You wouldn’t associate Autumn with vegetable planting but actually, it is the best time to start many varieties of vegetables, including garlic. One of the reasons for this is plants in the Allium family such as garlic and onions are sensitive to daylength and matures during the longest days of summer.
By planting in the Autumn, this will start the growing season to be ready for a spring harvest when many other species are just getting started.
It is best to root garlic indoors and is very easy to do. Just by putting a head of garlic on the rim of a glass filled with water, it will only take a few days for the garlic roots to begin growing.
On average you should have the roots a sizeable length before planting to give the clove the best start for growth. Garlic can be planted in pots indoors or out. When deciding planting location, garlic does enjoy full sun so choose a location that will receive 6-8 hours of sunlight on average during winter months.
When the garlic is ready to plant, simple break apart the head by cloves and the roots will easily follow. Glaric likes loose soil at least 1 to 2 inches (4 to 5 cm) and 6 inches (15 cm) apart.
Garlic does plant well with other vegetables that also thrive over winter months including spinach, some variations of lettuce, peas, spring onions, and even broad beans.
There is no time like now to start your winter crops. Please make sure you check with your local garden centre for the right soil mix and suitable covers to prevent frost. Garlic is known to have several health benefits including reducing the risk of heart disease, blood clotting, cholesterol levels and some forms of cancer. Some skin conditions, such as warts and insect bites, may respond to garlic oil or a crushed raw garlic clove.
Garlic poses little safety issues and allergies are rare. If you are using the herb for cholesterol, have your levels checked after three months. The recommended daily amount of garlic ranges from half to one whole clove per day (around 3000-6000mcg of allicin). Please note that some people may experience indigestion, intestinal gas and diarrhoea when taking high doses of garlic.