garlic

The garlic report

I planted 2.5kg of garlic on November 7 2007 and harvested 9.6kg on August 7 2008. There is some kind of local garlic crisis going on where some stock has been damaged by something unknown and only produced 2.5% of what was planted. So I'll be planting double what I planted last year and hope my strain is resistant to whatever is striking some other local gardens.

I think it's hilarious that I set aside 4.5kg of garlic for canning and winter home use. That seems ridiculous! Here's the next trial for eats with a garlic bias, aioli:
http://fxcuisine.com/default.asp?language=2&Display=192

Next year I'll aim to break the necks a week before harvest and to pull it all on August 1 or as close to that date as I can. I washed the bulbs this year and that has helped improve the presentation. I had very few culls this year, but a few split skins on some of the earlier stuff so it stayed in the ground a little too long even though I thought I was still a bit early on the 7th of August.

It's curing up well and looks like it will be very firm and sweet again this year. When I cull again sometime around the time of the winter solstice, I'll try preserving what we won't be able to eat like I do for the cold water dills in the summer. Hopefully that will work well. I've been told that vodka will work as a preservative too, but that's not first on my list.

62.5mm of rain this week and not a puddle to be seen on the yard. We're still cutting grass twice a week! We have not seen a 30C day this year yet, but it's been a glorious summer for those that walk on the sunny side of the street. I don't think there has been a summer more filled with friends and smiles than this one. Wish you were here, any and all.
Cheers!