Green sprouted garlic is somewhat of a delicacy and is usually only found at farmers markets, but is also very easy to grow! It grows fast and adds an incredible, fresh flavor to any traditionally garlic-laced meal.

HOW TO LISTEN:

• Listen right now in your browser by clicking above.

• Subscribe in iTunes (or your favorite podcast player) to have our podcasts sent directly to your device.

SHOW NOTES:

In this episode, we discuss:

• The difference between green garlic and bulb garlic

• How to plant and grow green garlic

• Green garlic vs. garlic scapes

Important Take-aways:

• Typically garlic cloves are planted in late fall and then harvested as a full head the following summer. However, it is also possible to plant garlic cloves in spring in order to produce a green shoot during that same season, which we call “green garlic”

• Green garlic and garlic that you plant in the fall come from the same source - garlic cloves planted in the ground - but they yield much different results.

• If you are growing green garlic, which means growing the crop for a thin, fresh shoot rather than a bulb for storage, the planting, timing and care of your crop will be a bit different from what you would expect when growing garlic for bulbs.

• Green garlic is a short season crop, so it’s great for gardeners who didn’t get a chance to plant garlic the previous fall, or who are gardening in smaller spaces.

• It's safe to start planting green garlic as soon as the ground has thawed and  because of its growth habit, there is a long window of planting opportunity each season, so there is no rush

• To plant green garlic:

  • Separate all the cloves for your head (or heads) of garlic

  • Loosen the soil in the area where you plan to plant

  • Plant each clove (pointy side up) about 3" deep, and 1-2" apart

  • Cover with soil

  • Fertilize with a balanced liquid or granular fertilizer once plants emerge

• Your garlic should start to sprout a few weeks after planting (depending on soil temperature), and is ready to harvest at any stage of its growth! We usually like to wait until the plant is around 6-8" tall so that the stalks long, but still tender. If your stalks start to become tough, trim them off.

• Green garlic vs. garlic scapes: Green garlic is an entire young garlic plant that is harvested early in the season before the bulb is fully formed. Garlic scapes are the flowering stalk that the plant sets towards the end of it's lifecycle.

Two Excellent books on growing garlic!!

Like what you hear? Please share our podcast with a friend. Subscribe on iTunes or your favorite podcast player so you never miss a beat. And we'd really appreciate you showing us some love by leaving a rating and review on iTunes. 

Have a topic you'd like see us dig in to? Leave us a note in the comment section below or #EBpodcast on Instagram and Twitter!