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Growing Garlic in Containers

With much thanks to: zteve t evans

Growing Garlic in Containers

Garlic is an important ingredient in a great variety of foods and recipes. As well as its flavour and taste garlic has antiviral, anti-fungal and antibiotic properties and is believed to be beneficial for a number of ailments.

Container gardening is a growing trend making it possible for people who have small gardens, or even none at all, to enjoy growing their own, home grown vegetables, fruits and herbs. There are special varieties of many different plants that are suitable for container growing.

The first thing that is required is a deep container. Chose one that is at least 8 inches deep and it needs preferably to be placed where it gets plenty of sun. Some shade is acceptable but there does need to be times of good sun exposure.

Buying Garlic Cloves

There are many varieties of garlic readily available from supermarkets, garden centres and even local corner shops. If you want organic garlic ensure that it is certified as such before buying.

If you buy a bulb of garlic then peel the outer layer you will find that inside it is divided up into cloves. Do not plant the bulb but separate the cloves as each clove will grow into a bulb.

Planting the Cloves

Each clove will have a pointed end which needs to be place point upwards in about 2 inches of soil and be planted about 1 foot away from each other. This will give each plant enough space to grow and provide adequate nutrition from the soil. Containers sometimes dry out quite quickly and they will need regular watering.

Planting garlic outside generally takes place after the first frost, in the autumn, or winter. Indoors, garlic can be planted at any time of year as long as it receives adequate sunlight.

Garlic usually soon sprouts sending up a long green shoot called a scape. It is best to cut this off to prevent the plant going to seed. When cut the scape can be used in food like a mild onion. It is important not to let the plant flower as this produces smaller and less flavoursome cloves.

Harvesting

When the garlic is ready for harvesting the leaves will turn to a yellowish or brownish colour and the bulb can be uprooted and used as required.

You may notice that your bulbs are not as large as those found in shops and stores but this is normal and because it is difficult to reproduce the perfect conditions for growth at home that commercial growers can provide. Do not let this put you off because yours will be home grown and you will know what if anything that has been put on it.

Your home grown garlic can be stored in a refrigerator, or dried and stored on a shelf, or it can be used fresh when it is picked.


Learn more about this author, zteve t evan

Plant Companions: List for Ten Common Vegetables

Here is a list of friends and foes for ten common vegetables. We'd suggest separating foes and friends on opposite sides of the garden or at least 4 feet away. Read our full article about plant companions.

With Thanks to: http://www.almanac.com/content/plant-companions-list-ten-common-vegetables

FRIEND	FOE		FRIEND	FOE		FRIEND	FOE
BEANS			CORN			ONIONS
Beets Broccoli Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Celery Corn Cucumbers Eggplant Peas Potatoes Radishes Squash Strawberries Summer  savory Tomatoes	Garlic Onions Peppers Sunflowers		Beans Cucumbers Lettuce Melons Peas Potatoes Squash Sunflowers	Tomatoes		Beets Broccoli Cabbage Carrots Lettuce Peppers Potatoes Spinach Tomatoes	Beans Peas Sage
			CUCUMBERS			PEPPERS
			Beans Cabbage Cauliflower Corn Lettuce Peas Radishes Sunflowers	Aromatic   herbs Melons Potatoes		Basil Coriander Onions Spinach Tomatoes	Beans Kohlrabi
CABBAGE			LETTUCE			RADISHES
Beans Celery Cucumbers Dill Kale Lettuce Onions Potatoes Sage Spinach Thyme	Broccoli Cauliflower Strawberries Tomatoes		Asparagus Beets Brussels   sprouts Cabbage Carrots Corn Cucumbers Eggplant Onions Peas Potatoes Radishes Spinach Strawberries Sunflowers Tomatoes	Broccoli		Basil Coriander Onions Spinach Tomatoes	Beans Kohlrabi
CARROTS						TOMATOES
Beans Lettuce Onions Peas Radishes Rosemary Sage Tomatoes	Anise Dill Parsley					Asparagus Basil Beans Borage Carrots Celery Dill Lettuce Melons Onions Parsley Peppers Radishes Spinach Thyme	Broccoli Brussels   sprouts Cabbage Cauliflower Corn Kale Potatoes

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The beautifully photographed 2012 Recipe Calendar features seasonal recipes that are both easy to cook and delicious, along with helpful hints and advice, and much more.

Companion Planting: The Three Sisters

With Thanks To:  http://www.almanac.com/content/companion-planting-three-sisters

The classic example of happy companion plants is the legendary"three sisters"—corn, pole beans, and either pumpkins or squash. This trio is one of the easiest and most satisfying to grow.

Tips for growing the three sisters:

• To try them in your garden, in spring, prepare the soil by adding fish scraps or wood ash to increase fertility, if desired.
• Make a mound of soil about a foot high and four feet wide.
• When the danger of frost has passed, plant the corn in the mound. Sow six kernels of corn an inch deep and about ten inches apart in a circle of about 2 feet in diameter.
• When the corn is about 5 inches tall, plant four bean seeds, evenly spaced, around each stalk. About a week later, plant six squash seeds, evenly spaced, around the perimeter of the mound.

Each of the sisters contributes something to the planting. Together, the sisters provide a balanced diet from a single planting.

• As older sisters often do, the corn offers the beans needed support.
• The beans, the giving sister, pull nitrogen from the air and bring it to the soil for the benefit of all three.
• As the beans grow through the tangle of squash vines and wind their way up the cornstalks into the sunlight, they hold the sisters close together.
• The large leaves of the sprawling squash protect the threesome by creating living mulch that shades the soil, keeping it cool and moist and preventing weeds.
• The prickly squash leaves also keep away raccoons, which don't like to step on them.

By the time European settlers arrived in America in the early 1600s, the Iroquois had been growing the "three sisters" for over three centuries. The vegetable trio sustained the Native Americans both physically and spiritually. In legend, the plants were a gift from the gods, always to be grown together, eaten together, and celebrated together.

Read our article on Companion Gardening to learn more about which plants are friends—or foes!