Spring Garlic - Allium sativum

Pink Spring Garlic 'Printanor' is a spring variety that produces bulbs with pinkish cloves. It is a regenerated variety, free from OYDV virus. It is highly productive. Planting in February - March and harvesting in June - July.

Garlic is a hardy perennial plant, cultivated as an annual. It belongs to the Liliaceae family, along with onion, shallot, and chives. It comes in the form of a large bulb, called a head, topped with long flat leaves. The garlic head contains multiple cloves. These cloves are planted in the soil and give rise to new garlic heads.

There are three categories of garlic: white, purple, and pink. White and purple garlic are planted in autumn. They are quite early, have a good yield, but their storage is limited. Conversely, pink garlic is planted in spring. It is well adapted to regions with harsh winters. Its productivity is lower, but it has a longer storage life.

In terms of cuisine, garlic can be consumed raw or cooked. Its pungent taste flavours salads, meats, mushrooms, and stuffings. It is notably used in aioli and snail butter. Garlic has the particularity of being rich in sulphur compounds and selenium. Finely chopped leaves of white or purple garlic flavour omelettes and fresh cheeses, just like chives.

Harvesting: Garlic is harvested when the leaves wither, in June and July, when it has reached maturity. Pull up the bulbs and let them dry for a few days on a dry and shady soil (to avoid sunburn). The foliage of autumn garlic (white and purple) is harvested in April and May, while it is still green.

Storage: Cut the leaves or braid them to hang them. Store garlic in a dark, dry room that is warm enough, such as the kitchen, for example. Check beforehand that the bulbs have not been bruised to prevent rotting, which could contaminate the entire harvest. Garlic bulbs can be stored for several months (from 6 months to 1 year, with pink and purple garlic having a better storage capacity than white garlic).

Gardener's Tip: prepare a garlic decoction to prevent damping-off of seedlings and, as a curative measure, to fight against mites and fungal diseases such as mildew and rust. Crush 100g (about 10 cloves) of fresh garlic and soak it in 1L of rainwater for 24 hours. Boil gently, covered, for 20 minutes. Let it cool (still covered) for 1 hour. Strain. Use undiluted:

either by watering, to prevent damping-off of seedlings.

or by spraying on the foliage of plants (including the undersides of leaves) to fight against fungal diseases and mites. You can add a little milk to the mixture before spraying to allow better adherence to the foliage.

Repeat the process 3 times at 3-day intervals. The garlic decoction does not keep and should be used within 48 hours.