its ability to sexually reproduce. Epigenetic changes in morphology to adapt to climate conditions, softneck garlic types evolved in a warmer climate and were selected for non-bolting characteristics. These will revert to producing scapes in colder climates. Thus today all garlic is one species (allium sativum ) with ten main global cultivars also known as 'garlic groups'. A generation ago there were many large NZ commercial growers of garlic and the sector was in a healthy state like other horticultural and agricultural industries. In the early 1990s the import tariffs were removed from garlic. Our commercial growers could not compete with low-priced Chinese grown single-cultivar imports. Today 3/4 of the world's garlic (about 30 million tonnes) is grown in China, almost all grown in the province of Shangdong. The NZ garlic industry was crushed. Today the NZ garlic industry consists of only a couple of large-scale growers. They supply the most economicly viable softneck garlic groups which have plentiful cloves thus making it more economic for resowing. To realise the potential different garlic types to grow and thirive in your area we invite gardeners to explore both the tastes and the variability by offering the widest range of garlic groups available in New Zealand. Garlic Groups Garlic Groups (Varietal Groups) Garlic is not all the same. There is a range of garlic groups (or varietal groups) which have different optimal times to plant and harvest, their storage length varies as do their flavour attributes. The groups were named by American garlic guru Ron Engeland in 1991, and a decade later his groupings were confirmed by genetic research. The 10 types of garlic in the group are the two softnecks - silverskin and artichoke , the three semi-bolting hardnecks: creole , turban and asiatic garlic, and the final five strongly-bolting hardneck garlics: porcelain , rocambole , standard purple stripe , marbled purple stripe and glazed purple stripe . Try our garlic group picker to help decide which garlic to grow. There is alot of confusion over the different names growers put on garlic. Some names like 'Red Russian' is a marbled purple stripe, while 'Russian Red' is a rocambole and is sometimes even an elephant garlic (which is a leek!). It is more useful to identify garlic using the ten global garlic groups because outside the of the groups variability differences are only related to local growing conditions. Genetic studies by Volt et al in the 2000's identified that garlic is one species with ten main garlic varieties scientifically known as 'garlic horticultural groups' or garlic groups. She found that each group is distinct as related to the bulb arrangement, size, number of cloves, clove colour and tightness of cloves, and number, size and colour of bulbils irrespective of where they are grown. All other variances relate to the variability of local growing conditions and are not reliable. The diagram below (greatly simplied from the genetic research of Volk et al) shows the genetic diversity between the different groups as a result of genetic sampling. Note the relationships and how the softneck garlics of silverskin and artichoke are not closely related, nor are they closely related to the hardnecks of the purple stripe groups. Also of interest is the close relationship of silverskin and creoles . Other characteristics such as bulb wrapper colour and size is highly dependent on the location in which they are grown. Nutrients affect bulb size and weight , while scape development is affected by climate, with humidity affecting scape curl. However, growers have noticed that the shape and colour of the scape's umbel base is different within each group. Shape and colour of the spathe varies within each garlic group. The base of a turban and marbled purple stripe have a red blush. Rocamboles and porcelain spathes turn white at maturity and Asiatic scapes have an elongated dimple. So in summary, outside genetic tests only the leaf and clove appearance, bulbil characteristics and scape shape and colour can be used to identify the ten groups. The chart below shows some of the differences of each garlic varietal group. Planning Guide Chart Another factor to consider is that garlic that is moved to a new region will take time to acclimatise to the new location. Some of the traits known for a particular garlic group might take a year or two to occur in a new location and soils. It is also known that garlic grows better when they are moved from a colder climate zone to one which is warmer. Thus it is best to ensure garlic bulbs/cloves are obtained from a cooler climate rather than a warmer one, otherwise they are likely to miniaturise for the first couple of years until they acclimatise. It's like a Northlander coming down here to the deep south in autumn only wearing a t-shirt and taking time to get used to our colder climate. Do not attempt to grow garlic which as been imported. This is for three reasons; firstly: they have only been imported for culinary purposes and have NOT been checked for disease - no gardener wants to introduce a new disease to their soils. Secondly, they are likely to have come from the northern hemisphere (most likely China or USA) and will not aclimatise well. Thirdly, they are likely to have been sprayed with a shooting hormone to stop it from shooting during storage - it will not grow properly. NZ culinary garlic is normally smaller and has been put in a cool store which interferes with its growth often getting secondary shooting if planted. Large NZ commercial growers who grow for culinary use often use the chemical maleic hydrazide which is a sprouting inhibitor as it is not intended for planting. As a result we recommend planting cloves from bulbs which are recommended for gardeners than the plate.

