Cleaning Garlic

Growing garlic is one of the most fulfilling things I've ever accomplished.
It's a pretty hands-off kind of crop,
and it yields a harvest that lasts for months.

The original starts for this garlic 
were purchased at Sow True Seed, 
a source for open-pollinated and heirloom seeds
in nearby Asheville.

Each year when I harvest,

I put aside a few heads for the next crop.

Last year, I increased my planting area,

so I was blessed with over 30 heads of garlic.

Lesson learned from the previous growing season,

as I ran out of garlic well before the next crop was ready.

These are the best heads from this harvest,

and they will be placed in a brown paper sack to await planting in the fall.

After drying for 2 weeks,
the current crop was ready for processing.
You can see how much they change in appearance
from the first photo in this post.



 The only tools needed are a stiff brush and a pair of scissors.

The roots are cut fairly close to the bulb
and the embedded soil or mulch goes with them.
Whatever remains behind can be dislodged with the brush.

 The frayed ends are lopped off
and left long enough for braiding,

or cut them off close to the bulb
and keep in the pantry for daily use.

 There are various ways to braid,
but it's pretty much the way one would braid hair.
I tend to place the larger bulbs toward the bottom.
The discoloration on the papery cover doesn't bother me.
It reminds me that this was grown right here.

I'm thinking this bunch will last us the whole year,
with plenty to share.
What a feeling of satisfaction,
knowing there is one thing that we use every day
that we need never buy again.

Container Planting Strawberries

These two galvanized tins were recently acquired
from a friend who was discarding them.
Metal is one of my favorite things to plant in,
and I knew that I'd come up with a plan for these.

Having purchased strawberry starts from our local

Cooperative Extension's yearly plant sale,

I decided to make the larger tub into a portable 

strawberry bed.

Not being sure where a permanent bed would end up,

this seemed like a golden opportunity to grow them this year,

and take the rest of the season to figure out a better solution.

Although strawberries savor a good dowsing,

they do not like to remain wet,

so drainage is paramount to their health.

A power drill did the trick quick as a wink.

The starts were laid out,

so that I could see how many I had to plant.

By next year, I hope to have some runners from these first starts,

to give us a continual supply of plants.

Containers are one of the best solutions for growing strawberries,
for several reasons.
First of all, they like a particular pH (between 5.5-7),
so being able to control the amendments to aid in that balance
is a bit easier in a container.
Another reason vessels work well are that they can be watered easily.
Once the water runs out the bottom, you know they've had a good drink.
The pots are also easy to keep weed-free, which this crop prefers.
We planted them so that the crowns are above the soil.

Straw or leaves can be added to retain moisture.
Some worm castings or worm tea will be added
every month after flowers appear.
We hope to harvest a bounty of berries
for fresh eating, jams and smoothies.
Once the season is over,
the plants will be covered with straw or leaves
to help them survive the winter cold.

For more information about the growing and care of strawberry plants,
enjoy this website. 
The Farmers' Almanac is a great go-to guide
for everything gardening.
Get your berries on!

Planting Potatoes

One of the most versatile veggies is potatoes.
They can be prepared in so many ways,
from baking to boiling to frying to roasting.
There's really no bad way to fix a spud.

It starts with seed potatoes.
These can be purchased online or at your local hardware store.
We bought the Yukon Gold variety,
as we had good production with them last year.

The first step in growing your own potatoes
is to cut them into pieces and let them air dry
for a few days.

They may not look too attractive,
but this step is helpful in preventing rot and disease.
Once they are sufficiently dry,
they are ready to take out to the garden.

 This year, I'm reusing the chickenwire towers I made last season.
They were fashioned by simply cutting a length of chickenwire
and joining the two ends to make a hoop.
Support was created by using stakes, rebar, or dowels
woven through the top and bottom of the wire
and stuck into the ground.

 The potatoes were laid (skin side up) onto soil
amended with compost.
Three towers gave us ample space to plant.

Usually, dirt is added to the top of the potatoes as they grow,
to keep them from exposure to the sun,
which can cause them to create solanine,
a toxic chemical that renders the tubers inedible.
In my case, straw will be used instead of soil.
As with most veg,
at least 6 hours of daily sunshine and
an inch of water per week encourages growth.

After a few weeks, we should notice green stalks
escaping from the straw.
In about 10 weeks, the potatoes can be harvested.
They will need to cure before eating,
and can be stored for months unrefrigerated.

As easy as spuds are to grow,
why not add this veg to your garden crop list?