Garlic Bulbs

Most of us now have Mediterranean dishes in our culinary repertoire and one of the staples is garlic so why not have a go at growing some yourself. You don't necessarily need a garden, a large container will suffice. There are two main sorts of garlic, softneck and hardneck or Rocambole. The former has a reputation for storing better and the varieties of each vary in flavour. Elephant garlic is a third choice; however that is really a perennial leak and has a mild flavour. If you choose to grow it remember that the cloves split when dry resulting in a short storage life. For best results grow your garlic in a sunny area. Plant in a well weeded, free draining and cultivated soil that is not too acid (a neutral pH is best). If your soil is acid (below pH 6.5) apply lime in autumn and winter. A week or so before planting add a general purpose fertilizer such as Growmore or fish, blood and bone, the latter is recommended as it is a slow release fertilizer. Make sure you don’t use too much, as garlic benefits from some feeding but not too much. A couple of ounces per square metre is about right. Alternatively you could dig in some well-rotted organic manure (though don’t use fresh) to about a spade’s depth down. The manure also helps with the drainage as will digging in sand or grit. Garlic can rot in water logged soil and/or become diseased.