Dig It

If there’s one vegetable out there that seems to be in agreement with all taste buds, it’s the potato. Large in girth, versatile in the kitchen, the spud has saved numerous bland meals over the years. Old culinary reliables like mashed potatoes and french fries have quieted finicky children for centuries. And vodka has quieted the older “children” for just as long.

Better than a soft pillow.

Gardeners love the potato because one seed can produce of legion of full grown spuds. All you need is a nice plot or a great container like a 15-40 gallon Smart Pot.

Next, you’ll need a good amount of dirt or compost to keep burying the plant as it grows.

But first, get your seeds.

Say no to supermarkets. Yes to seed companies.

Seed potatoes are essentially another potato waiting to be planted. Steer clear of the shiny smudge-free beauties of grocery store fame. While they look pretty, they are not ideal for planting and could be susceptible to numerous diseases.

Get your seeds from reputable seed companies like Asheville’s Sow True Seed or Virginia’s Southern Exposure Seed.

Cut ‘em up

A week or so before the potato planting date, set seed potatos in a warm, well-lit area. This will begin the “eye-growth” process. The sprouts (strangely, but commonly known as “eyes”) will emerge in this environment.

Umm, not those eyes.

A day or two before garden relocation, use a sharp, clean knife to slice the potatoes into “seeds”. Each seed should be cut to about 1-2inches, and must contain at least 1 or 2 “eyes”.  Leave the cut pieces sitting out for about 24 hours. A brown callous will form over the cuts. While unsavory in appearance, these callouses will protect the plant from rotting once in the ground.

Trenchtown

The best method for planting potatoes in the garden is the trench method. Dig a 6″ deep shallow trench and place the seed potatoes in the trench with the eyes facing up. Then cover the potatoes with a couple of inches of soil.

Space plants 12”-16” apart in rows 24”-30” apart.

As the potato plant grows, continually hill soil or compost up along the sides of the plants. This keeps the surface tubers from being exposed to sunlight, which can turn your prized potatoes green and inedible.  The hilling method can cease when the plants begin to flower.

Once potatoes flower, make sure to keep your tubers well watered. Water early morning to prevent disease. When the foliage begins to yellow, don’t fret, it’s almost harvest time! Stop watering during this one -two week period. After that, it’s time to pluck for the dinner table!

Here’s a cool video on the trench method:

Container Taters

Those late (or too early) to the game can try growing in containers. Simply place your seeds  in 6″ of potting mix in the bottom of a tall planter. Keep adding soil and straw as the plants get taller. Follow the watering and harvesting method from above.

Here’s a quick tutorial on container potatoes:

The Radish. Salad enhancer. Natural garden tiller. Gardener confidence raiser.

Black thumb growers rejoice! There is a plant for you.

Even this guy can grow radishes.

The intimidation growing factor for radishes are zero. Germination is quick. Maturity is in less than a month (sans Daikons that take two months). Fertilization is minimal. Frost tolerance is fairly high.

It’s a great plant to start with in spring. It grows with little help and creates hope in the gardener… before bugs, funguses, and climate reign terror on the summer crop.

Wheather you start in your plot or a container (air pruning Smart Pots are a great idea), radishes can tolerate about any condition with their shallow root system.

Perhaps the hardest thing about radishes is choosing which variety to grow. The choices are abundant and include creative colorful names like French Breakfast, White Icicle, German Giant, and Cherry Belle.

Start radishes outdoors about 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost. Make sure your plot is free of underground rocks or any other matter that deters root growth. Sow seeds 1/2″ apart. Within several days, seeds sprouts appear. In another couple of days, the seedlings will be a couple of inches tall. Thin these to 3″ apart for optimal root growth.

After about a week, add a good fish emulsion (i.e Neptune’s) and a good phosphorous-based root booster (like a compost tea with bat guano) for fertilization. After that, sit back and watch ‘em grow. After about 4 weeks, you should have a fresh bounty of radishes.

To keep the crop growing, sow seeds every couple of weeks until the weather gets consistently warm about 75 F degrees.

Check out this growing radish tutorial. The video length ( 8 minutes) is the same amount it will take  to start growing  your own:

Next up: Onions: Gourmet in the garden. Bad in the breath.

Dig It recently went underground to discover the stars of the root veggie family.

Let’s continue…

Carrots: Yes, Bugs Bunny was a genius…

If you’re only aware of the orange variety, you’re in for an awakening of rainbowed proportions. Yellows, whites, purples, reds, and other colorful carrots can be planted in your garden. Numerous seed companies like the Asheville-based Sow True Seed offer carrots offer beyond the Clemson color.