Garlic Growing Guide - Preparing to grow garlic GARLIC GROWING GUIDE The ten steps of growing garlic Preparing Before planting it is necessary to select your site, prepare the soil, consider pre-cooling bulbs (more on this below) and cracking your cloves from the bulb. Soil Soil Preparation Soil preparation is probably the single most important aspect of growing great garlic. It is often overlooked. An important point is that there is a big difference between dirt and soil. ' Dirt' is potential soil, while 'soil' is rich in nutrients, alive with biological diversity and deep in organic matter. Site Sel ection Garlic likes plenty of sunshine, so find a site that receives plenty of full s unlight. We have run several trials over the years and have found that shady parts of our beds reduce bulb size by 20-30%. It is important that over the winter months and early spring that the young plants get plenty of morning light. This will help the plant dry out quickly which reduces the chances of getting leaf diseases. Garlic does not like strong wind, so plant in a sheltered area. Ideally, soil preparation should begin 1-2 years before planting. If you can't wait to build soil consider adding a good quality compost to your garden beds. The bed should not have had Allium species (garlic, shallots, chives, leek, onions, spring onions or chives) growing in it for the past couple of years. We operate on a three-year rotation - growing only once every three years in the same soil. This will reduce the risk of soil disease and nutrient depletion . Root, leaf and fruit plants require different nutrients and create different soil biological diversity . If you are replanting your bed following the growing of a garlic crop it is best to next grow a leaf crop (eg. spinach, lettuce, broccolli), followed by a fruit crop the year later (eg. tomatoes, beans, peas) before replanting garlic. While it might be impractical, ideally Allium species should not be grown in the same bed for three years. Keep in mind that good garden soil has a ratio of 25% air, 25% soil solution (water and nutrients) and 50% soil particles (a mix of clay/sand/silt). Add too much water or have too much of one type of soil particle and your garden produce will be less productive. Soil Health Garlic is a long-period root crop. Unlike many seasonal crops taking three months to grow, garlic is in the soil for 7-9 months. So the soil must be healthy and in an optimal state before planting and during the seasons for leaf development and bulbing stages. If you have brought in new planting stock consider placing it in quarantine bed for a year or two to isolate from other garlic where bulbs have potential to import disease or pests. Soil should be deep (ideally > 40cm) for roots to penetrate well into the ground. Soil should also be friable looking crumbly, not caked nor a fine powder. It takes years to build and maintain your soils with rich compost, however, this can be quickly remedied using purchased good quality organic compost. Try to avoid using plastic bagged compost or manures as some growers find they get poor germination results. Being a root crop, having optimal soil conditions sets the bulb up to be healthier and stronger from the outset. Before planting it is best to loosen the soil to break up clumps and reduce compaction with a fork and aerate the soil. This will help with water, oxygen and nutrients penetrating deep into the pores of the soils. It is important not to over turn your soil as this will mix up the natural layers (horizons) of the soil profile and ultimately upset the delicate soil biota. The 'L' or the living layer is the top horizon of soil and the most biologically active with worms, slugs and snails. It sits on the 'O' or organic layer which is mostly decomposed organic matter. The 'A' layer or active soil which contains decomposed matter and mineral particles is below this. Care needs to be taken of healthy garden soil. Healthy soil is teeming with biological life which is hard at work breaking down larger organic matter, fixing and cycling nitrogen, and even working directly with the garlic roots. The soil biota consists of megafauna (worms, slugs, snails >2mm in size), mesofauna (0.1-2mm such as mites), microfauna (<0.1mm such as nematodes, roundworms and protozoa such as flagellates that live in fine water pores), and microorganisms which make up the most abundant and diverse of the soil communities such as bacteria, yeast, fungi, and algae. Take care of the soil and the garden will provide for you. Moisture Garlic prefers free-draining soils, not too wet but moist . Raised beds only 30cm high can make a massive difference in the success of your crop particularly if you have a wet season. Soil borne fungal, bacterial and viral diseases can cripple your plants if they are in a water-logged soil. If you live in a wet area and if your garlic is not in raised beds then consider raising the garlic beds slightly higher than the surrounding soil. At Gourmet Garlic we mound our soil up by 10cm and between beds have a free draining mulch layers as pathways. If you are in an extremely wet area consider raising each row by 30cm above surround soils. If you have clay soils which retain water then dry and become solid in spring then extra effort is needed to break up the clay and mix it with organic matter. As for sandy soil which holds little moisture and nutrients, it's worth also undertaking a soil building programme of organic matter with compos t ing. Soil Nutrients While garlic can survive in nutrient deficient soils, for healthy and large bulbs, garlic needs a nutrient rich soil with a relatively neutral pH (around 6.5 -7.0pH). You can buy a cheap pH and soil moisture tester from most hardware stores or garden centres. Add elemental sulphur (it will not readily leach) if the soil is too alkaline or lime if the soils is too acidic. It is important to have ideal soil nutrient conditions in the soil before planting as garlic is a heavy feeder. Garlic grows roots almost immediately after planting and is in the soil longer than any other vegetable. I nitially, garlic