Harrowsmith – September 2019

Harrowsmith Fall 2019 | 61

Dig (don’t pull) up your garlic
in late August, lay it out in the sun
for a day or two, and then store
it in a shaded area with good air
circulation for two to three weeks.
Do not store in the direct sun,
as this will bleach the colour of
the garlic and affect the flavour.
Handle them gently, since they
do bruise easily. After storing the

garlic for a couple of weeks in a

shaded, cool place with good air

circulation (like your garage), cut

the stems off and store the bulbs

in well-ventilated containers in

a dark, cool place. The bulbs will

remain “fresh” until about April.

Once you have tasted garden-

fresh garlic, you will not want to

go back to the grocery variety. H

In early July, the

plants will produce

remarkable pig tails,

called scapes, which

are entirely edible and

quite expensive at the

farmers’ market.

Mark Cullen is an expert gardener, author,

broadcaster and tree advocate and holds the

Order of Canada. His son, Ben, is a fourth-

generation urban gardener and a graduate of

the University of Guelph and Dalhousie

University in Halifax. Follow them at

markcullen.com, @MarkCullen4 and

facebook.com/markcullengardening and look

for their new book, Escape to Reality.