Garlic

Meet Garlic

Garlic (Allium Sativum) is one of the most widely used vegetables in kitchens around the world. It is a pungent, earthy bulb with a layered flavor­—ranging from spicy and sharp when raw to mellow and nutty when roasted. Garlic is a cool-season crop that thrives in garden beds, raised planters, or deep containers, and is easy to grow—making it a great choice for both culinary and medicinal benefits.

Common Uses and Benefits

• Garlic is a well-known home remedy for treating colds, flus, sore throats, and digestive issues.¹ It’s an

antiseptic, antibacterial, and antimicrobial agent, and supports numerous systems in the body while

fighting disease and bacteria.²

• Garlic acts as a natural pest deterrent in the garden, repelling aphids, beetles, and even deer when

planted near vulnerable crops. Blend garlic in water, filter out the solids, and add a little liquid soap to

make a pest-repelling spray.³

• When allowed to flower, garlic scapes attract beneficial insects like lacewings and ladybugs,

supporting ecological balance. 

• Garlic also improves soil health when used in crop rotation, helping suppress soil-borne pathogens.⁴ 

Two Main Types of Garlic 

Hardneck: Characterized by a rigid central stalk, hardneck garlic has fewer, larger cloves, produces edible flower stalks (scapes), prefers a colder climate, and can be stored for up to 8 months. If grown in a warmer climate, it needs 10 weeks in the refrigerator before planting  (vernalization). Hardneck garlic delivers spicy garlic flavor. 

Softneck: Has a flexible stem that can be braided, smaller cloves in multiple layers, does not produce scapes, thrives in milder climates,  and can be stored for up to 12 months. Softneck garlic’s spice level is mild compared to hardneck.⁵ 

How to Grow Garlic: A Step-by-Step Guide 

Follow these pointers for a flavorful harvest: 

• When to plant: Garlic is a fall-planted crop and should be planted a few weeks after the first light

frost or about a month before the ground freezes. This gives the roots a chance to get

established. 

• Sun and Soil: Choose a location that receives at least 6 hours of full sun per day. Clear the area of

weeds and loosen the soil. Avoid waterlogged or compacted soil. Garlic is a root crop, so its roots

need to be able to spread without obstruction or competition. Amend the soil with compost and

fertilizer. 

• Depth and Spacing: Save your biggest bulbs from the previous season’s harvest, separate them

into cloves, keeping the papery skins intact. Plant your largest cloves pointed side up about 3"

deep, spaced 5-6" apart in all directions. Cover with soil, then mulch with  2-4" of straw, leaves, or

grass clippings. ⁶ 

• Watering: Garlic requires consistently moist soil during spring growth and bulb formation. Water 1"

a week including rainfall. In containers,  check moisture more frequently.⁷ 

• Pruning: For hardneck types, remove scapes once they curl. This directs the plant’s energy into bulb

formation, not seed production.  Scapes can be used to add some spice to your early summer stir-

fry.

Garlic & Sustainability 

• Garlic thrives in small garden spaces and containers, requiring minimal water and no synthetic

pesticides.  

• Homegrown garlic can be stored for months, reducing reliance on commercially grown produce.  

• Saving cloves from your best bulbs allows for seed sovereignty and adaptation to local conditions. 

• The stems, leaves, and roots of harvested garlic plants can be composted and returned to the garden. 

“Garlic farming, when conducted sustainably, serves as a crucial ally for the health of our planet. The choice of environmentally friendly  farming practices helps preserve biodiversity, reduce pollution, and  promote the conservation of natural resources.” 

-O.P. Sabina, Organizzazione di Produttori, Producers of Garlic ⁸ 

Harvesting, Curing & Dehydrating 

Garlic is ready to be harvested when the lower leaves turn yellow and the upper 50-75% of the leaves remain green (late spring to late summer), depending on the climate and planting time. Stop watering for a few weeks before harvesting so that the bulbs and soil are dry.  

Carefully loosen the soil with a pitchfork or shovel and gently lift the bulbs to avoid bruising. Remove excess dirt with a brush. Avoid washing bulbs. 

To cure for long-term storage, hang whole plants or lay bulbs in a single layer in a shaded, dry, ventilated area for 2-4 weeks. Retain stalks and roots for optimal curing. When papery skins are dry and necks have tightened, trim roots and cut stalks to an inch above the bulb for storage in mesh bags or boxes, or braid softneck stalks for ornamental storage. Store in a cool (60-65˚F), dry, dark, well-ventilated place. ⁹

To dehydrate garlic for use in spice blends, peel cloves, slice 1/8" thick,  and lay out in a single layer on dehydrator trays. We use a small hand garlic slicer that speeds up the slicing process. Dehydrate at 95˚F until the slices are crispy. Store in a glass container with a packet of desiccant to keep the garlic dry.

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Flavor Profile 

Raw garlic: Hot, pungent, with a lingering heat and sharp aroma. 

Cooked garlic: Sweet, rich, gentle, and deep. Roasted garlic becomes soft and spreadable, with a mellow flavor. 

