The Italian Gardener

I have recently added Good Ausie Garlic to my garlic sources.

Three excellent types of garlic were available from Allsun Farm in 2009, and it is anticipated that they will be available in February-March 2010, suitable for planting in April-May. There is a hard stem red, and soft stemmed in red and white, all full flavoured.

Click on the Allsun Farm link for pictures and further information on garlic sales, and to look at their extensive range of tools and other equipment suitable for the backyarder and smallholder.

Growing Garlic

Garlic is an essential ingredient in Italian cuisine. In temperate areas of Australia, it is planted in April and harvested in November. Australia produces a fraction of its garlic needs, so it is hard to find good Australian-grown garlic. The Italian Gardener recommends organically-produced garlic grown at "Allsun Farm".

It is always best to plant the biggest cloves from the biggest bulbs so purchase early because the biggest bulbs will be the first to go. Divide the bulbs into individual cloves and plant the bigger ones, right way up, into well drained fertile soil. Do not overfeed during winter, and make sure that they get enough water in the spring.