Plant your Garlic at Thanksgiving!

Every fall we are in harvest mode and preserving all of our bounty produced from the summer heat. We are in a state of euphoria with all the delicious veggies we have from our gardens. We will give thanks for our great luck we have living in a safe stable place on earth. But we mustn't forget about our garlic supply for next year. Garlic is normally planted at or near Thanksgiving and harvested about mid July. Garlic is one of those incredible plants that is easy to grow and needs little care if the basic needs are met. Soil conditions must not be too rich, too wet, and a bit on the sandy side and you should be good to go! Plant individual cloves at a depth of about 3 inches deep and spaced about 5-6 inches apart. Watering them in will not be needed if there is already moisture in the soil. Add a surface mulch of compost about 3 inches thick to provide some protection from the winter's bite if you live in an area where colder temperatures occur. Cut off the scapes (flower heads) when they form next year and use them in a stir fry for an incredible taste sensation! Enjoy your garden and share your garlic with your friends next summer! Happy Gardening! Ken Salvail