October is the time
to plant garlic.
by Jude Hsiang
It’s not too late to plant garlic. Part of the allium or onion family, it first arose in Central Asia and has been grown in the Middle East for over 5,000 years. Now it’s grown worldwide as an important part of many cuisines. Many Maine farmers are adding it to their crop list and a lot of us home gardeners are planting it now.
Garlic is so very easy to grow, plant it now and you’ll see the little leaves pop up in spring. As summer heats up the plants will reach a couple feet in height and grow “scapes” which if you let them, produce flowers, then seeds. But clip them off to allow the plants to put their energy into the tasty bulbs. The scapes can be used in several ways, some people add them to stir fries, adding a mild flavor. Others pickle them.
After harvesting the scapes in mid-July (depending on your location), watch for the three lowest leaves on the plants to wither and die. Then it’s time to gently dig and allow them to dry – maybe in a warm, dry spot inside, maybe on a screen of chicken wire that allows air flow but can be covered if rain threatens.
Once you’ve harvested the garlic, you’ve got an empty space for a late summer crop. Another planting of bush beans would be an excellent addition. Other possibilities include lettuces, peas, spinach, and beets.
Think spring! You can plant many spring flowering bulbs now and for the next few weeks. Narcissus, which include daffodils and jonquils, are a popular choice because they live for decades. They come in a great variety of shapes and sizes and are available in yellows and whites. Some of the white ones have pink or salmon centers. In addition to being naturally very hardy they are toxic to animals, and have no serious pests or diseases, so the money you spend now will provide interest for many years to come. Garden centers and catalogs offer them in bags of one type and as well as many assortments. The different varieties flower in early, mid, and late spring providing a long succession of daffodils while waiting for other spring and early summer flowers to bloom.
Other spring flowers from bulbs that are generally not liked by squirrels and other animals include snowdrops, grape hyacinths, scilla, and fritillaria. Tulips, unfortunately, don’t live many years and appeal to deer and crocuses may be on the menus of the local squirrels. You may want to try some anyway to see if your neighborhood wildlife will leave them alone. Both of these come in many colors and it’s hard to resist including a few in any flower garden,
There are even more spring flowering bulbs to choose from including camassia and dwarf iris. Circling back to the onion family, we can plant several types of alliums including the tall flowering onions with their huge globes made up of hundreds of tiny purple or white flowers that make a real statement in the flower bed. There are also smaller varieties of these hardy flowers available. Yes, think spring!
©Judith Chute Hsiang
Jude Hsiang is a retired Extension Master Gardener instructor and member of the China Community Garden.
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