Now You Can Produce Your Own Garlic and Improve Your Health
Garlic, being the staple herb of a Mediterranean Diet, is one that we can call a wonder herb. Garlic is essential in all dishes due to its medicinal and healing properties and for more than 5000 years, garlic is considered to be one of the oldest cultivated herbs because it is believed to give physical strength. Garlic is also known to cure other diseases such as bacterial vaginosis. Planting your own garlic in your backyard should be fun and exciting. It helps you reduce the cost of buying it from the market and it is a great hobby. Besides, you are sure of its chemical components because you planted it and for sure, you will only use organic fertilizers. Not only are you helping yourself but you are also helping the environment.
Choosing the Garlic Type
There are several types of garlic that you can choose from and each variety has a distinct flavor. One popular variety is the Softneck garlic. This is the most common type and it is highly likely that this is the one you see in a produce store. It is called Softneck because it has a multi-layered parchment that covers the entire garlic bulb and this parchment continues to the neck and will show you a soft stalk that people braid as part of making the garlic enticing or decorative.
Another good option is the artichoke garlic. This breed or variety is very easy to grow and has a milder flavor than the Softneck garlic. This type of garlic also has larger, but fewer, cloves per bulb. The good thing about this garlic is it can be stored for as long as eight months. One thing that sets this apart is the purple spots on its skin.
Planting and Harvesting Garlic
To get started, gently remove the garlic's outer skin and separate the cloves from each other. Make sure you do this gently so as not to damage the garlic. Choose the coves found on the outside part of the bulb and plant these cloves in the ground. Make sure that the location is a place where there is direct sunlight for no less than six hours per day. You also need to ensure that the area is not flooded during rainy season.
Dig about 10 inches deep in the soil and add compost, preferably chicken manure. Place the garlic about two inches deep and guarantee that the soil is somewhat loose. Each clove should be six to eight inches apart. Every two weeks, apply organic fertilizer and water the garlic regularly. Pluck out weeds that grow with it using your hands, not a shovel.
You will know that it is time to harvest when the green tops are already dry yellow. The length of time to get to this stage is three to four months. Carefully dig one bulb and check if it is ready for consumption.
How to Store Garlic
The great thing about garlic is that you can store it for months. After harvesting, wash the garlic and hang to dry in a well-ventilated area. Do not use a blow dryer or anything. You need to dry the garlic in the natural process because this enhances the flavor. Once dry, it is option to store the garlic in a paper bag or an egg carton but never in a plastic bag because this will develop molds. Do not freeze garlic because it will change the flavor and the texture. Do not store the garlic in a refrigerator because it diminishes the power of its chemical compounds. However, if the garlic is already minced, it is advised to refrigerate the garlic and cook it the soonest possible time.
Ray Darken has provided more at this link on the subject of Garlic. For related healthy recipes, read about the Mediterraneanean diet recipes club and while you are there download his free Mediterranean diet report.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ray_Darken
Choosing the Garlic Type
There are several types of garlic that you can choose from and each variety has a distinct flavor. One popular variety is the Softneck garlic. This is the most common type and it is highly likely that this is the one you see in a produce store. It is called Softneck because it has a multi-layered parchment that covers the entire garlic bulb and this parchment continues to the neck and will show you a soft stalk that people braid as part of making the garlic enticing or decorative.
Another good option is the artichoke garlic. This breed or variety is very easy to grow and has a milder flavor than the Softneck garlic. This type of garlic also has larger, but fewer, cloves per bulb. The good thing about this garlic is it can be stored for as long as eight months. One thing that sets this apart is the purple spots on its skin.
Planting and Harvesting Garlic
To get started, gently remove the garlic's outer skin and separate the cloves from each other. Make sure you do this gently so as not to damage the garlic. Choose the coves found on the outside part of the bulb and plant these cloves in the ground. Make sure that the location is a place where there is direct sunlight for no less than six hours per day. You also need to ensure that the area is not flooded during rainy season.
Dig about 10 inches deep in the soil and add compost, preferably chicken manure. Place the garlic about two inches deep and guarantee that the soil is somewhat loose. Each clove should be six to eight inches apart. Every two weeks, apply organic fertilizer and water the garlic regularly. Pluck out weeds that grow with it using your hands, not a shovel.
You will know that it is time to harvest when the green tops are already dry yellow. The length of time to get to this stage is three to four months. Carefully dig one bulb and check if it is ready for consumption.
How to Store Garlic
The great thing about garlic is that you can store it for months. After harvesting, wash the garlic and hang to dry in a well-ventilated area. Do not use a blow dryer or anything. You need to dry the garlic in the natural process because this enhances the flavor. Once dry, it is option to store the garlic in a paper bag or an egg carton but never in a plastic bag because this will develop molds. Do not freeze garlic because it will change the flavor and the texture. Do not store the garlic in a refrigerator because it diminishes the power of its chemical compounds. However, if the garlic is already minced, it is advised to refrigerate the garlic and cook it the soonest possible time.
Ray Darken has provided more at this link on the subject of Garlic. For related healthy recipes, read about the Mediterraneanean diet recipes club and while you are there download his free Mediterranean diet report.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ray_Darken
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