Garden Herbs and How to grow - Garlic

Garlic
Garlic is one of the more heralded vegetables and herb in your garden. Plant garlic cloves in the fall, and you will harvest garlic bulbs in late spring. Home grown, freshly harvested garlic bulbs, are much stronger than those found in stores. It can be cooked and eaten by itself as a delicious food.

Garlic is one of herb that simple and easy to grow. Anybody, make that everybody, can learn how to grow garlic. Plant it in just about any slightly rich soil, in a partly to mostly sunny location and it will thrive. And, best of all, it takes little space. It can even be grown amidst your flower garden if you are short on space.

It is most commonly used as a spice or herb. It is used in recipes around the world. Perhaps it is best known for it's use in Italian, Chinese, and Oriental cooking. It's roots can be traced to Central Asia.

Garlic does not stake it's claim to fame on cooking alone. It is also widely used in organic gardening. It's strong odor is a natural repellent to many insect pests. In addition, garlic was believed to have the power to ward off demons and vampires.

Medicinal Value
Since ancient times, Garlic has been hailed for it's medicinal value. It was used to treat a wide variety of ails. Current research suggests it aids in lowering cholesterol, reducing cardiovascular disease and even cancer prevention. Some studies suggest garlic also helps to relieve cold and flu symptoms.

Varieties
Regular Garlic : White or purple varieties
Elephant Garlic : Slightly milder in taste, but about twice the size of regular garlic. Elephant garlic is not only good for spicing up food, but can be cooked by itself. Cooked or grilled, it takes on a very mild taste. Eat it by itself, or spread it on a piece of Italian bread.

How to Grow Garlic
Garlic root forms a bulb comprising several segments called cloves. Separate the cloves, and plant them in the fall for a spring crop. They will begin to grow and take root until snow covers the ground. In the spring they will start growing again, and will be harvestable in late spring to early summer.

Garlic will not tell you when it is thirsty. Make sure to water regularly, as dry weather arrives. Add a little general purpose fertilizer in the fall ,and a couple of times in the spring.

Insects and Pests
Garlic is resistant to most pests. It's odor wards off many insects. However, on occasion, maggots will be a problem.
Try garlic near your roses to ward off aphids and Japanese Beetles.

Disease
Garlic is resistant to most forms of disease.

Harvest and Storage
Pull garlic after the tops have fallen over and dried. (Although you can begin to pick them as soon as a bulb starts to form.). Wash them off ,and leave them to dry in the sun for a day or two.

You can weave the stalks into a braid and hang them for future use. Or, you can cut the stalk off and store them in a cool, dry place. Properly stored, it will keep over the winter months.

Hardiness
Garlic is among the hardiest of plants. It is resistant to cold. It goes dormant over the winter like winter wheat or lawns, but does not die. Once spring arrives, it begins to grow with the first warm days of late winter or early spring. It is not harmed by frost, freezes or even snow.

Ref : www.gardenersnet.com