Found the rainbow. Where the hell's my pot of gold?

The first rule for carrots: don’t start seeds inside. They do not like to be transplanted. Sow directly into the garden when the climate is agreeable. Consult the NC State spring planting guide or the Farmer’s Almanac for planting times in your region. Carrots will germinate in full sun with temps ranging from 50F-80F.

Plant seeds 1/2″ deep and 1/2″ apart in rows 12″ to 24″ apart. Be patient, carrots can take anywhere from 1 to 3 weeks to break ground. Uneven germination is common and can be alleviated with light watering if the rows are dried out. You can mark the rows either by a loose application of sand or even a piece of string stretched along the row and tied at both ends.

Some farmers even plant radishes in the rows, since they break ground quickly and can mark the carrot rows. Make sure to thin out and/or harvest the radishes before they compete with the carrots.

There's my carr...err, umm, radishes.

Once the carrots are almost two inches tall, make sure to thin them out to from one to four inches (depending on how large you want your carrot root to be). Side dress with a good compost like McEnroe to keep in moisture and prevent exposed roots from becoming bitter. A well tilled garden or a great raised bed recipe is crucial for healthy root growth. Rocks or compact clay can stunt a carrot and make a grower shake his/her fist.

A good standard granular fertilizer like a McGeary 5-3-4 will benefit the carrots and should be incorporated in at least a week before sowing. Carrots love phosphorous and potassium, so an extra addition of something like bone meal (phosphorus) and green sand (potassium) will make your colorful roots happy. If you really want to tweak your garden,  get a soil test from your local ag extension office. This will help gauge exactly what to put in the plot for the plant’s needs.

Go to the head of the class!

Once again, patience will be pivotal since harvest time is usually 60 t0 80 day (depending on the variety). Since all sizes of carrots are edible (although some types will develop a woody, fibrous middle if left in too long), they can be slowly harvested. Overwintering (with fall planted carrots) is possible even when the tops have succumbed to freeze. Just cover with a good amount of leaves and/or dirt, and by next spring you may have a surprise crop waiting for a pull.

To be continued:

Next up? Radishes: making all growers look like geniuses.

Root vegetables never get respect. It’s bounty and vibrant colors lie under the dirt. The spring superstars like lettuce, broccoli and cabbage receive all the hoopla. And why not? What you see is what you get. The gardener knows when to pick things like broccoli thanks to the visible ripeness. Root veggies require a little more attention as well as an even watering distribution..

Yet, there is no bigger reward than pulling out a ripe red onion or a sweet potato for the dinner table. And, this isn’t the grocery store root veggie, even if the label says organic. The taste of a freshly plucked root veggie has no comparison. A beet and carrot are truly sweet and a radish becomes the champion of the salad bowl.

Beets and Carrots: Coming to a candy store near you?

Here are some of the more popular root veggies and how to become a master gardener of the underground.

Beets

The varieties of available beets are staggering. Golds, Detroit Reds, and the Chioggias (striped insides) can create a beautiful display on the dinner table. The greens from beets can be picked and enjoyed raw or cooked. The roots will not be affected from the picking, and will grow to golf ball size or much bigger.

The best way to grow beets are to sow them straight in the garden in either early spring or late summer. Here’s a guide for when to plant in the region.

Once the soil is workable in the spring, plant seeds an 1″ apart with 12″-18″ between rows. Begin thinning plants when they are about 5″ tall. Compost the thinnings or bring them to the kitchen for stir frys or salads. Be vigilant with the weeding throughout the beet’s cycle. Any competition from a rogue plant can stunt the root’s growth. If the weather seems unseasonably warm (beets do well with day temps of 75 F or less), cover the plant during the day with a light (.5 oz) Remay blanket (aka germination blanket). This also keeps the bugs away.

Greens look great, but how about those roots?

Try not to overdo with a nitrogen-centric fertilizer. The leaves will be healthy, but the roots will be thin at harvest.

Speaking of harvest, the average wait time for pulling the roots are 60 days. A good sized beet will be anywhere from 1 1/2″ to 3″ in diameter. Anything smaller or larger should be taken to the closest Fifth Season Store and handed over to an employee for quality culinary control.

