Snake Garlic (Allium sativum)

[Durgan]

Hard Neck Snake Garlic (Allium sativum)

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?OACWD 3 October 2008 Planting Garlic The largest cloves were planted in October 2008 to overwinter in the ground.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?MFPIT 29 March 2009 Garlic growing. There are about 100 plants and all survived the Winter.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?GGrowth 18 April 2009 Hard Neck Snake Garlic (Allium sativum) Growth

[Durgan]

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?GarlicGr 2 May 2009 Garlic Growth
Garlic growth is excellent to date.

[Missy]

now, is the part that we use for eating (the bulbs of cloves we buy at the supermarket) the flower of the plant when it is ready to harvest, or is it the clove stuck in the ground that multiplies underground?

[Durgan]

now, is the part that we use for eating (the bulbs of cloves we buy at the supermarket) the flower of the plant when it is ready to harvest, or is it the clove stuck in the ground that multiplies underground?

The part showing is just the leaves, and is totally unsuitable for consumption at this stage of growth, since it is too tough.

The bulb enclosed in a membrane encapsulating about seven cloves forms underground.

Later in the season about mid June, scapes (snakes) will form, which are the stem upon which a seed pod forms. Scapes are about a foot long and about a quarter of an inch in diameter. These scapes are considered a delicacy and are much used in stir fries. Removing the scapes (before they straighten out) directs the plant energy into producing slightly large cloves.

As far as I know garlic is always propagated from planting cloves, not the seeds if allowed to form. Potatoes are similar- meaning usually the potato is grown from a real tuber, not from the seeds that grow at the top of the plant.

[Durgan]

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?GarlicM 4 May 2009 Mulching Garlic
Wood chips obtained free of charge from the city last Fall were used to mulch the garlic bed. This will maintain moisture and tends to inhibit weed growth.