October Garlic Planting is the perfect time to plant the bulbs for the following summer use and winter scapes for soups and stews, better than chives!
I have just planted my first (ever), garlic bulbs in the ground this October for a harvest I’m expecting next spring and summer.
Join me on my adventure and let’s see if we can cut out paying so darn much for garlic!
October & Garlic Bulb Planting
I’ve always known that the planting of flower bulbs, such as tulips, happens in the fall for a spring harvest.
But I don’t really care about planting flowers, unless they are edible. Don’t laugh, I’m just kookie that way and prefer Edible Flowers.
Since the price of garlic, well… everything, has soared since 2020, I took a second look at a staple in my kitchen differently.
Garlic looked like a bulb to me, and so I investigated growing it, instead of flowers in the fall!
Sure enough, planting garlic in the fall is said to be an easy herb to grow and will produce both the bulb and a green herb called garlic scapes.
The scapes are an amazing way to add a milder garlic flavor to your favorite dishes and can be used much the same a chives.
A favorite recipe of mine, you might enjoy, is Fig and Chive Pizza, using the garlic scapes instead.
Preparing Store Bought Garlic To Plant
I am so excited to give this a try that I dug up and moved peonies, that only offer me flowers for two weeks.
The spot was perfect for lots more than flowers. But first I needed to prepare the garlic to plant.
Some say you need to plant garlic bulbs from a garden shop, very pricy, but I discovered differently.
In fact, the knowledgable helper at the garden shop I go to laughed and said “my grandma just used the garlic from the grocery store”.
I won’t tell you the name of this well-known garden shop he works at, for fear he might get fired!
Here’s all you need to do to get your garlic ready to plant:
- leave a few garlic bulbs sitting out for a week or two
- separate the cloves, leaving the paper on
- sometimes the garlic will begin to sprout a green shoot which is also fine too, that end goes up, in the ground
Get The October Ground Ready
Two things to know before getting the ground/dirt ready:
- in ground planting of garlic needs to be in an area that gets 6-8 hours of sunlight
- pots also work well for planting garlic, if there is not yard enough for growing, but also need to be placed in an area getting plenty of sunlight
Garlic does not need much water, therefore needs to be planted in a location or pot that drains well.
Planting the garlic bulb is done by placing each individual cloves, pointy end up, about 4-inches apart and about 2-inches deep into the dirt. Cover and wait until spring!
Garlic For The Health Of It
The list seems endless as to the health benefits of garlic.
Anything from supporting a healthy immune system and lowering blood pressure to helping the body detoxify metals in the body.
I was surprised about the metals; said to be obtained anywhere from drinking water to poor quality pans we cook with.
Fortunately, garlic eaten in the raw, such as in hummus or salad dressing, have retained the most of their health benefits.
And lucky for you, I have lots of these recipes to share with you!
Unfortunately, cooking garlic lowers its vitamin benefits, while still imparting fabulous flavor and retaining other health benefits.
Garlic scapes can impart flavor and nutrients without the strong garlic smell. For this reason alone, growing your own garlic makes sense!
Garlic Scapes In Winter Cooking
I never expected to harvest anything from the garlic, until spring, if then.
But imagine my surprise, come the dead of winter, when the garlic scapes, the greens from the garlic bulb, popped up out of the ground!
Their flavor is delicate, yet still tastes of garlic and I found it a lovely herb to use in soups and even made a loaf of bread with them.
Lots Of Recipes With Garlic
I would venture to say that most savory recipes here on my blog have garlic in them, unless a guest has requested I leave it out (my daughter being one!).
The best homemade Bone Stocks or Seafood Stocks will obtain a deeper, richer flavor by boiling the entire garlic bulb (cut in half), in the broth.
Raw Garlic Recipes
As promised, some of my recipes using raw garlic in them:
- Traditional Hummus – the way my Syrian mom used to make.
- Beet Hummus – a beautiful (in color), and earthy (in flavor) hummus.
- Pumpkin Hummus – a new recipe I created to drizzle a little chili oil over.
The Gentle Side Of Garlic
Yes, garlic does have a gentle side; less hot and spicy and more nutty and rich.
Simply roast garlic with herbs and olive oil and see how different garlic can taste in all your savory recipes.
Garlic Salad Dressings
My favorite Salad Dressings also supply the health benefits from garlic. Lucky for you again, I have 4 dressing recipes:
- Fig Dressing – a dressing I created while cooking on the PBS cooking program in my Fig Finale.
- Lemon Dressing – my most used dressing with olive oil, garlic and herbs.
- Pomegranate Dressing – a tangy, spicy and sour dressing using sumac to complete its Mediterranean flavors.
- Tahini Dressing – a buttery smooth dressing for both cold or warm dishes.
Friends, I would love to hear from you about your garlic growing experiences, so be sure to leave a comment or question here! xo
I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.