To be continued…

One of the true villains derided by the sustainable movement is the world corporation, Monsanto. The world’s leading producer of genetically modified seed (90% of it), Monsanto’s reputation for bullying the seed industry is well documented. Their biggest no-no came when the U.S. Justice Department investigated whether Monsanto’s practices in the soya-bean market were breaking anti-trust laws.

The Center for Food Safety currently lists “112 lawsuits by Monsanto against farmers for claims of seed patent violations” (Vanity Fair 2008 article). Also according to Vanity Fair, “The Center for Food Safety’s analyst stated that many innocent farmers settle with Monsanto because they cannot afford a time consuming lawsuit. Monsanto is frequently described by farmers as “Gestapo” and “Mafia” both because of these lawsuits and because of the questionable means they use to collect evidence of patent infringement.“

The current row with Monsanto comes from Organic Seed Growers & Trade Association. On March 29, 2011, OSGATA filed in “federal district court in Manhattan on behalf of 60 family farmers, seed businesses and organic agricultural organizations, challenging Monsanto’s patents on genetically modified seed. On June 1, 2011, they  amplified the OSGATA v. Monsanto complaint by bringing on an additional 23 Plaintiffs to bring the total to 83. The plaintiff group now represents over 300,000 members.”

The good guys.

In late January 2012, Asheville seed company Sow True Seed joined OSGATA to protest Monsanto’s dismissal claim in New York.

From the Sow True Seed Website:

On January 31, 2012, representatives of Sow True Seed joined other farmers, advocacy groups, and other seed companies in the streets of New York City as part of a class action lawsuit, The Organic Seed Grower and Trade Association, (OSGATA), et al. v. Monsanto, filed by the Public Patent Foundation. The opening arguments against Monsanto’s dismissal claim was heard in the Southern District Court of NY, while hundreds rallied outside.

Why should any respectable gardener, farmer, and sustainable supporter be afraid of Monsanto?

The Organic Consumer’s Association explains:

Ten Ways Monsanto and Big Ag Are Trying to Kill You – And the Planet

Energy-intensive industrial farming practices that rely on toxic chemicals and genetically engineered crops (mainly Monsanto) are not just undermining public health, they’re destroying the planet.

Here’s how:

#1 Generating Massive Greenhouse Gas Pollution (CO2, Methane, Nitrous Oxide) and Global Warming, While Promoting False Solutions Such as Industrial Biofuels, So-Called Drought-Resistant Crops, and Genetically Engineered Trees

#2 Polluting the Environment and the Soil-Food Web with Pesticides, Chemical Fertilizers, and Persistent Toxins, Including Dioxin

#3 Draining and Polluting Wetlands and Aquifers, Turning Farmland into Desert

#4 Poisoning Wells and Municipal Drinking Water, Lakes, and Rivers

#5 Chopping Down the Rainforests for Monoculture GMO Crops, Biofuels and Cattle Grazing

#6 Increasing the Cost of Food, While Reducing Nutrition and Biodiversity

#7 Spawning Pesticide-Resistant Superbugs and Weeds, and Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

#8 Generating New and More Virulent Plant, Animal and Human Diseases

#9 Utilizing Wasteful Fossil Fuel-Intensive Practices and Encouraging the Expansion of Natural Gas Fracking and Tar Sands Extraction (Which Destroy Forests, Aquifers, and Farmland)

#10 Stealing Money From the 99% to Give Huge Subsidies to the 1% Wealthiest, Most Chemical and Energy-Intensive Farms and Food Producers

What can you do locally and nationally?

On a national scale, you can donate to OSGATA by clicking here.

In WNC, Sow True Seed has an online petition for a “GMO-Free WNC”. Sign the petition here.

February is shrug the shoulders month. The grass gives off an unhealthy pallor, bird songs sound desperate, and winter clings on, decorating the land with inconvenient frostings.

Another Crowning Achievement Courtesy of February!

Since February could care less, the gardener should also ignore the month whose only claim to fame is Leap Year. This is a great time to venture outside and commence the garden cleaning for the bounty to come. It’s also an advantageous moment for seed catalog memorization,as well as bullying your way to the front of the seed stands for the pick of the litter. In fact, there are numerous projects to take on, and before you know it, Leap Year has left for another four year vacation.

Here are some more tips on how to make it through the last full month of winter:

Classes and Workshops:

Right now is a great time to sign up for some gardening classes in your area before they fill up. In Asheville, some of the best growing professionals in the world share their knowledge over the weekend at the Organic Grower’s School on the UNCA campus, March 3-4. Classes range from mushroom cultivation to building a bamboo greenhouse. More info and registration can be found at: http://www.organicgrowersschool.org/

Bee Keeping will also be Offered at the School!

