Val Bourne: the harlequin ladybird is

Early garlic variety ‘Purple Wight’, with its distinctive purple-streaked bulbs, is best used fresh Garlic thrives in an open, sunny site – the plump cloves can be planted out now

You can plant smaller garlic cloves in pots, ideally 1in deep and 4-5in (10-13cm) apart

Before you crack out the cloves, let Lucy help you with planting, soil conditions and seasonal considerations to ensure you grow and harvest the finest garlic possible…

THE organised gardener may have started off their garlic in November, but the rest of us can plant now. There are two main types: softnecks (Allium sativum ) and hardnecks (A. sativum var. ophioscorodon ), so what kind of care do they need?

Get the best yields Whole bulbs (heads) should be split into individual cloves just before planting (they dry out excessively, otherwise). Don’t bruise them as this can cause rots. Only plant the largest, plump cloves as these give the biggest yields (pot smaller ones up as garlic chives), positioning them 3in (8cm) deep and roughly 6in (16cm) apart in grids (wider on lighter soils). Site in full sun, and add plenty of organic matter to the plot, plus a little bonemeal. Garlic doesn’t have an extensive root system yet it needs

Plaiting mature bulbs into ropes allows for easy storage

steady moisture and appreciates phosphorus (but not excess nitrogen). Acid soils give poor yields, so lime to raise the pH to neutral. Water every week in dry spells (except two weeks prior to harvest) and keep beds well weeded. Harvest once the foliage is halfdead –any later, and the mature cloves keep growing, hindering storage life.

What’s the difference? Most hardnecks are autumn-planted –they’re hardier with fewer, bigger cloves. These types will produce flower spikes terminating in bulbils, which impacts upon storage, so remove and eat these for the biggest heads. Softneck garlic is less cold-tolerant so suits spring plantings (it doesn’t flower so stores very well). A recent introduction is A. tuncelianum , Turkish garlic. Unlike A. sativum , this produces viable seed, so we may see seed packets of garlic as this develops.

Three ways to enjoy garlic

produce curved flower ‘scapes’ in mid-May to early June. Make sure you remove these before the flowers open, chopping them up for stir-frying

Wet: February-planted garlic will or grilling.

provide you with ‘wet’ cloves in late April

Mature: The familiar way to enjoy

and early May. The whole bulb and green your garlic! Freshly harvested bulbs

stem is eaten, adding a much sweeter, are much juicier than those that have

milder flavour to dishes such as risotto. been cured for winter. Plaiting into

A trio of garlics for you to tryÉ Lucy’s choice Also makes great pesto and guacamole. Scapes: Hardneck garlics, rocamboles (serpent garlic) and elephant garlic ropes will allow for easy storage. Alternatively jar into lazy garlic, using white wine vinegar. T&M thegarlicfarm.co.uk Inset: Alamy

Lifting green bulbs in May for wet cloves, and (inset) curved fl ower scapes

1ÔGermidour’: Was given the RHS AGM during trials in 2004. This softneck variety originates from France, and it matures later in the season (lift in late June). The skins of the bulbs are streaked with purple.

2ÔWight Cristo’: This RHS AGM winner is a mild-tasting softneck variety. The individual cloves are large in size, with pure white skins. Will store well into late spring if cured sufficiently. Harvest mid-to-late June.

1Organise your seeds into their month of sowing, now that propagation season is upon us. A shoe or wine box is ideal for this. 2 When did you last sterilise your propagator? If you can’t recall, then wipe down all surfaces with a solution of disinfectant . 3 If you’ve not pruned your autumn raspberries, step to it! New shoots will appear at the base later this month, which can easily break off. 4 Give asparagus beds a weed-over, well before the crowns stir into life. Extensive hoeing once spears emerge is a nightmare! 5 Dig and use up surplus Jerusalem artichoke tubers before they sprout. Keep a few healthy ones and replant in an open, sunny spot. Alamy

If you’ve started sowing quick-tomature varieties such as pea ‘Kelvedon Wonder’ and broad bean ‘De Monica’ in large modules, don’t forget the seedlings are irresistible to mice and voles, so go for multiple lines of protection. Humane traps that you check daily, and hanging sown modules from sturdy greenhouse ridge bars, bring the most success.

3ÔLautrec Wight’: One of the few hardneck varieties that is happy to be planted in spring, providing you with scapes and bulbils. The purpleskinned, large cloves will keep until beyond Christmas if properly cured.

Protect pea seedlings like ‘Kelvedon Wonder’ while growing