Author: Elvira Bowen

Garlic is an easy to grow plant that is used for its bulb and its greens. Garlic scapes are the first tender green shoots on garlic which will become bulbils. They are edible when young and add a delicate garlic flavor to salads, soups and sauces. You can use them just as you would use […]

If the soil is fairly wet for a long period of time due to heavy rainfall, the garlic may be ready to be harvested while the foliage is still slightly green. On the other hand, if you are experiencing dry conditions, the foliage may die back before the best time for harvesting garlic has arrived. […]

Cut garlic scapes into 6-inch pieces and pickle them. (Think pickled green beans or thin kosher dill pickles.) Sauté scapes and use them as a pizza topping. Use the scapes whole in a warm-weather-friendly braise. Mix chopped scapes with a stick of butter to make a garlicky compound butter for grilled or pan-fried fish. Should […]

Gardeners in areas where the ground freezes should mulch garlic beds heavily with straw or leaves to ensure proper overwintering. Mulch should be removed in the spring after the threat of frost has passed. In the spring, as warmer temperatures arrive, shoots will emerge through the ground. Should I mulch my garlic? Mulch through winter. […]

Originally Answered: Can I leave my garlic bulbs in the ground for another year in order to get them to grow bigger? No. If you leave bulbs in for consecutive years, each clove will try to form its own bulb and produce even small bulbs. What happens if you leave garlic in the ground for […]

In summer, the garlic scapes (bulbils on long stalks) should be nipped off before they drain energy from the clove clusters. Question: What do you think about egg shells for soil nutrition? Answer: Eggshells do add nutrition to the soil. Which plants like egg shells? Which Plants Like Eggshells Tomato. Botanical Name: Solanum lycopersicum. Tomatoes […]

Fresh, uncured garlic is safe to eat raw or cooked. Peel off the wrapping and enjoy it right away—or keep it on hand for later use. Uncured bulbs stay good in the pantry for weeks, while individual cloves last up to 10 days. Dry all the garlic bulbs you want to put in long-term storage. […]

The green sprout in the center of a garlic clove indicates only that the garlic is old. It is perfectly safe to eat, though its flavor will have diminished somewhat. Is the green part of garlic poisonous? You don’t have to remove the green sprout in the center of the garlic clove, but you may […]

The young, tender cloves don’t require peeling, since their papery skins have only just begun to form. Chop them finely and scatter over salads, soup, risotto and pizza, or fry the green stalks slowly in butter until soft, and serve as a side vegetable. Is immature garlic good to eat? What is green garlic? Baby […]

The sprout in the center of a garlic clove is called the germ. When garlic is young, the germ is pale, small, and tender. As the garlic ages, the germ turns green, grows larger, and develops an unpleasantly bitter quality. Is it OK to eat the green part of garlic? And even though those sprouts […]

According to several studies, it is found that garlic is loaded with a compound called allicin, which can cause liver toxicity if taken in large quantities. What part of garlic is poisonous? Wild garlic can be used in many dishes, including soups and sauces, but new findings show that ‘doppelganger’ versions of the leaves have […]

Per the University of Minnesota Extension, the ideal time to plant garlic is two weeks after the first killing frost. Nonetheless, garlic requires winter protection in the form of mulch to maintain consistent temperatures. Should I cover my garlic plants? Myself, I would just plant later. Organic mulches will protect the cloves from cold winter […]

At a depth of 2″ garlic is usually deep enough to survive the winter. However, 1″ can easily have winter kill on the more exposed areas without a thick mulch cover. What happens if you leave garlic in the ground? If left in the ground too long, the over-mature bulbs can split open, leaving them […]

How to mulch garlic. Garlic has a better survival rate when mulch is applied. Mulch insulates and prevents the freezing/thawing action which can heave cloves out of the ground. If snow cover can be assured, that can be adequate mulch, but we would still recommend mulch to protect the garlic. What should I cover my […]

How to braid garlic to dry? Dry Garlic. After harvesting your garlic in midsummer, set it in a cool, covered, well-ventilated spot out of direct sunlight to dry for several days. Prepare to Braid. Make an X With Two Bulbs. Add a Third Bulb. Tie Three Together. Add a Fourth Bulb. Should garlic be dried […]

You may not think of garlic as being bad for your health, but food poisoning from garlic is a possibility. However, garlic poisoning is more often caused by poor handling of the root vegetable at home, according to Michigan State University Extension. How much garlic is toxic? around 1 gram per 5 poundsGarlic is more […]

Improves heart health Researchers believe red blood cells turn the sulfur in garlic into hydrogen sulfide gas. That expands our blood vessels, making it easier to regulate blood pressure. How long does garlic stay in your blood? The water-soluble compounds in garlic only remain in your body for 2-3 days, but the fat-soluble compounds in […]