needs nitrogen-rich soil so consider sources of nitrogen to mix into your soil in preparing the bed. Some growers use a cover crop of nitrogen fixers, while home gardeners might add their own compost of grass clipping, seaweed, worm juice, aged manures or other available organic fertiliser. There are a few organic fertilisers available in hardware stores and garden centres too to assist with increasing your soil's essential nutrients. These semi-commercial garlic growers use no artificial nitrogen inputs with great results. They prefer natural additives like guano, bonemeal, and sheep pellets. Aged manures can be good to add to soils before planting, providing not too much is applied. Ensure that the manure is not too nitrogen rich. Nitrogen-rich chicken manure for example might need a stand down time or be mixed into the soil well before planting (at least two months) to ensure the garlic roots are not burned on contact. Note that many manures will contain seeds and will introduce unwanted weeds. We use organic fertilisers to cure imbalances. Generally, soil organic matter and micro-organisms are far better at curing imbalances although taking time to break down and release their blend of nutrients via natural processes. Consider applying blood and bone, matured animal manure, potash, gypsum and other organic material. Nitrogen is important for leaf growth which is needed early on in growth, while phosphorous is important for root development in the later stages of garlic maturity to get good bulb sizes. Vernalisation (pre-cooling) Vernalisation (Pre-cooling) Garlic needs cool winter temperatures of 5-10°C for 1-2 months for the bulb's development. In most parts of the country this is a normal winter temperature. In the warmer northern climates of NZ with their milder winters natural vernalisation might not be achieved. In this case growers may choose to artificially vernalise their bulbs before planting by placing them in the warmest part of the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks before planting. Most garlic cloves are ready to plant in autumn. You might discover some of your cloves in the bulb are beginning to sprout. Normally, if you can see exterior shooting, then the plant is past the ideal planting time. Ideally the yellow-green sprout inside the clove should be about halfway up internally within the clove. If you are unsure you can cut a clove lengthways and see its development and then add it to a meal. Cracking Cracking/Popping Before planting cloves it is necessary to separate them from the bulb. Cracking bulbs should be undertaken on the day of or the day before planting as cloves can dry out once bulb wrappers have been removed, which might help diseases, encourage the swelling of roots and begin sprout growth. So crack on the day! Only the bulb wrapper (skin) needs to be removed, not the clove skin. It is important to separate all cloves from the bulb. The divisions in the basal plate can sometimes be very difficult to detect. We find the softneck silverskins and artichoke types the most challenging to crack. What appears to be single cloves can be several closely joined. You can often see a fine crack in the basal plate of the clove which is the dividing line between cloves. The small and often misshapen cloves in softnecks will grow regular shape bulbs but they will be smaller. Save the tiny ones for eating. In cracking, look for the large bulbs with large cloves which will put the most energy into the early stage of growth . Growers have found that large cloves from large bulbs provide the most success at harvest with good, healthy-sized bulbs. Cloves should be firm. Ensure that you check each clove for any disease such as mould, rotting or other imperfections. If there is any doubt, throw them out (the entire bulb not just the individual infected clove as the disease can be spread). Sometimes, particularly for the cracking hardneck bulbs, the clove skin may tear. These can still be planted providing there is no bruising or they have not been cut by fingernails. Take care not to damage cloves that have been cracked/popped before planting. There is an art in cracking. Do not crack bulbs from the base as this can damage root buds in the basal plate making the clove less vigorous. One of the best ways to crack involves three steps: 1) Run your thumbnail around the false stem above the clove tips to break the bulb wrapper 2) Grab the false stem and twist it vigorously 3) Apply pressure down and out to break and remove the bulb wrapper Ensure cloves are put in a breathable container or bag with good air circulation until it is time to plant. It is important to avoid them sweating, heating up and getting mould. Store for planting away from heat, out of direct sunlight and at room temperature. Pre-treatment Pre-treatment Some growers sterilize their cloves before planting. This is because the clove may have come in contact with a leaf disease from bulb skins or have had mites infecting the clove. This will result in the best start for strong growth for the garlic clove in the germination stage. While at Gourmet Garlic we do not pre-treat cloves, we would do if we were having problems with diseased plants. Growers may choose to sterilise the clove to reduce fungal problems. There are a few options. If the clove has not shooting then some growers soak cloves for 2-3 minutes in a hospital grade chorine bleach (Sodium hypochlorite) before rinsing in water. If cloves are shooting then add 1 part bleach to 3 parts water and use the same technique. Alternatively some growers use a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda or potassium carbonate per litre of water to dip cloves in before planting. Some users also use neem oil. These are considered less effective than the bleach treatment. Some growers use a 5% alcohol (vodka) and water mix to sterilise cloves from infection and pests before planting. In addition some garlic growers elect to give the cloves an added benefit by soaking them in a seaweed solution (1 teaspoon of solution per litre of water) for less than 12 hours to enhance root growth.

