Garden Today: The Garlic Project

The garlic project is progressing! You might remember that I attended a garlic-growing class at a library when we were on vacation in Rangeley, Maine last fall during which each class member received a bag with several garlic bulbs ready to plant.  I followed the directions from the class instructor as exactly as I could.  Then came winter followed by a wonky spring.

 In early April I removed the heavy straw mulch from the garlic planted area.  What a delightful surprise!  There were actually seven plants growing! The same number of bulbs I had planted way back in October!

Little garlic plants grew under their bed of straw mulch and look happy to be uncovered.

The above picture made my spring!

 Even though we had several times when snow covered the little guys after I pulled off the mulch, they still look happy.  Each day that goes by the garlic plants look better and better.  I have hope that we might actually harvest some plants come July....

Mulched garlic rows happily growing next to their chive friends.  At least, I hope they are friends with the chives...

Because garlic cannot have ANY WEEDS AT ALL growing with them, we have mulched them rather heavily. I may potentially add more mulch as the summer goes by...after reading about garlic culture again so I give those little plants every chance to mature...