Ghosts, Goblins, Ghouls and Garlic
Article submitted by the Gibson County Master Gardeners
Halloween is right around the corner different varieties, even one named with all the spookiness that it offers – the Transylvania, which is perfect for the evil spirits, vampires, ghosts, goblins, and Halloween holiday. When purchasing your we can’t forget about GARLIC! Legend garlic at the store or local farmer’s market, has it that people smeared garlic on children’s look for firm heads with a white, papery foreheads, wore garlic around their necks sheath, free of any green sprout growth. If buying to ward off the vampires, and chewed on from a dealer, make sure to buy from a reputable cloves to keep the bloodsucking evil spirits plant company or you can even grow garlic away. Today we still associate garlic with purchased from the store. Picking the perfect Halloween, but now it plays many location is a must since garlic is a heavy feeder, important roles in our society for culinary, preferring well-drained sandy loam soil, with medicinal, and horticultural purposes. plenty of organic matter, and a pH level of around Garlic has been around for over 5,000 6.5. To plant, separate the cloves from the head. Garlic cloves years, making it one of the oldest horticulture crops. Don’t worry about peeling the dried paper-like leaves Garlic’s sulfur compounds are used in some fungicides, from cloves, they will grow just fine. Plant them root end bactericides, virucides, anti-inflammatory, and down, pointed end up about two inches deep and six antimicrobial products. If consuming raw garlic is too inches apart. Cover with about six inches of mulch. strong for your palate, try roasted garlic to add many Mulch can simply be grass clippings and leaves fallen benefits to your health. It has been known for centuries from your trees. Leave the mulch on in the spring as the to cure infections, and it is known for its detoxing plants grow to help control weeds. Garlic needs about properties. Garlic has been shown to reduce fatigue and one inch of water per week during the growing season strengthen the immune system. It helps to relax blood and prefers full sun. vessels, thus improving circulation and lowering blood How do you know when to harvest? The garlic will pressure, and it also appears to play a role in lowering grow into the summer months and when the leaves just blood sugar and cholesterol. But be careful, too much of start to turn brown you are getting close. When 75% of a good thing can turn bad. Side effects of eating too the leaves have turned brown, loosen the soil with your much garlic can cause bad breath, acid reflux, digestive hands or digging fork and gently remove the garlic with issues, and an increased risk of bleeding. the stalk attached, be careful not to bruise the heads. Since the legend of keeping vampires away is still Brush off the dirt (don’t peel the skin or wash the bulbs) known to this day, it has been proven that the sulfur and hang the bulbs in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area. compounds in garlic help prevent mosquitoes from biting Let the bulbs cure for four to six weeks. After they’re us. The sulfur smell also is an effective repellent for both thoroughly dry, trim off the roots, cut the stalks about 1insects and animals. Since it has so many benefits, let’s ½ inches above the bulb, and then place them in a net add another! bag or braid the soft neck stalks for storage. Garlic can Garlic is easy to grow and now is the perfect time of be stored for months if stored in a cool, dry space – not year to start growing it. The best time to plant garlic in the refrigerator our hardiness zone 6b is mid to late October. Our soil is Don’t let the spookiness of Halloween get to you, just still warm, allowing it to get a jump start before the wintry get a jump start on your health and next year’s vampire period. The garlic needs about four weeks of time in the protection and plant your garlic today! If you have any soil before it gets cold (freezing). There are two main questions, please feel free to ask your Gibson County types of garlic: hard necks and soft necks with many Master Gardner friends!
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