Garlic Growing Guide - Planning GARLIC GROWING GUIDE The ten steps of growing garlic Planning It is important to determine your climate zone before choosing the type of garlic you wish to grow, and thereby knowing when to plant and when harvest. Climate Clim ate Climat e has one of the g reatest influence s on growing garlic. While all ten global garlic groups can be grown in N Z , some grow better in different parts of the countr y than others . In general, garlic grows best in regions with cool to cold winters and hot summers. NZ is in the mid-latitudes (between the tropics and polar), and has a temperate climate with rainfall spread across the entire year. We have mild to warm summers and cool to cold winters compared to other countries. Wild garlic originates from the cold mountains of central Asia. The 10 garlic group s originate from this wild garlic and the chilling of winter is a natural p art of the garlic growing cycle . Sprout and c love formation is quick when cool temperatures are 5-10°C for 1-2 months , otherwise, bulbs and cloves may not properly develop and you will harvest more leek-like garlic with stumpy rounds and no cloves. As a result garlic needs a cold winter period to vernalis e to initiate growth - which in warmer climates garlic bulbs can be tricked by putting them in the fridge at the pre-planting stage . The young cloves can survive -10 °C and new shoots can survive -6°C without cellular damage. It would be rare for a bulb to be affected by cold NZ conditions unless the soil freezes very quickly and deeply. Garlic remains in dormancy with juvenile shoots only having up to four leaves until the temperatures rises above 12 °C and they begin to grow secondary leaves. As a result t here are few places in NZ where people reside in which garlic cannot thrive. Also the colder the climate the hotter the ga rlic tends to taste and bulbs tend to be larger. Climate Zone Map NZ Garlic Climatic Zones MILD WINTER COOL WINTER COLD WINTER Those that live in the more northern coastal parts of our country with mild winters need not be disappointed. There are ways to artificially vernalise garlic in preparation for planting. Also consider planting garlic types like turbans , creole and asisatic garlic groups which grow well in areas with mild winters. Our temperate climate can be divided into three main garlic growing zones of winters that are 'mild', 'cool' and 'cold ' . Unlike most plants, garlic might not be as successful if collected from a local source. It is a fact that acclimatization for garlic is best when garlic bulbs come from a colder climate to a warmer one, and from a higher altitude 300+ to a lower one. The opposite will result in the garlic taking years to acclimatize. Porcelain or rocambole prefer very cold winters . Before choosing a type of garlic consider your garlic- growing climate zone or where best to source garlic from within the country . Types Garlic Diversity Garlic is not just garlic. Between the different garlic groups there is a massive range in planting/harvesting times, storage and flavours. There are ten global garlic grou ps and each have a particular climate zone pr eference. Consider picking a few groups or try all of them so see what works in your zone and your unique home micro-climate. Try our garlic group picker to help decide which garlic to grow. The ten garlic groups are: Mild Climate Garlics MILD CLIMATE GARLICS These five garlics are the best performing for mild winter zones Creole Mid Season | Long Sto ring | 5-10 cloves The Flamb oy ant: this small one is hot, dresses in vibrant rosy clove skins, and is a real c rowd-pleaser Turba n Early Season | Short St oring |6-12 cloves The Earlybird: Likes to arrive early at the garden part y and prefers to be eaten first Asiatic Early Season | Med Storing |5-10 cloves The Oriential: this one enjoys the warm humid clim ate of the north Silverskin Late Season | Long Storing | 10-30 cloves The Keeper: A long storer that loves being braided, produces plentiful cloves, and is easy on the taste buds Artichoke Mid-season | Med Storing |10-20 cloves The Reliable: The best all-rounder, loving most climate zones, is happy in a braid and has a clean taste Cool Climate Garlics COOL CLIMATE GARLICS These five garlics are the best performing for cool winter zones Silverskin Late Season | Long Storing | 10-30 cloves The Keeper: A long storer that loves being braided, produces plentiful cloves, and is easy on the taste buds Artichoke Mid-season | Med Storing |10-20 cloves The Reliable: The best all-rounder, loving most climate zones, is happy in a braid and has a clean taste Standard Purple Stripe Late-season | Med Storing |8-12 cloves The Godfather: The easy-peeling garlic from which all other garlics originate ... best of all: this wild one's the sweetest Marbled Purple Stripe Late-season | Med Storing |4-9 cloves The Baker: An easy-peeler is know for its tastiness when roasted Glazed