Planting Garlic and Its Health Benefits

Most vegetables are planting in the late spring after the chance of frost has passed, except garlic. This is planted in the fall, preferably in the middle of October in the North East before the first frost has come. Planting garlic in the fall helps it get a good start for the July harvest.

• I buy a large head of garlic at the store and carefully pull the separate cloves apart from the head. Leave the paper on the garlic. I plant mine in an above ground planter that is about 8 inches deep.
• Put your soil into the planter and then set each clove separately about 4 inches apart from the other and cover with soil. I put straw on top to help with weed control in the spring and also to give the garlic a bit more depth for the winter.
• Water and leave for the winter. In the spring your new garlic will be the first to peek their heads up with green stalks emerging from the soil.
• You can clip the green stalks and use in salads or as you would garlic. The taste is not as strong as the garlic bulb but will give you a wonderful hint of flavor.
• Harvest in mid July and hang garlic bulbs in a cool dry place to dry for about 2 weeks.

Garlic (Allium sativum) is a member of the Lily family, also related to the onion. Using garlic in food preparation can transform any meal into a healthy culinary experience.

The health benefits of garlic are many:

• Diabetes: The oil that can be extracted from garlic may help diabetic patients from side effects such as nervous system issues, kidneys and eye sight.
• High cholesterol levels: Including garlic in your daily diet can lower the LDL levels of cholesterol.
• Hypertension: When exposed to high levels of pressure, allicin which is in garlic, relaxes blood vessels.
• Digestion: Including garlic in your daily diet can help with digestive issues. It assists in normal functioning of the intestines for good digestion.
• Eye care: Garlic is rich in nutrients like Quercetin, Selenium, and Vitamin C which can be very helpful in treating eye infections and swellings.
• Earache: Garlic has many antiviral, anti-fungal and antibiotic properties. The oil of garlic which can be made by squeezing the cloves and mixing with olive oil. Put in the ear by cotton ball can take the ache away.
• Intestinal problems: Garlic helps with intestinal problems like dysentery, diarrhea and colitis. It destroys harmful bacteria in the intestine.
• Cold: Raw garlic is used to treat a cough and cold. At the first sign of a cold, eat at least two cloves of crushed garlic, which will help in lessening the severity of your cold.
• Infected wounds: Garlic can be used for infected wounds. It should be mixed with three drops of water, not raw because without watering down can irritate the skin.
• Acne: Garlic can be used as a cleanser and antibiotic for acne and skin irritations.
• Asthma: Boiling cloves of garlic and then drinking them in milk each night and help with asthma attacks and bringing them under control.

Garlic is a wonderful vegetable and very easy to grow. Health benefits are many and there is nothing like the taste of garlic in food.

Planting one bulb of garlic will save you tons of money at the grocery store as you will probably have enough to last you until the next harvest and it stores very well.

So why not get out there and get some in the ground for next July. I know I can't wait for spring and to see the little green stalks in my garden.