Garlic

How about becoming self-sufficient in one of the kitchen’s most beloved and nutritious ingredients? Garlic is a crop with many uses that has been cultivated for thousands of years. Even in Sweden, we have a very long tradition of growing garlic, but it originally comes from Central Asia.

Planting garlic

Garlic is a relatively easy-to-grow plant. Grow garlic in a sunny spot with well-drained soil. The best time to plant garlic is in autumn, between September and November. The garlic needs time to root before the winter cold arrives.

Use seed garlic and not cloves from the supermarket. The latter may be treated with pesticides. They also do not have the same resistance to diseases. If the seed is good, garlic is a hardy plant that is not particularly prone to disease or pests. When planting garlic, stick the cloves in the ground with the pointed side downwards. 2-3 cm is the right depth. The distance between the cloves should be about 10 cm. Garlic does not need much water, but it is important to keep the soil moist during spring and summer. Garlic requires nutrition to develop optimally. Cow manure and compost are two good options. You can also take the opportunity to add grass clippings when you mow the lawn.

It is possible to plant garlic in a pot. Use a pot that is about 30 cm deep. You can buy specialised herb and vegetable soil in the shops, but ordinary potting soil also works well.

Different types of garlic

Garlic is usually divided into autumn garlic and spring garlic, depending on when it is harvested. There are quite a few to choose from when it comes to seeded garlic. Here are some popular varieties:

• Ailsa Craig
• Silverskin
• Chesnok
• German White
• Spanish Roja
• Purple Stripe
• Elephant Garlic

Read the product descriptions if you are going to grow garlic and order sets. It’s important to choose a variety that suits you.

Harvesting garlic

Garlic can be harvested after about 6-8 months. This varies slightly depending on the variety and the weather. Often this means bringing it up in summer after planting it in late autumn. Each clove has then developed into a whole onion. In spring, you can harvest the blast. It is tasty and can be used in the same way as chives. But don’t take too much as it affects how much garlic forms underground.

Garlic has many uses

Garlic has been used for cooking, medicine and as a spice for centuries. It is an important ingredient in many different dishes, both in Sweden and in other parts of the world. Garlic has also traditionally been used as a medicine to treat various illnesses, including colds, flu and high blood pressure. Garlic has often been attributed with mystical properties. In the novel Gösta Berling’s Saga, Gösta Berling tells the story of how he was bewitched by a woman and that he could only be freed from the spell if he ate a clove of garlic.

Author: Johanna Damm

Fact-checked by Erik Hoekstra

Last updated 2023-12-11