Garlic, Part I

Garlic was used in ancient Egypt as far back as 2500 BC, but is thought to have originated in southwestern Siberia thousands of years before it was written about in Egyptian hieroglyphics. Originally, these early Egyptians believed garlic had great healing powers. As garlic spread northward, its usage gradually became associated not only with healing powers, but also with spiritual powers. Two thousand years before "Dracula" was written, garlic and vampires were closely linked. Garlic has long been used in Slavic countries, and certainly Romania, not only to ward off vampires, but also to discover them. Even in the Far East, garlic has long been used to combat demons of all descriptions. You might think this is simply an "old-wives tale," but people in many cultures still routinely hang garlic to protect their homes from demonic invasion. During the 1970s, a Romanian church actually distributed garlic during worship services, not for its protection, but to see who refused to eat it. It was the ultimate "vampire-discovery" service!

So, when someone tells you they grow or use an heirloom garlic, believe it. Few vegetables exist today with as long a history as garlic.

Growing and storing garlic is easiest to understand when one recognizes that there are three basic categories of garlic: Hardneck, Softneck, and Creole. There are numerous sub-categories, but for simplicity's sake, let's limit ourselves to these three garlics.

Historically, hardneck garlic came from northern European and northern Asian regions. Because of this, these garlic varieties are more cold-tolerant. You can often tell, by the name of the variety, where the garlic originated. The names of hardnecks, such as German Red, Romanian Red, Maiskij, Siberian, and Georgian Crystal, sort of give away their origins.

Many softnecks, though originating from mid to southern Europe, often will have their origins in the Mediterranean areas, so garlics with "Italian," Francese," and "Spanish" in their names may denote these as softnecks.

With Creole, you can't tell because they have a "cloudy" past. Originally, all the Creoles were thought to be Softneck, of the Silverskin sub-variety. In fact, all the "experts" were positive they were Silverskins. DNA research proved that to be false, so what was ''known" was debunked. Creole garlic has names all over the place, such as Ajo Rojo, Burgundy, Cuban Purple, and Rose du Lautrec.

So, what are the differences in these three categories of garlic? As mentioned, hardneck, being from colder climates, will grow in the upper midwest, the northern tier of states, and Canada. They will also grow in the south, but those areas really need to at least get cold. Sorry, S. FL and S. CA, it won't grow all that well for you. Softneck can and does grow well in certain micro-climates in the north, but it is really better suited in the milder climates of the coastal Atlantic, Pacific, and south. Creole (perhaps) can grow in those micro-climates up north, but it is really a southern garlic. Growing garlic in the Gulf Coast and Florida coastal areas can be a challenge. Garlic needs a cold period, kind of like a tulip does. One garlic that does grow better in these areas is the Cuban Purple. A trick that can be used when growing garlic in areas that simply don't get very cold, is to refrigerate the garlic 30 days before planting and plant later than the norm. You are simply fooling Mother Nature by giving the garlic "winter" temperatures before planting.

In the next article, I will discuss some characteristics of garlic varieties, how they are grown, and how they are prepared for use and for storage.