Purple Stripe Late-season | Med Storing |6-12 cloves The Dazzler - Has an easy-peeling glossy sheen of silver and gold ... it's a real head-turner Cold Climate Garlics COLD CLIMATE GARLICS These five garlics are the best performing for cold winter zones Standard Purple Stripe Late-season | Medium Storing |8-12 cloves The Godfather: The easy-peeling garlic from which all other garlics originate ... best of all: this wild one's the sweetest Marbled Purple Stripe Late-season | Med Storing |4-9 cloves The Baker: An easy-peeler is know for its tastiness when roasted Glazed Purple Stripe Late-season | Med Storing |6-12 cloves The Dazzler - Has an easy-peeling glossy sheen of silver and gold ... it's a real head-turner Porcelain Late-season | Med Storing | 2-6 cloves The Beauty: Large teardrop form, produces a few massive cloves, is at the top of its field Rocambole Late-season | Short Storing |7-14 cloves The Chef: Culinary perfection and renowned as the tastiest with a sweet nutty flavour Seasonal Plan Seasonal Plan Before preparing for, planting or harvesting garlic it is good to have an idea of the various timings needed to grow garlic. Based on your climate and the garlic groups you are planning to grow there will be different timeframes to plan around. Planting garlic in NZ generally occurs from late autumn to winter (March to June) while harvesting takes place in late spring and into summer (November to February). The old saying 'plant on the shortest day and harvest on the longest' is only a rough guide which doesnt account for the type of garlic nor the latitude at which it is planted. Our calendar gives a practical method of determining when to plant each type of garlic and other key tasks .

Garlic Growing Guide - Storing garlic GARLIC GROWING GUIDE The ten steps of growing garlic Storing Unless eaten green, preserved or dehydrated garlic should be stored as fresh bulbs. Once garlic is dried it needs to be sorted, hung and left ready to be eaten. This is the second part after harvesting where the garlic goes through a dormancy period. Prepare Preparation Once garlic is dry it needs to be sorted to make sure that is has no disease. C hoose the best bulbs for next years crop and prepare it for storing. Trimming It is necessary to remove the roots and the dirty bulb wrappers before storing. Unless you are looking at plai ting your softneck garlic, also to remove the false stem or pseudostem (what most people think of as the stem) prior to storing. This can normally be done with a pair of scissors, although the hardneck garlic (less so the semi-bolting turbans , creoles and asiatics ) are likely to need to be cut with secateurs as the stem is very tough. While removing the dirty bulb wrapper and trimming, watch for any bulbs with damage or disease. Any in poor condition should be destroyed. We keep the necks on the bulb quite long, the longer the neck being stored the longer it should keep as it reduces air and moisture entering the bulb. The same can be said with keeping on as much bulb wrapper as possible for storing. Si zing Sizing is a process more important for commercial gro wers but is necessary for the home gardener to find the best bulbs for replanting next year. Bulb s izing names vary in the industry both here abroad. We use a wooden template to poke bulbs through to decide the various grades. Premium prices are obtained for larger bulbs which contain larger cloves, as generally larger cloves will grow large bulbs next year. A small bulb could o nly weigh 20gm, while a extra large could weigh in at 100+gms. This is a five fold difference to any returns for a commercial grower if selling by weight and for the home gardener a larger bulb and cloves are easier to use in the kitchen. Garlic grades are based on the width of the garlic. Commercial garlic grade within the trade is based on a numbering system. Size 3 is 30-35mm, 4 is 35-40mm, 5 is 40-45mm, 6 is 45-50mm while grade 7 is 50-55mm. We prefer a grade based on a description of the size. Our preferred sizing scale would be: • Small <50mm • Medium 50-60mm • Large 60-70mm • Extra Large 70mm+ Stati stics If you are a commercial grower or a re an interested home grower, then the best time to record the results of your harvest is after grading . We collect information on bulb size, average bulb weight and other records between the different garlic groups. In this way we know how much garlic to grow next year, whether our trials worked, and our growing regimes for the next season. Our goal is constant improvement. Pl aiting Garlic One way to keep your softneck garlic (silverskin and artichoke ) is to plait them before or after curing. While the strongly bolting garlics cannot be plaited due to their thick scape, in some warmer climates some of the semi-bolting hardneck (turban , creole and asiatic ) garlic groups might be able to be plaited. There are plenty of online videos describing how to plait garlic. Store Storing