GO GO GO OCTOBER

One of the pleasures of growing your own is that one is always looking forward, preparing for seasons to come, even as nature is slowly preparing to rest for the winter. Clearing beds of summer crops creates space to plant for next summer’s garlic harvests.

Using no-dig methods means that beds are always ready for next plantings, especially as regular hoeing keeps weeds to a minimum. I twist out the old plants, leaving most of the roots in the soil, which benefits the soil life and structure, and trowel out any weeds which might have been hiding there. A light tamping down with the back of a rake or my feet, and the bed is ready for the garlic.

GARLIC PLANTING

I mostly use my home-grown garlic