Garlic for 2025 - nothing new, but two oldies again.

[dragnlaw]

If you suddenly get heavy rains, just cover them!
Use newspaper, opened garbage bags. They should prevent from getting soggy. But hopefully you pierced holes in the bottom of that raised bed?

 

[Kathleen]

I have permeable weed block on the bottom of the beds.

 

[larry_stewart]

As many of you might remember, I have epically failed at growing onions, beets, and garlic. Last year, I was so excited to see garlic thriving, but the rains came down hard and my garlic rotted in the ground. At this point, I decided to give up, but then I was gifted some Russian Red garlic by someone who grows it successfully and so decided to give it another try. I had a raised bed that I got put together and put the garlic (and beets) in it. It is looking good and I plan to add leaf mulch soon. However, I am apprehensive...but willing to give it a solid try. I've opted to stick with asparagus along the back wall.

Looks like you're off to a good start! A small percentage of of mine sprouted already. In years past, Id be concerned that they sprouted so early, but now Im actually nervous that more haven't sprouted yet. Fingers crossed for both of us. Wishing a plentiful harvest next year.

 

[blissful]

We finished breaking the bulbs open tonight realizing we have too much eating garlic! 4 gallons of them (filled 2 2-gallon buckets with them). I'm trying to give some away to people in the area or I'll have to process it all myself, yikes.
Blanching the cloves, peeling in cold water. Mincing in the food processor. Packing them in quart zip lock bags, flattening them and freezing them stacked. It ought to last us 2 very garlicy years! If I can give some away!

 

[Kathleen]

Now there is a contest for us: How to use as much garlic as possible and still have a dish you would serve to company.

 

[taxlady]

Now there is a contest for us: How to use as much garlic as possible and still have a dish you would serve to company.

40 cloves of garlic chicken anyone?

 

[taxlady]

40 cloves of garlic chicken anyone?

I didn't make that up. There are numerous ways to do it. It's not nearly as garlicky as it sounds, since the garlic is usually roasted, either ahead of time or while the chicken is roasting.

 

[dragnlaw]

I've made that and it is positively delicious!
Think that's when I learned the shake-a-shake-a way of peeling garlic cloves. Worked a charm.

 

[blissful]

A spanish garlic soup? https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/sopa-de-ajo-spanish-garlic-soup/
We'll be trying this!

@dragnlaw when I process this much garlic cloves, I do it by the quart OR MORE of garlic. Blanch in a pot of boiling water for 1.5 minutes then put them in the sink w/cold water. Leave them IN the water as I peel them. I peel them squeezing them out of the peels. The water helps so the alkali from the garlic doesn't make the skin on your hands peel. Been there, done that.

 

[larry_stewart]

Over the years I've been calculating ow much garlic I need to hold me off for a year. 60 lasted me 6 months, so I upped it to 120. Problem is, when you buy seeds garlic, there is usually a range of cloves in a bulb. I always assume Im going to get the fewer amount, therefore , always having more to plant than I need. I think last year I had 150 + . Don't get me wrong, Im not complaining, just have to start doing what Bliss does so the surplus doesn't go bad.

What I love about garlic, is I harvest with still enough time to plant things in its place.

 

[dragnlaw]

Understood bliss I was just mentioning the shake method for that particular recipe.

LOL here's a couple of ideas on the same line;-
A. How many would fit into a gallon can? Like a paint can. Fill an empty paint can (CLEAN) go to your local paint store and ask them to shake the can for you. Dump the contents in a bag, refill with more garlic. Think you can only fill about 2/3rds full, they need space to bounce off each other.
B. Tie the can, affix it to the lugs on the car wheel. You could do four cans at a time. Head on down the highway!
C. Have a friend with an 18 wheeler?

LOL, sorry, didn't sleep well last night - think I'm a little giddy.

 

[blissful]

One thing I forgot about...more than one thing...processing garlic, is that the entire house smells like garlic and me as well. And when I squeeze them out of the peel, sometimes they shoot across the room or into the next room as they leave the peel between my finger and thumb.
Now I've almost run out of ziplock slider quart bags and husband is picking those up, to help.
I have 3 quarts done, and 3 more blanched and ready for peeling. And I noticed when peeling, the peels are kind of half translucent, a lot like shrimp shells in the sink.
I smell like garlic, yuck!

edit: @larry_stewart We like giving garlic away so we plant over 300 bulb, and closer to 400 gets us the excess amount. 200 if only for us, none left to give away, or sell. We might sell garlic next fall as we put in another 300+. The neighbors next door just was gifted 2 quarts. Another neighbor probably another 2 quarts. And I only have one 3 quart batch to deal with now. The house is permeated with garlic scent.

 

[Kathleen]

Eau de Garlic by Bliss

 

[dragnlaw]

Eau de Garlic by Bliss

My son worked in a restaurant for a while. Came home smelling of butter and garlic. Was his job for several months. He eats it again now but back then didn't even want to hear about it.

 

[blissful]

I once worked in a LUM's restaurant, with the required polyester dress, and smelled like a french fry daily! lol
Tonight the smell of garlic was overwhelming. We scoured the kitchen, took out the garbage, both of us showered and washed our hair. We almost seem normal! for the moment...lol.

 

[dragnlaw]

My theory is that garlic oil is like skunk oil. It gets up into and coats the inside of your nostrils. Takes forever to wear off. Even when you know it's actually gone, you can smell it for days!

Not something you can do in advance with skunks (who plans a skunk attack!) but would coating your nostrils with a vaseline or something like that perhaps help with the garlic?