Garlic

PLANTING A COVID-19 THERAPEUTIC GARDEN

DISCLAIMER THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. PLEASE CONSULT A PROFESSIONAL FOR AGRICULTURAL, MEDICINAL AND HEALTH ADVICE.

Garlic is the herb that is rightfully blamed for lingering on our breath a little too heavily and for a little too long. Despite this, can you imagine life without garlic?

Garlic is botanically a vegetable, though in the Caribbean we call it “seasoning” because it adds zest and flavour to our meals.

Garlic contains therapeutic qualities that work wonders against COVID-19 symptoms.

Origin

Some sources say that garlic originated in China. Others say Egypt. Garlic is related to onions, leeks and chives.

Age of Maturity

7 months

Edible Parts of the Garlic Plant

Cloves, leaves, stalks or scapes.

Have you Ever Heard of Scapes?

Scapes are the flower stalks that grow from the plant. You will easily identify the garlic scapes because they usually curl once or twice as they grow. The scapes and leaves of the garlic make aromatic additions to your stirfried vegetables.

Medicinal Uses

The oil produced by garlic helps to loosen and expel mucus from the body. This aids in COVID-19 recovery.

According to RxList. com, garlic is used for many reasons e.g.:

• To treat coughs, joint pain, throat infections

• To treat blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease

• As cancer prevention and treatment

• Treatment for vaginal yeast infections

• For antibacterial assistance

How Garlic Grows

It is possible to plant garlic and see no significant cloves being produced. That is because, more than likely, the garlic is hardneck garlic - the one that thrives in colder climates. Nevertheless, these are able to grow in the tropics, if you know how.

The hardneck varieties of garlic need a temperature of under 4.5 degrees centigrade to vernalise. Vernalising means to cool the seed to ensure germination.

Planting

1. Acquire garlic from a source - the garlic in the supermarket will suffice.

2. To vernalise, put the entire head of garlic in a plastic bag. Make holes in the bag for ventilation.

3. Leave the bag of garlic in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 weeks. By this time, the roots may be forming. Check the garlic once a week to ensure that moisture and mold are not forming.

4. At the end of that period, remove the garlic from the refrigerator and strip off the papery membrane.

5. Separate the cloves and get ready to plant. The soil must be deep enough to facilitate the growth of the bulbs – no less than 6 inches. The soil should be rich and able to drain well.

6. Bury the individual cloves 2 inches below the surface, with the flat end downwards and the pointed end upwards. The cloves should be planted 3 inches from each other, in rows that are one to two feet apart.

Maintaining

According to growagoodlife.com, “Garlic needs about one inch of water each week, either by rain or hand watering, especially once the bulbs form. Water the garlic when the soil feels dry an inch beneath the surface.

Let the water soak in [to a depth of] 6 to 8 inches to encourage deep root growth. Water your plants in the morning or early afternoon, and avoid getting any part of the plant wet. Use drip irrigation, a soaker hose, or hand water with a watering wand to deliver water at the soil level.”

Remove the garlic scapes. When the scapes are removed, the plants will direct their energy to clove production.

Look out for fungus growth especially since our climate is humid and wet. That is why the soil should be well drained.

Harvesting

Observe your garlic for when the foliage begins to brown. At this point, leave the crop for one week without watering.

Storing

Keep the garlic heads (bulbs), unbagged on the kitchen counter. This will cause it to last about seven months at room temperature. Be aware that if you separate the cloves, the life span is reduced.

Alternatively, store by freezing, pickling, dehydrating or by keeping the bulbs in a cool, dry place.

Do you grow garlic? Do you get a successful crop?

Email your experiences to: grownathomecaribbean@gmail.com for us to share on the Grown at Home Magazine Facebook page.

NUTRITIONAL CONTENT

Healthline.com states:

Calorie for calorie, garlic is incredibly nutritious. A single clove (3 grams) of raw garlic contains:

Manganese: 2% DV (of the daily value)

Vitamin B6: 2% of the DV

Vitamin C: 1% of the DV

Selenium: 1% of the DV

It also contains 4.5 calories, 0.06 grams of fibre, 0.2 grams of protein, and 1 gram of carbohydrates.

REFERENCES

Thanks to:

Growing Garlic in the Tropics / Rancho Delicioso

https://www.ranchodelicioso.com/ growing-garlic-in-the-tropics/

According to Grow a Good Life / How to Grow Garlic: Tips for Growing Great Garlic

https://growagoodlife.com/growinggarlic/

RxList / Garlic

https://www.rxlist.com/garlic/ supplements.htm