When to Store Storing garlic is the final stage of curing. In NZ even in cold climates where the late harvesting garlics occurs in early February, the start of Autumn in March is a time when culinary garlic (not planting stock) should begin to be stored. This is because in March in NZ the weather typically begins to change. Daily tempe r atures below 1 6 °C and moist air from rainfall (>65% humidity) are the seasonal triggers for garlic bulbs to develop green internal shoots in preparation for shooting. Naturally garlic is capable of shooting two months after harvesting - particularly turbans . Therefore it is best to bring culinary garlic inside whe re temperatures are more stable and where garlic can be enjoyed for the rest of the year. How to Store Garlic should be stored in a dry, mild, low humidity environment out of direct light. Ideally , garlic should be stored between 10-20 °C. The optimum temperature is 13-14 °C. If the garlic is stored too cool (between 4-1 0 °C) it is likely to sprout. Storing temperatures above 20 °C results in quic ker bulb shrinkage and decreases their storage life. Garlic is best stored at 45-50% relative humidity. Low humidity will result in the bulb withering, too high (70+%) and it will encourage molds and roots to form. Ideally garlic should be stored in a stable temperature zone without significant fluctuations. While it is difficult to obtain ideal home conditions, try to find a spot that will be satisfactory. Put garlic in a space with good air circulation (not air tight containers). A good place is a paper bag, woven or netted bag/basket similar to those used for onions. Do not use glass or plastic containers as garlic will generate condensation and molds. Garlic matures in storage. At their freshest and juiciest after harvest the clove skins are hard to peel. As garlic ages the flavour is enhanced, the clove shrinks making it easier to peel. In storage all cloves will eventually dry out, go moldy or sprout . Depending on the type of garlic and how tight their bulb and cloves skins are garlic will continue to lo se weight through moisture loss. Softneck garlic is known to lose 4-5% of their weight during normal storage, some types (porcelain , standard purple stripe and glazed purple stripe lose 5-10%), while the remaining garlic types can loose 10-15% of their weight due to continued drying. In the kitchen it is great to have a small amount of bulbs ready for use. It is best placed in a breathable container (not plastic), basket, terracotta pot or metal container with holes. Keep out of direct light and in or nearby the kitchen. Garlic types have different storage times. If you are growing a variety of garlic then consider using turban garlic first as it has the shortest storage duration. Consider the storage chart as to the length of storage for various types of garlic. Preserving Preserving Garlic Dehydrating G arlic This is a safe way to keep garlic long term. Pick healthy, firm cloves and remove their skins. Put them in a blender or slice them lengthways or into small pieces. Place on the dehydrator's drying trays until dry, golden and crisp. Keep in an airtight container away from direct light. The dry flakes can also be made into powder with a mortar and pestle or by using a blender with fine cutting blade. The taste remains distin ctly that of the original garlic group. Freezing Garlic Another proven storage technique is freezing the cloves which keeps much of their flavour. You can put the cloves with or without peeling them, into a ziplock bag and freeze. If pre-peeled you can also chop them before freezing. If the clove skins are on it is normally easier to remove them after they are frozen. Garlic in Vinegar Garlic can be preserved in vinegar or wine but it does change the flavour. We advise against preserving garlic in oil because of the risk of botulism. Garlic is prone to botulism due to it's pH being between 5.3-6.3 which is considered too high for preserving in this way. Smoked Garlic Garlic can also be hot or cold smoked. For hot smoked use whole bulbs and remove any loose wrappers (skin), brush olive oil over each bulb and smoke for 1-2 hours depending on the temperature of your smoker. The smoked cloves' contents should resemble a paste like roasted garlic. Cold smoking takes between 1-10 days. Black Garlic Using standard garlic bulbs, garlic can be turned into black garlic - a licorice like food with a non-garlic umami flavour. Black garlic can be made by importing a specialised cooker or alternatively by using a rice cooker, slow cooker or dehydrator can be used to keep garlic bulbs (wrapped in two layers of tin foil) at a low heat for 30-40 days. Black garlic is ready when the cloves are black and their contents treacly. It is not fermented as no bacteria or micro-organisms are used. Black garlic goes through the Maillard reaction of chemically changing amino acids which causes the browning. It's a treat.