Be a prude about pruning: Grab the pruning shears and lop off those unwanted growths on fruit trees, blueberries, grapes, and roses. Numerous websites offer pruning advice. NC State has a great site on pruning fruit trees. If y0u want some hands-on instruction, Barkslip’s Fruit School in Asheville will be offering pruning classes in March. Click here for more info.

Insect Eradication, Yes, Insect Eradication

Hide and seek is one of the insect’s favorite pastimes in the Winter. Frost is not enough. Right now is a perfect time for spraying a dormant horticultural oil on beds, fruit trees, and other decorative plants.

Indoors is another fun place for bad news bugs, like spider mites, to congregate. Mites love dry areas and they enjoy partying on defenseless house plants. Be vigilant with preventative sprays like Neem Oil and Azamax.  A good home remedy (according to the Farmer’s Almanac) is a solution of 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup buttermilk, and a gallon of cool water, applied in a mist.

Party Animals.

Bad Breath for Spring

Now is a great time to start onion seeds for transplanting in the early spring. Try to do seeds instead of sets because seeds have longer lasting vitality.

Power of Parsley and Other Windowsill Favorites

Go ahead and start some favorite culinary herbs (basil, dill, parsley) for future containers in a south facing windowsill. Nothing is better than clipping herbs inside and adding to a favorite dish. For outside, start seeds for frost tough parsley. Forgo the favorite parsley planted last year even if it’s still alive from winter. Why? Because it will soon go to seed since it’s a biennial.

Enable the Inner Scientist

Take out your seeds from last year and place ten of each kind between two wet paper towels. See how many germinate to determine how many leftover seeds to sow. If none come up, head to (or internet order from) the friendly seed store. Some of the best regional companies are Sow True Seed and Southern Exposure Seed Exchange.

We have ventured into uncharted territory–growing sweet red peppers under T-5 flourescent fixtures.

Snake oil, you say?

No way you crazy @@#$’s could grow fully developed sweet peppers under simple flourescents, you scream?

The picture does not lie.

The secret?

1) Good Seed Stock

We obtained Big Red pepper seeds from Sow True Seed

2) Excellent Potting Soil

We moved the healthy seedlings to two different types of soil–McEnroe Premium Lite Potting Soil and Roots Organic Potting Soil. The initial idea was to do a side by side comparison. The two, at this point, are neck and neck with no clear winner.

Contestant #1 in McEnroe Soil

Contestant #2 in Roots Potting Soil

3) Innovative Nursery Pots

We use Smart Pots, which is a cutting edge nursery pot due to its air pruning of the roots. The fabric of the pot is unlike typical plastic pots, which can confine the roots and cause them to encircle the pot if crowded. In the Smart Pots, the root will reach the edge of the pot and stop growing. This signals for another root to start growing, which is much healthier for a container plant.

4) Tea Once a Week

We started giving the pepper plants a compost tea supplement once a week when they reached six inches tall. We do our own tea in the store and we usually dilute it to 1/4 cup per gallon.

The recipe is as follows (see our section on compost tea for aeration setup):

Worm Castings: 1 Cup

Alfalfa Meal: 1 Cup

Azomite: 1/3 Cup

Nature’s Nog Liquid: 1/2 Cup

Hi-Brix Molasses: 1/2 Cup

Rooters Mycorrhizae: 1 TBSP

a. Mix dry ingredients in a mesh sack and suspend from lid.

b. Add 1/2 cup of molasses.

c. Aerate for 24 hours.

d. Mix at 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup per gallon depending on plant maturity

e. Refrigerate any unused tea.

5) Diet Regiment from the Gods

We are currently using a trial nutrient that we hope to put in our stores soon. The results speak for themselves. All we can tell you is that the nutrient line is inspired by certain mythological deities.

6) We saw the light and it was good…

We have the adults under a sunblaze 28 (which is eight 2 foot t-5 bulbs) for 12 hour increments inside a grow hut called the Sun Hut . The seedlings received the same light treatment.

7) Intimacy

Who says plants aren’t aware of the human touch?

Screw the lights, godly fertilizers, and soils. All they need is a nice kiss.

Winter is a great time for…

Writing memoirs for no one but yourself.

Turning on family members after being snowed in for two weeks.

Losing nerve endings permanently due to frostbite.

Yay! Winter is here.

