Growing your own garlic

Nature has pulled out all the stops, making this season's autumnal production a showstopper. And as shimmering leaves in rainbow hues dance in the air like magical fairy dust, thoughts turn to pumpkins, apples, gourds...and garlic.

Wait a minute. Garlic? Yup. If you're like my father-in-law, this time of year--of mellowing, maturing, and gracious decline--is malarkey. It's growing season! As soon as October hit her stride, my dear ole dad-in-law hit the garden center, stocking up on all those spring staples: potting mix, a pot with premier drainage, and slow-release fertilizer. The bonus: Most of this stuff is on clearance this time of year.

The best time to plant garlic here in the Northeast is between late September, and mid November, but gardeners can "get their garlic on" any time after the first frost, and before the ground freezes. Planting is easy: Fill a pot with soil, halting about three inches from the top; mix in fertilizer, reading package instructions for amount needed; separate garlic cloves gently so you don't damage them; place them in the soil, pointy side up, about three inches apart; cover them with 2 inches of soil, and pat it firmly down. Drench them in water, and that's it! You are now a garlic gardener, ready to harvest your crop next summer when the green "scapes" above the soil surface turn yellow.

After planting his crop, my father-in-law, like any fisherman bragging on his biggest catch, is quick to share the particulars of his garlic's progress. After day one, garlic sprouts already appeared across the loamy surface of the pot, and by day four...well, the picture says it all:

In fact, his garlic story should one day rival his most famous veggie tale to date: that of the $100 tomato. But that's a story for another day!

Top tips for successful garlic growing:

1. Water regularly. A bigger pot with more soil will retain more moisture

2. Harvest garlic scapes in spring. Once they curl, they are ready for picking.
Not only are they tasty, adding zesty flavor to basil pesto or savory
seasoning to mashed potatoes, salads and veggie dishes, but removing them
helps the plant grow up to 35% bigger

3. Reduce watering a few weeks before harvest, when leaves begin to yellow.
Then pluck garlic from soil, bundle together loosely, and "cure"
it 2-4 weeks in a warm, darkish, well-ventilated area