Garlic Growing Guide - Planting garlic GARLIC GROWING GUIDE The ten steps of growing garlic Planting Planting is an exciting time in the garden, physically working the soil and starting new beginnings for your garlic crop. When to Plant When to Plant G arlic is generally planted in autumn, with the exact time dependent on your climate and the garlic group you are plan ting. The saying 'plant on the longest day and harvest on the shortest' is a rough rule of thumb which does not take account climate variations and garlic types. Check out the map and chart below to match your climate to the type of garlic you are likely to grow most successfully. Timing is a fine balance with nature, local microclimates and seasonal variability, and the best timing is not always achieved. For milder winters garlic is planted earlier and a bit later in colder areas. Garlic needs to be planted to send out roots before being struck with the winter extremes of driving wind, generally drier cooler air and chilling exposure. The strongly bolting hardneck garlics are more hardy in cold climates. Those in extremely cold areas should plant a month before the soil begins to freeze giving the garlic time to grow roots. Some growers in more mild, humid climates who get persistent garlic rus t (a fungi) plant earlier to harvest earlier thus reducing the impact of this fungi in the warmer months when rust can be prolific. Some try growing turban or asiatic garlic which matures and is harvested earlier than other garlics. However by artificially vernalising and planting early plants are more at risk of secondary shooting (witches broom) or results in smaller bulb sizes. Climate Zone Map Generally the first garlic to be planted are the semi-b olting garlics of turban , creole and asiatic . These garlics are well adapted to long seasons and milder winters because they are more domesticated. The strongly bolting garlics of porcelain , rocambole , standard purple stripe , marbled purple stripe , glazed purple stripe and the softneck artichokes should be planted a little later. Silverskins are the last to be planted in June-August depending on where in the country you live. Consider the for your climate zone, your local conditions and the type of garlic you are considering growing to decide the best time to plan t . NZ Garlic Climatic Zones MILD WINTER COOL WINTER COLD WINTER What to Plant What t o Plant First things first, plant garlic cloves not bulbs - c loves are the divided segments that make up each bulb. The clove skin is not removed. While it is possible to plant the entire bulb, bulbils or true seed (near impossible to find in NZ), the average NZ gardener plants cloves in their vegetable garden. If planting bulb ils for the first year you actually plant the m at the same time as cloves or you can also plant them in spring as well. Secondly, cloves are planted with the pointy end up. The stumpy end has the basal plate from which the root buds will begin to swell in autumn ready for planting. Plants will send down their roots from the basal plate deep into the soil in the cold winter months well before any leaf growth comes out of the pointy top end. Cloves planted upside down will grow but are likely to have stunted growth using a lot of their stored energy to find the surface . Plant only the largest and healthiest cloves. There is a direct correlation between parent bulb size and harvested bulb size. Research suggests there is a ten-fold significance in success in bulb size based on large bulbs compared to large cloves. Also, cloves from a large bulb will generally have a larger harvest bulb compared to the same size clove from a smaller bulb. Interestingly massive bulbs with more cloves have a poorer survival rate. Yet there will always be variation in growing bulbs but consider using large cloves from large bulbs to produce healthy , plump garlic bulbs. Do not plant cloves from bulbs purchased from a shop that is sourced from beyond our shores. Overseas garlic (you can tell because most supermarkets will state the country of origin and/or their roots will be entirely chopped off) poses a disease risk to our soils. Overseas garlic is normally treated with methyl bromide during fumigation and is also likely to have sprout inhibitors. How to Plant How to Plant Garlic Beds or Pots Depending on how much garlic you wish to grow and how much space you have, you might need to form a garlic bed. Garlic can also be successfully grown in pots, however avoid plastic pots where possible as it does not permit the soil to breath compared to clay pots. For pots they should be ideally be 50x50x50cm in dimension if growing only a few. A kiwi typical family (if there is such a thing?) might use 10-20 garlic bulbs per year. Depending on the type of garlic this means a family might need around three bulbs for planting with an average 6-8 cloves per bulb. However, some cannot get enough garlic to eat and might