The Garlic is In

WooHoo!  We got done planting next year’s garlic today, just before the rain resumed.  The patch is 4800 row feet (or twelve 100’ beds with 4 rows per bed) with 5-inch in row spacing, and is the largest patch I’ve yet grown.  The beds were well prepared and well fertilized, and I’m feeling hopeful for an abundant harvest 8-9 months down the road.

The beds had been rained on before planting, so we were scratching off the first flush of baby weeds while planting.  In the past, I’ve lain down a thick straw mulch and let the garlic poke up through it.  I’d like to do this again, but the patch is big and we still have so much left to do this fall.  When spring comes, I’ll likely pull back the straw and top-dress the patch with blood meal or alfalfa meal.  I’ve thought about mulching with alfalfa hay from the get go, but it’s so expensive.

Here’s what we planted (weights are before breaking apart and discarding the small cloves):

Chesnok Red - 30 lbs, Music - 30 lbs, Purple Italian - 15 lbs, Chinese Pink - 15 lbs, CA Late White - 85lbs

...Then my neighbor Kim, who grows HUGE beautiful garlic, gave me seven more varieties (Santa Rosa, Chrysalis Purple, Oregano Rose, German Red, Siberian, Russian Giant, & Inchelium Red); which I will grow out and save for future planting stock!