Today is garlic planting day!
The first week of October is the best time to plant garlic in Zone 5.
As an aside: In November 2023, the USDA updated its Plant Hardiness Zone Map for the first time since 2012, reflecting warmer conditions in many areas. About half of the USA has shifted up half a zone. Not central Illinois though. We are still Zone 5. Hanging in there for the moment.
I have broken all the garlic heads up into cloves. This is delicious German hard necked garlic. It has real flavor. I hate mild garlic.
We hope to get enough garlic heads to sell next summer. Hard neck garlic is best in a climate where it gets a good cold winter but it does not keep as long as regular garlic. But I hope to have a 6 month supply.
Ducks!
This courgette plant has been growing since spring and survived when all the others died of the rot (or burrowing bug). It is the designated best plant. I was growing the last fruit to maturity to save its seeds but someone picked it while I was away. 🙊
So I am watching and watering this courgette and guarding it from human scavengers. Let’s hope it has a few more weeks of warmth to achieve fruition then I will save the seeds for next years garden.
A variation on a chicken in a pot.
Charlottes fighting over the last walnut!
Have a great day!
Celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
27 responses to “Garlic Planting Day”
Good luck with the garlic growing!!
l used to grow garlic on my allotment, much tastier than shop bought. Chicken in a pot, dancing duck and fighting Charlottes! Just a run of the mill day on the farmy 😏
I knew it! You should write my subject headings!!
How is the wounded hen doing this morning?
The wounded hen has died. Poor wee thing.
I grow Spanish garlic and will need to plant it before the full moon… I think you’d like the taste! I bet that dabbling is the ducks’ favourite pastime.
I think I grew that once – is it a purply colour?
Some is – there are many varieties in Spain, with different sizes. There’s a violet spring garlic with deep purple outer and inner skin, Castaño, which is less purple and Morado, which is white outside and purple within …among others. Spain is the largest garlic producer in Europe, growing much more than France or Italy.
Huh. That is good info. I didn’t know that about Spain.
…and a considerable amount is grow in Castilla–La Mancha (along with Saffron), which can be very cold at night during the winter.
Haven’t grown my own garlic for years! Maybe next year I’ll tuck some in.
Yes! At home(NZ) we pop it into the ground on the shortest day and lift it on the longest.
A great plan. I’m nestled in Zone 5 along Lake Champlain in Vermont, a fairly good growing season and hard-neck garlic is what all the farmers grow here.
That’s the one. I bought these heads from Michigan. So I am feeling confident.
I hope you get mounds of garlic! What would the ducks do without their pond…I suppose go to the mud puddles when it freezes over for the winter. I think sitting inside your food makes it easy to eat and rest in-between munching. Smart chicken 🙂
Great about the garlic planting (but sucks about your seed Zucchini/Courgette:/)
Have always loved to watch Ducks bathe… So much joy & exuberance!
And (oh no!) truly hope whomever’s been nibbling on the end of your zuke didn’t really like it the first time!
All good and I love the chicken in a pot
Love ths – thank you:)
Thanks for the ducks in the pond clip!
I eat garlic pretty much every day, but haven’t had luck growing it; maybe too much humidity? And no cold winter to kill the bugs…
If you did want to grow garlic you would have to chill it in the fridge for 90 days. And plant far apart to avoid rust in that humidity.
How aptly named the pigs are! We Charlottes are known to fight for the last walnut! (or piece of cake, sushi or …yes, roasted garlic). Love the chicken in the pumpkin. Hysterical! And agree with you wholeheartedly on garlic: it should be garlicky! x
Much of the garlic here – like most other supermarket vegetables have little or no taste at all. This garlic is peppery and pungent- it was lucky to get planted! I wanted to eat it all!
Hey Celi .. my garlic is doing nicely. Great pic of the chook in the pumpkin
Thrilled about your garlic. It has been so dry since I planted mine I am not sure how well they are going to grow.