Organic Gardening Info from Peaceful Valley

Consider these customer reviews:

Organic German White Garlic:

“Unpacking last September’s shipment, I was somewhat concerned to note only 4 cloves to a bulb. Very large cloves, but still, since I grow garlic to sell at Farmer’s Market, I have to be concerned about yield. A pound of German White produced only 32 plants, as opposed to 50 or more for California White or Spanish Roja.

Well, those 32 plants were the largest, stoutest and healthiest garlic that has ever grown here, in North Central Kentucky, (Zone 6, well-tilled, well-drained clay soil). Some bulbs were as large as my fist, and each had 6 or 7 enormous cloves. I will be saving the best for seed, which will quadruple the yield from my original investment. Customers are impressed with the smooth, perfect bulbs, large cloves and great roasted flavor.“

Organic Music Garlic:

“This is a MUST garlic for anyone who grows their own garlic. Every year I harvest nice big heads with 5-6 big cloves each. Yum, yum!”

It’s not too late! Hurry and get your garlic growin’!!

I know everybody is just coming down from the busy-ness of the Summer gardening season, especially for you hard working people still canning and processing (tomato sauce, apple sauce, pear sauce, whatever sauce), but don’t forget about the wonderful bounty Fall can provide! I’ve been planting onions, garlic cloves, broccoli starts, and seeds of all sorts of greens. It’s so exciting to think about the deliciousness these favorites will provide! Of course, onions and garlic won’t be ready to harvest until July, but the greens and brassicas will be enjoyed through Winter. For anyone who hasn’t had success growing broccoli in the Spring, try now instead. It’s a struggle in the Spring when temperatures warm up rapidly to keep the plants from bolting, but in the Fall, broccoli (and other brassicas-cauliflower, cabbage, brussellsprouts, etc) just gets sweeter as the temperatures get cooler (for those of us who like to know the “why”, it’s because brassicas produce sugar to act as an “antifreeze” to protect their cells from being damaged by cold-cool, huh?).
Happy Fall!

I am in my 4th year of a new garden in NW Connecticut. On returning from vacation I dug my shallot/garlic bed, (I know it should have been done earlier but it’s been an odd and busy summer).

I had planted twice as much shallot as last year (my first experience growing them), it seems the harvest is tenfold.

The garlic did not do well

For long term storage should the shallots be dried in the sun like an onion?
Can the undersize bulbs be stored for replanting next spring?
Do the garlic or shallots need to be chilled or otherwise prepared before replanting?

I have enjoyed reading posting on your site since I discovered it and will appreciate any information on these matters.

Thanks,

Bob.

PVFS Customer Email with Staff Response

Question:

Question for you: I’ve grown garlics for many years for the Seed Savers Exchange and agree entirely with the tips given in this In the Loop release! I also have grown bunching onion, topset onion, and shallot varieties for the SSE for years, and this past year took on close to 100 additional allium and garlic varieties:

Should I provide any different care for shallots than I provide for garlics? I have experienced dwindling vigor and yields, even loss, of a few shallot varieties over the past 20-30 years, and while I will try hard to get these newly-acquired varieties out and in the hands of other growers as quickly as possible, I really need to find out what is causing them (and topsetting onions) to decline and fail over time in my garden, while garlics and bunching onions thrive. [I took on Louis VanDeven's collection last summer, close to 100 alliums and garlics, when at 89 he feared he would not be able to continue to maintain them. He passed away this summer, knowing that only two varieties had not survived the move, and all the others had produced a healthy abundant yield in their new home....]

Answer:

The first thought that comes to mind is, Are you using a three-year crop rotation and not planting the shallots (any alliums) in the same place every year? The second thought is if you have had a soil test done to see what nutrients are missing form the soil? Also, I would check with your county agricultural office as they may have been asked this information from other farmers in your area. Other farmers would be another source.

It sounds like you have something pretty special and I hope you find the information you need!

I just pulled a number of volunteer garlic and I noticed small bulblets growing outside/under the larger cloves. Can I propagate from these?

I recently harvested my garlic for the year and a majority of my bulbs were quite small. I followed all growing directions I could find, used large cloves, mulched, weeded, etc. but still got this result. Any suggestions?

Question from a customer:

Hi There,

Regarding curing garlic, is it OK to cut off the roots and/or the tops right after you dig it and then cure it on screens in the shade? Is it OK (will it continue to gain flavor) to cut off the roots and braid the soft neck varieties a day or so after it is dug? I want to gain as much flavor as possible but would like to get it ready as soon as possible after being dug.

Answer:

I don’t think it matters much if you cut the roots off after digging, but it is probably best to keep the tops (or most of the top) attached while you cure the garlic. Most growers think that the garlic head absorbs more nutrient from the top as it cures. If you are going to braid the garlic, you certainly don”t want to cut off the tops anyway. Usually, the garlic is cured for several days before you braid them and once braided you need to make sure there is good air circulation around the garlic, as it finishes curing. The curing process is probably 2-4 weeks, depending on temps and humidity.

With garlic harvest & curing in full swing, we’re cooking with organic garlic every day! Here are a few of our staff’s favorite recipes. Please share your favorites with us by leaving a “comment” below. Enjoy!

Herbed Garlic Feta Spread (or salad topper)

Combine 2 cups of feta cheese, 4 cloves of minced garlic, and 2 tablespoons of minced fresh herbs like basil or oregano. Spread on thin slices of French bread or crackers. Or drop small clumps on fresh garden greens for a zesty salad.

Summer Squash Garlic Grill Marinade

Mince 4 cloves of garlic and mix it with a pinch of fine salt. Allow it to sit for a minute (the salt will help bring out the garlic flavor). Mix with1/4 cup of olive oil and add any other herbs you enjoy grilling with. Slice zucchinis, yellow summer squashes, and patty pan squashes into broad 1/4″ slices. Brush both sides with the garlic marinade, grill for about 3 minutes on each side and enjoy.

Oven Roasted Garlic Rosemary Potatoes

Toss some small potatoes or cubed potatoes with 10 whole peeled garlic cloves, some rosemary, olive oil and salt. Bake in a glass dish for 45 minutes at 350 and enjoy as a side dish.

Question:

I live in Santa Fe, New Mexico at 7000 feet altitude, about 13″ natural rainfall a year. I do all my organic vegetable gardening in raised boxes because of gophers. We have fairly mild winters, some snow but usually not heavy. I am wondering what garlics you would recommend for my climate, I would like to get a few different ones to try. Do you have an article on picking the right garlics for your climate/conditions or doesn’t it really matter?
Thanks!

Answer:

Generally, hardnecks are better for variable climates, softnecks are better for mild climates (like Southern California).  Check out this link from the University of New Mexico for more info.  I’d also suggest you contact the Master Gardeners in your area for more local advice as far as which specific varieties to choose.

Hope that helps and thank you for growing organically!

Customer Email – PVFS staff response.

Question:

Hi everyone at Peaceful Valley –

I’ve grown your wonderful Music hardneck garlic for a few years but this year most of my heads have turned brown, although they did grow scapes, and upon pulling them up they smell funny and have no roots!  Wonder what is going on.  Any ideas?

No sign of rodent or insects.

Would like to hear from you in this regard.  – No hurry.

Many thanks.

Answer:

Hi Judy,

Two possibilities came to mind when reading about your garlic. Could they have been standing in water for an extended period? The forming bulb may have had enough energy to produce a scape before it rotted.

The other possibility is that a soil born disease affected your garlic. Have you been rotating your garlic crop? Most garlic growers use a minimum 3-year rotation. Did you use saved seed-garlic?

Hope my questions help,