Mmmm Smell that garlic

Stand back vampires. I have garlic and I'm not afraid to use it.

I love garlic. It's easily incorporated into a myriad of dishes. Not only does it add flavor, it helps to boost the immune system. And if you play your cards right, it can be used as an insect repellent.

Those virtues aside, growing garlic isn't too tough either (this coming from the woman that got three tomatoes off a single pathetic upside down tomato plant, right?). It does, however, take a bit of patience.

There are a few different types of garlic and the one that we see the most in the market is Artichoke Garlic. It comes in numerous forms ranging from the purple Asian types like Purple Cauldron and Chinese Purple to Susanville. These are by far the easiest to grow which, of course, is why we see it the most often.

There is also Porcelain, Silverskin, Purple Stripe, Cerole, Rocambole... you get the picture.

Grow in soil that isn't too damp and in a location that gets plenty of sun. Growing garlic is a self sustaining practice as you grow it from a clove. Each clove will produce one plant that can be packed with anywhere from 10 to 20 cloves ranging in size. Cloves should be planted upright about an inch down and are traditionally planted on the shortest day of the year. Harvest your garlic when the leaves brown. Hang your cloves in a cool dry place so that they dry instead of rot.