It also can remind you to start some preservation techniques before the whiteout commences. Perhaps one of the easier winter preps for outdoor gardens is in the herb bed.

Before the season of discontent begins, look around at your herb garden. See all that green? Remember all those bland sauces that came to life with the addition of a little thyme or sage? Do you want to preserve those herbs for a bountiful 2012?

Here’s some techniques for saving those outdoor herbs as well as which ones to bring inside and/or start in the windowsill:

1) Preservation

• Be a Mulch Maven–A two to three inch layer of mulch like shredded leaves or wood chips (make sure to add blood meal in the spring if using wood chips to cut down on the carbon) will keep most winter hardy herbs happy through even the most nippy of times. Make sure to mulch after a hard freeze. Mulching before the onset of cold weather will keep the soil warmer and can decrease the herb’s penchant for winter hardiness.
• Fend off Fertilizing–Avoid fertilizing after mid to late August. Any late summer additions that contain nitrogen will initiate new growth that stands a good chance of not maturing before frost hits. The nitrogen signals to the herb to keep growing instead of preparing for winter hardiness.
• Paltry Pruning–Do not do any major pruning in Eastern NC after early August, and no more after early September in Western NC. Serious cuts will not allow the plant to utilize its new growth before the frost hits. Also, avoid heavy pruning (i.e. sage, thyme) in late fall because the plant will not have time to heal before the freeze.

Move away from the scissors!

2) Winter Warriors

While there are numerous herbs suited for winter survivial,  here are some of the more popular:

• Thyme: Give the herb a good mulch like wood chips for healthy drainage. Since its origin comes from the drier regions of the Mediterranean, try not to over water, since a soggy soil can decrease winter hardiness. Also, provide some kind of wind buffer. Other Mediterranean plants that follow the same guidelines are tarragon, lavender, and oregano (but not Greek oregano).
• Sage: Follow essentially the same requirements as thyme. Try not to overprune. Prune lightly after the first frost to incorporate in teas (good for combating night sweats), incense, and especially any white bean style soups.
• Rosemary…maybe: I cannot wholeheartedly recommend this fussy perennial for withstanding winter (especially a severe one). I have witnessed large bushes that can survive, but I’ve seen many fledglings perish in a Western North Carolina winter. Either bring it in for the winter, or cut it down to several inches high and cover it with soil. Finally, cover it with five inches of mulch. Then, pray.
• -20 Degrees of Seperation: Herbs that can almost be Arctic (thanks to its polar hardiness) include chives, fennel, and mint. A good mulch should be more than enough protection.

Future staple of polar bears?

3) Get Your Thrill in the Windowsill

Herbs like basil and parsley will perish at even the threat of frost. However, they we will do quite well in a south-facing windowsill. If you want vigorous growth, consider adding several hours of fluorescent lighting like a T5. Instead of bringing tender herbs inside (they can bring unwanted pests onto other houseplants) consider starting some from seed. Some other good herbs for indoors are chives, marjoram, and oregano.

Last week, in the first installment of all things garlic, the discussion leaned towards picking the right varieties.  Now, it’s time to get dirty and put some cloves in the ground.

1)Mise en Place

Some of the best ingredients for a garlic garden plot is alfalfa (hay, meal or pellets), bone meal or soft rock phosphate. Bone meal and soft rock both contain a good amount of the delicious phosphorous garlic gobbles up. I prefer soft rock since beneficial microbes (like mycorrhizae ) readily attach to it. Alfalfa is an excellent nitrogen source as well as providing minerals like boron, calcium,magnesium, iron, sulfur, and zinc.

In Ron L. Engeland’s garlic bible, Growing Great Garlic, he recommends doing a cover crop of alfalfa for three years before tilling it in and doing a garlic bed in its place. However, most don’t have the time (or the commercial inclinations) for such labor. For the hobbyist gardener, meal and pellets will suffice.

The Bible with the strong scent.

Ideally, both bone meal (or soft rock) and alfalfa should be incorporated a month or two before the initial planting (especially if you’re doing alfalfa hay). If you’re late to the game, don’t fret. You can still put the amendments down (use alfalfa pellets or meal instead of hay), while also incorporating a good compost tea with alfalfa meal and bat guano (with high phosphorous) to water the fledgling cloves. Check out the Dig It blog on compost tea here.

Another powerful additive to the planting repertoire is the beneficial fungi, mycorrhizae. According to several experts in food chemistry, the addition of mycorrhizae  can increase the selenium ( a powerful antioxidant that can combat cancer) uptake in garlic by up to 15 times.