Culinary Uses 

• Infuse oils, butter, sauces, marinades, and dressings 

• Feature as a main flavor: toum, aioli, garlic noodles, escargots  de Bourgogne 

• Roasted whole and spread on bread or whisked into soups

• As aromatics in stir-fries, risotto, pasta, curries, or stews

• Pickled, fermented (black garlic), smoked, or dried

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Spice Blend: Greek All-Purpose Seasoning 

This seasoning adds garden-fresh flavor to grilled or roasted meats,  seafood, and ground meat. It works well on roasted vegetables and potatoes. Mix with Greek yogurt, sour cream, or cream cheese for a quick dip, or add to humus or tzatziki. Whisk with olive oil and vinegar  

to make Greek vinaigrette, or combine with olive oil and lemon juice to make an all-purpose marinade. 

Ingredients 

4 tsp garlic flakes 

2 tsp lemon zest 

2 tsp thyme 

2 tsp oregano 

1 1/2 tsp paprika flakes or powder 

Instructions 

Use an herb grinder or a mortar and pestle to coarsely grind garlic,  oregano, thyme, and paprika individually. Chop dried lemon zest coarsely. Add all ingredients to a small mixing bowl and stir until evenly combined. Store in an airtight container, away from heat and direct sunlight. When you’re ready to use them, gently crush the herbs between your fingers to awaken their essential oils, releasing a burst of aroma and flavor that’s often hidden in dried form. For the best flavor, use within six months.

Using Commercially Produced Herbs to Make Spice Blends  

If you don’t have space to grow garlic—or simply prefer to skip growing,  harvesting, and drying your own—you can still enjoy making flavorful spice blends at home. Most herbs you can buy in a grocery store come pre-ground, so all that’s needed is to measure and mix. We often use affordable bulk brands like Sadaf, La Fiesta, and Spice Supreme, which are widely available in grocery stores. For about the same cost as a single container of a premium blend, you can create several jars of your own custom mixes tailored to your preferences.

Recipe: Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic 

“There really are not recipes, only millions of variations sparked by someone’s imagination and desire to be a little creative and different.  American cooking is built, after all, on variations of old recipes from  around the world.”  – James Beard ¹⁰ 

Here is our version of James Beard’s famous recipe, a Provençal classic that uses an astounding amount of garlic. It demonstrates how raw garlic becomes soft, mellow, and spreadable with long, low-heat cooking. We also created a vegetarian version by substituting chicken with sliced mushrooms and garbanzo beans. We made both versions and served them with some broccoli from the garden! 

Ingredients 

2-3 lbs chicken thighs or 1 whole chicken cut into pieces 

40 cloves of garlic, peeled (3-4 heads) 

2 tbsp olive oil 

1 bunch thyme 

1 cup dry white wine 

1 cup chicken broth 

Salt and pepper to taste 

Instructions 

Preheat oven to 350˚F. 

Heat oil in a large ovenproof pan over medium-high heat. 

Once oil is hot, add the chicken and sear on both sides (about 6  minutes per side). 

Remove the pan from the heat and add the garlic and thyme. 

Pour wine and broth over chicken. 

Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Cover the pan and place it in the preheated oven. 

Bake for 1 hour. 

Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes. 

Taste and adjust seasoning as desired before serving. 

Serve with crusty bread for spreading the garlic.  

Vegetarian version 

Substitute chicken with 8 oz of sliced mushrooms and approx. 2 lbs of cooked or canned garbanzo beans.  Substitute chicken broth with vegetable broth.

Forty Cloves of Garlic Wheel  

This Garlic Wheel shows how substituting a few ingredients transforms the Classic French Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic into a Chinese,  Greek, Italian, Korean, Indian, or American Cajun main dish. It can be further customized for vegetarian preferences. 

Recipe: Garlic Confit

Ingredients

2 heads of garlic

Extra virgin olive oil

Italian Seasoning (optional)

Salt (to taste)

Peppercorns (to taste)

Instructions

Break apart two heads of garlic and peel the cloves. Place the pot in a small oven-safe pot, cover with olive oil and seasonings, and bake in a 265 ̊F oven for 2 hours or until the cloves soften and become deeply golden. Remove from oven and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or freeze.

When ready to eat, bring the confit to room temperature. Roasted garlic is delicious spread on crusty baguette slices, or can be used in garlic mashed potatoes, garlic broccoli pasta, crispy garlic beans, etc. The olive oil it’s stored in becomes infused with garlicky flavor and can be used in cooking to add more flavor to your meals.

This blog post has been lovingly created by Sustainable Renton volunteers Max and Joni.

If you liked our blog, be sure to check back next month for another post in our series!

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Sources 

¹ Rosemary Gladstar, Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide 2012 

² Pub Med: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7402177/ 

³Bulb Society: https://bulbsociety.org/a-simple-garlic-spray-that-keeps-aphids-away from-your-crops/  

⁴Elsevier Science: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/ S0929139322003341  

⁵Epic Gardening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Led4pKzoSTY ⁶Grow Veg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0VXF410j7Q&t=602s  ⁷Old Farmer’s Almanac: https://www.almanac.com/planting-garlic-fall ⁸O.P. Sabina: https://aziendasabina.it/en/sustainable-garlic-farming/ 

⁹Grow Organic: https://www.groworganic.com/blogs/articles/how-to-store-and-pre serve-garlic?srsltid=AfmBOooB05QqZ9fzaDrEWNzNFq6ui5EYO-7NzhwqflSNJSFyVe 7GoxMh#ruffruff-table-of-contents-item-4 

¹⁰PBS: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/recipes-james-beard-chicken-40- cloves-garlic/8607/