The winter weather has finally arrived. The temperatures have retreated to the seasonal averages and, fortunately, the rain has been sufficient to ensure good growing conditions.
There are currently plenty of cool season leafy garden crops in production among panhandle Florida’s gardeners, but one vegetable offers a variety of uses and taste selections. Garlic planted last fall will produce a bulb commonly used for a nutritional flavor enhancer in a variety of dishes.
Common garlic, Allium sativum, has many varieties within the species, and is grown and consumed worldwide. Its origins are thought to be in central Asia.
Like onions and leeks, garlic handles panhandle Florida’s winters with little effort. The bulbs will be ready for harvest when the weather warms in a few months.
Its compact size and excellent storage qualities made it an indispensable addition to the earliest traveler’s mobile pantry. Records place this bulb in China, Italy, and Egypt during the earliest periods of recorded history.
Onions, chives and leeks are in the same genus as garlic and, with their use, similar. In American cuisine garlic is not as frequently used as onions, but in countries to the east this bulb is a dietary staple.
The popular and simple to grow species easily handles the harshest north Florida winters. The multiple mornings this week of subfreezing temperatures and hard frost have had no appreciable effect on this versatile vegetable.
Most local soils can provide an ideal growing medium for garlic. However, excellent drainage of soils is a critical requirement for producing a flavorful bulb.
The naturally occurring high levels of available phosphates in local soils are also an advantage when growing onions.
Garlic is similar to onion, except instead of producing a single bulbous stem or large bulb, garlic produces a compound bulb consisting of groups of white or purplish scales. Each group is referred to as a clove, and the bulb is enclosed in a purplish membranous covering.
Garlic’s narrow and flat leaves reach 12 inches in height. This bulb is grown almost exclusively in home gardens in Florida, with little commercial production statewide.
Garlic cloves can be planted from September to February, usually from the bulbs. A two-inch space between plants provides enough space to grow and does not waste limited cultivation area.
Today’s garlic provides the consumer with a combination of excellent nutrition and good storage and handling qualities while enhancing the flavor of many meats, vegetables and even salads.
Garlic delivers appreciable levels of vitamins B-6, C and dietary minerals, if consumed in sufficient quantiles. They are naturally low in sodium and fats.
This species has other compounds which have had numerous positive health benefits attributed to them but are under review by the medical research community. Their consumption can be part of a healthy diet, as long as excessive fat and sodium are not part of the preparation.
Properly handled garlic bulbs have a potentially long storage life. Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area with 45 to 55 degrees the ideal temperature range.
And if legends have any basis in truth, these locally grown culinary flavoring agents will keep the vampires away too.
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