2) Location, Location, Location

Besides the freshly tilled alfalfa bed (or buckwheat bed thanks to its phosphorous uptake), there are many options for where to plant. A former tomato bed is ideal since tomatoes are magnets for fungal disease. Garlic is anti-fungal since it accumulates sulfur naturally. Garlic can also be planted near roses and numerous fruit trees, lettuces, and celery to repel aphids. Also practice good crop rotation. Do not plant garlic in a bed where onions or any member of the garlic’s Allium family (i.e. chives, leeks) had previously grown the season before.

Leek: Estranged Family Member

3) Do the math…really, it’s easy.

According to the Sow True Seed site, one pound of seed garlic will plant 20-25 row feet of garlic when planted with 6″ between cloves.

A pound of hardneck garlic yields about 40 cloves (aka seeds). If you plant 40 cloves, expect 40 bulbs at harvest, which equates to about 7 pounds. A pound of softneck can do about 60 cloves, which means 60 bulbs, which means…drum roll please… 7 pounds.

4) Bury ‘em

Now until late October is optimum for garlic planting, so the clove can root before the ground freeze. Seperate the cloves from the bulb (making sure its pest and disease free). Plant the blunt end down about 2 inches, affording 6″ between each plant and 12″ between each rows. To prepare for the winter, mulch the baby bulbs with plenty of grass clippings and (preferably) shredded leaves to provide warmth and limit spring weed growth.

For a little more detail, check out this video on planting garlic:

Garlic is a gift to the world. The unwrapping of each clove endows more surprises than Christmases, birthdays, and strippers out of large cakes combined. Culinary speaking, a roasted clove endows a rich flavor to even the most paltry of dishes. Health-wise, ingesting even one raw clove a day adds powerful antioxidant weapons against the possible onslaught of cancer. In the garden, numerous bugs with greedy reputations will flee in droves at the mere mist of homemade garlic sprays. Farmers and hobbyists alike appreciate the green shoots of  sprouting garlic amidst the glum whiteout of winter.

Better than any Friar's Roast.

Right now is the season for garlic, both for the palate (thanks to an abundance at Farmer’s Markets) and the planter. In North Carolina, mid-September through the hard freeze (usually mid-November) is a great time to get garlic cloves in the ground.

Here’s a guide on which garlic will best suit your needs:

1) Garlic Varieties:

• Softneck (varieties include artichoke, common, and silverskin): Highly populous in supermarkets, softnecks grow well in most areas in North Carolina, have a delectable flavor, and store well for long periods. They are also the type of garlic you will see braided at many Farmer’s Markets. Their only shortcoming is its difficulty in peeling. Italian and New York varieties work well in the NC region, as well as kinds like the California Early and the Susanville.

*Note: The Creole varieties of softnecks will not do well in Western North Carolina due to its lack of cold hardiness and weak storage capabilities.

• Hardneck (including the German Extra Hardy and Music): More finicky than softnecks in this region, hardnecks can be difficult to grow and they don’t store well. Discouraged? Don’t be. Their attributes include easy peeling as well as developing scapes in their growing period. In the early spring, a round curled stem will grow out of the bulb. As it begins to straighten out, cut it off to stop the flowering process. This redirects the energy back into the bulb growth. Even better, the scapes can be used as a delicious addition to salads and stir fries.

Garlic Scapes: The Pride of the Hardneck

The best hardneck varieties for the region include the German Extra Hardy (large bulbs which are excellent producers for both the home and commercial farmers), the Chesnok, and the Georgia Fire . For a challenge, try the Asiatic varieties. They are early producers, but you have to make sure to harvest them before their necks flop over (quite similar to onions). Still, the thought of having garlic in early spring…

• Elephant: I can’t be a full proponent of this giant leek posing as garlic. Plus, the flavor is incredibly mild. Still, they are great producers, and they can grow four times the size of a garlic bulb.

2) Garlic Seed Sources:

Unless you have an eye for garlic and know how to pick out select seeds from bought bulbs at Farmer’s Markets or (God forbid) supermarkets, you can purchase seed stock at:

Sow True Seeds in Asheville, NC or Virginia-based Southern Exposure Seed Exchange.

Also, check out Gourmet Garlic Gardens online. They are an indispensable resource for info as well as having links to countless farms around the country that offer unique varieties.

Next up: Get that garlic in the ground. Also, we discuss garlic’s best buddies in the soil: alfalfa and mycorrhizae.