consume 100+/year thus needing at least 10-15 bulbs to divide into 100+ cloves to plant in their garlic bed. Check out the garlic planning diagram to determine how many plantable cloves for each type of garlic. If you wish to only grow a small number of cloves then you could just find a small pocket in your vegetable garden to poke them in. It is worth putting a few sticks into the soil to delineate where you planted them since they are in for a long time. If you have a dozen or more cloves then it is worth designating an area as a garlic bed. If growing in a free-draining raised bed there is no need to mound up the soil. If planting into a ground-level bed then consider raising the soil 20-30cm to ensure that the bed does not get waterlogged during the colder winter months or during those spring deluges that occur particularly up north. We grow ours on 30cm mounds, with the troughs for walking between rows filled in using wood mulch. We make our garlic beds no wider than a metre. This ensures that we can reach all parts of the soil from both sides when planting, applying organic fertiliser, removing scapes and during weeding. Spac ing T he more space you can give an individual clove the better. Wild garlic origins are from the cold and sparse highlands of Central Asia where there is little competition and thus garlic developed to only grow a few thin leaves. Spacing should allow the plant to maximise exposure to sunlight (> photosynthesis), root mass (> nutrient uptake) and air circulation (< risk of disease such as rust). The more space you give garlic the more sunlight and uptake of nutrients will occur from the soil. At Gourmet Garlic we have done several spacing trials and found that planting cloves only a few extra centimetres further apart makes a massive difference to plant health and bulb size. If you want to plant just a bulb or a couple worth of cloves then a short row or two can be planted in the garden bed beside other vegetables - keep in mind that garlic leaves can rise up to a metre tall and may shade other plants. While we are a small commercial grower, like the average home gardener we do not use machinery. Also like the home gardener we would love more room to plant garlic. W e plant our garlic cloves 12cm apart with 20cm spacing between rows. This gives us around 40 cloves per square metre. The generally accepted method is 10-15cm apart in rows 15-30cm apart. Ideally, we would like to have more room for them and space cloves further apart (even our trials tell us this) such as 20x20cm apart (25 cloves/square metre) but our garden space just like at home is at a premium. Our pathways between beds are 40cm wide allowing for a narrow walkway between beds to inspect the plants, undertake weeding, and remove scapes. If you have a lot of garlic to plant consider making a dibble hole jig. The jig will create several holes in the soil at the right soil depth across your row in one go. Ours is simply a narrow strip of wood just over a metre long, with five protruding bolts to make the row. On each bolt we have used a small strip of watering hose as a sleeve between the bolt head and timber. Our spacing and depth are shown in the diagram below. Depth The depth to plant cloves depends on your climate zone and the size of the clove. Those with mild winters barely have to poke the clove into the soil. This would mean the top of the clove sits only a couple of centimetres from the surface. Those with cool winters should plant with 2-5cm of soil on top. In cold climates, it is suggested to plant cloves 5-7cm below the soil surface to protect the clove from the winter extremes and to reduce the chance of frost heaving the clove to the surface. If the clove is large then consider placing it slightly deeper to allow for the longer length of the clove. It is not an exact science. Generally the top of the clove should have a covering of at least 2cm. If your soil is light then you might also sow deep as the roots have a tendency to push the clove upwards during winter and exposed them at the surface. If this happens carefully dig a minor pit beside the clove and put the clove deeper without disturbing the roots. Method This is a simple process. Make the holes for the cloves to the relevant depth. You could use your index finger to make hole and pop the clove in or use a jig. Ensure that the soil is moist, otherwise it will dry out the clove hampering growth and germination. Take a clove from an earlier cracked bulb. Holding the wider base, place the clove into the hole with the pointy end up. Once a row is completed gently apply soil to cover the holes. Early harvesting garlics like turban and asiatic garlic will take about a 1-2 weeks to show leaves, while mid-late harvesting garlics could take six weeks as they rely on cold soil temperatures to trigger leaf development. You can always check root and leaf development by gently digging down in the soil to check.