Planting Garlic in Autumn
It's the start of autumn here and we're clinging on to a vague suggestion of an Indian summer. It's still dry enough to spend a bit of time in the garden, and there are a few seasonal jobs that are perfect for this time of year.
For example it's a good time to start thinking about planting garlic. That means preparing your beds and ordering the bulbs for planting.
Begin preparing your garlic bed like any other: clear any weeds and large stones. There’s no need to dig the ground over, but gently free up the soil - turning the surface over with a hand fork so it's not compacted. This will give the new bulbs something to stretch their feet into as they find somewhere to take root.
Since garlic will be in the bed for the extent of the winter and most of spring, it will have to put up with a whole host of wet and windy weather conditions. Improving the drainage of your bed at this stage will go a long way towards helping these plants make it through 'til May.
Burgon & Ball Stainless Steel Hand Fork
View Product- Adding a small proportion of sand or grit will help prevent waterlogging during the rainy season
- Working in some organic matter (homemade compost is ideal) will help retain a friable soil structure.
- If you can poke your finger into the soil without any compacting then you have a good soil structure.
Choosing Autumn Garlic Varieties
Once your beds have been tidied, prepared and given a feed you’ll now have the time to select your bulbs and place an order.
There are many garlic varieties available to chose from but it's always important to go for a variety that suits you and your garden. It's best to select a good seed stock that will prosper here. Many supermarket varieties are commonly grown in China or South America - in a much different climate to ours - and they may not be disease free.
Related Article: How To Grow Garlic
About French Garlic
France is renowned for its garlic, which is a staple in their formidable culinary repertoire. Like cheese and wine, garlic is produced under strict guidelines to protect the traditions involved and to ensure that the finest quality is maintained.
The growing regions have a long tradition of cultivating garlic under the most favourable conditions. By practising long crop rotations of up to 5 years or more they continue to improve soil quality and reduce the damage to the crop - and its seed - caused by pests and disease. Only plants that have been grown in the correct conditions - without cross-pollination - can be certified and then distributed.
These French varieties are certified free from virus - which means a a stronger, healthier plant and a greater yield.
Recommended Autumn Garlic Varieties:
Germidour
Germidour is a late maturing variety of French garlic with purple skinned cloves. The large white bulbs that are produced are considered mild but they still boast a rich flavour.
This soft-necked garlic doesn’t produce a scape so it won’t go to seed, allowing it to remain in the ground longer. It also stores very well.
Messidrome
Messidrome is also a soft-necked variety, with all the attendant advantages including being bolt-resistant and easy to store. This reliable white skinned variety - grown in the Drome region of France near Provence - is highly praised for its culinary attributes.
These bulbs are very easy to grow and will produce a delightful crop, requiring very little attention other than some light weeding and a spring feed. They have a gentle flavour which intensifies when added to a dish.
Quickcrop Bonus Recipe Tip:
My favourite method is to roast the whole bulb in a hot oven. When cooked, peel open the neatly wrapped parcel and scoop out the sensory melange of smell, taste and texture. Serve with anything. Bon appetit!
French Therador
Therador is a gourmet softneck variety of garlic bulb with an excellent shelf life. It is a reliable variety that does well in mild climates, with a mild and sweet flavour.
