Summer might have taken its final bow, but that doesn’t mean we should skip the next act and head for the exit doors. Autumn is a wonderful season, full of high drama and excitement that will keep gardeners on the edge of their seats.
Clocks go back, lost thermals are rescued from the darkest corners of the wardrobe and autumn harvests are quickly turned into cosy suppers. While many will be winding down the garden this month, for me, the garden gate remains firmly open.
On the veg plot, squashes and pumpkins are harvested, cured and stored. One or two will be earmarked as a spooky warning to those who dare to cross our threshold on All Hallows’ Eve. The growing swede and Brussels sprouts are keenly awaiting the arrival of Jack Frost. Like loyal groupies yearning for this diva’s attention, they never miss his show. A few cold nights will turn their starches into sugar, making these brassica beauties all the tastier.
In the flower garden, spring bulbs are planted, with hopes of a new growing season sprinkled with the colours of daffodils, crocuses and delicate snowdrops.
But of all the jobs I will be doing this month, my favourite has to be garlic planting. So, if you’re hoping to grow garlic but aren’t sure how, or which variety to choose, come with me down the garden path as we get our hands in the soil and grow one of the easiest annual crops.
Garlic is one of the oldest cultivated crops, dating back more than 5,000 years. It first emerged from Central Asia and quickly travelled through every civilisation. Regarded as a superfood, it is associated with healing powers, surrounded by folklore and was often eaten by Greek Olympians for strength and endurance. In fact, when King Tutankhamun’s tomb was uncovered in 1922, cloves of garlic were found among its treasures.
However, it was the arrival of the Romans on British shores that introduced us to this tasty allium. Throughout the Middle Ages, garlic began popping up around Europe. Although eaten by the lower classes, it took until the 14th century for the ruling class to embrace its culinary qualities.
Garlic growing falls into two categories: hardneck and softneck varieties. Hardneck garlic can cope with colder climates, produces larger cloves and has a bigger flavour, making it a winning choice for chefs. As the plant grows, it will send up a curly green shoot, known as a scape, which contains the flowerhead. Growers snip these off, sending the plant’s energy back into the bulb, resulting in a larger, more flavoursome crop. Scapes are packed with flavour and make a wonderful addition to a meal, so don’t disregard them.
Softneck varieties have a milder flavour and smaller cloves, but can be stored for longer. They prefer warmer climates and mature more quickly. Unlike hardneck garlic, softneck garlic doesn’t have a rigid stalk, so it doesn’t produce a scape.
To grow garlic, it’s always best to order your bulbs online from a reliable supplier, nursery or pop into your local garden centre. Although bulbs are sold in supermarkets, they may have been treated with anti-sprouting chemicals.
There are varieties that can be planted in autumn or spring. I find autumn is ideal for me, as veg beds tend to become available. Garlic roots will quickly establish while the soil is still warm, which can give a bigger yield the following July. Also, winter provides a period of cold for the clove, known as vernalisation. It’s this chill factor that encourages the plant to split into individual cloves and form a large bulb.
Before planting, ensure the chosen bed is free of weeds and large stones. Incorporate plenty of well-rotted organic matter into the soil, tamp down and level the surface. Take your garlic bulb and divide it into cloves.
There is no need to remove the papery exterior, as this will help protect them during planting. Plant cloves about 2 to 3cm deep, with the pointy end facing up. Plant roughly 15cm apart and in rows 30cm apart.
Once planted, water in well and label. Cover the planting area with netting, as this protects the cloves from hungry birds that may mistake them for worms. As we head further into winter, keep the area weed-free and the soil moist.
There are plenty of garlic varieties to choose from, so if you are thinking of growing garlic for the first time, but are unsure what to go for, here are some of my favourites:
Provence Wight
I grow this softneck variety every year as it never fails me. Producing large cloves, it has a robust flavour and stores incredibly well.
Solent Wight
Another softneck variety, it has a strong flavour, is specially adapted to the UK climate and produces large bulbs.
Lautrec Wight
A hardneck variety, Lautrec Wight has an intense, delicious flavour and is often regarded by gourmands as one of the best-tasting varieties. Originating from south-west France, it prefers a warmer climate and does not like sitting in waterlogged conditions. However, I’ve had great success growing it in raised beds here in Suffolk.
Carcassonne Wight
With pink-tinged cloves, this vigorous hardneck variety thrives in cooler conditions. It has a rich, aromatic flavour and produces perfectly formed bulbs.
Elephant Garlic
If you want the wow factor from your garlic growing, then give Elephant Garlic a go. Producing bulbs up to 15cm wide, it has a milder flavour. Although not a true garlic, as it is related to the leek, it is wonderful roasted whole.
If you don’t want Count Dracula and his ghouls hanging around your garden this month, then plant a few garlic cloves.
GARDEN JOBS
Increase your stock of summer-flowering perennials by lifting, dividing and replanting them where you want to see next year’s blooms. Water well and apply a thick mulch around the plants to protect them during the colder months ahead. Don’t cover plants over, as this can cause them to rot.
Give the colder season a dash of colour by planting pansies, cyclamen and polyanthus in window boxes and containers, or along the front of flower borders.
When planting spring bulbs into pots, try using the ‘lasagne’ method. This is when you take different flower types and layer them one above the other. For example, first to flower would be snowdrops, so they would sit at the top of your ‘lasagne’. The next layer would be crocuses, and so on, until finally, tulips. It’s a great way to achieve continuous colour throughout the spring.
For an early spring harvest of broad beans, sow seeds now. Ensure the area has had plenty of organic matter worked into the soil. Create a fine tilth, then sow double rows six inches apart, planting seeds nine inches apart and two inches deep. Cover the seeds and water in well.
If rhubarb looks congested, dig up the crown and split it. Replant the healthiest pieces, ensuring they have space to grow on.
Basil, parsley and coriander are not frost hardy, so pot them up and bring them inside. Place on a warm, well-lit windowsill in the kitchen, where they will continue to grow.
Fruited summer raspberry canes can be cut away. The remaining green-looking canes will bear next year’s fruit, so tie them into a plant support.
Rake fallen leaves from your lawn, as any build-up can harbour pests, stop light getting to your lawn and create a ‘browning off’ effect.
Prevent your greenhouse from turning into a house of horrors this month and give the glass a thorough clean with warm, soapy water. Clear away pots and trays, and sweep the floor clean. The warmth of an unkempt greenhouse can be a lair for hungry pests..
Suffolk-based Ade Sellars is the Good Life Gardener, award-winning writer and presenter who gives talks and demonstrations around the country
Visit adesellars.com
@TheGoodLifeGardener
@adesellars
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