Don't Make This ONE Mistake When Growing Garlic

In this video, I sow three different types of garlic in the same raised garden bed to see which one grew the best bulbs and had the best taste. Plus, I give you lots of garlic-growing tips!

For Australian freeze dryer purchase info, use the link above and contact Harvest Right directly.

Self Sufficient Me is based on our small 3-acre property/homestead in SE Queensland, Australia, about 45kms north of Brisbane - the climate is subtropical (similar to Florida). I started Self Sufficient Me in 2011 as a blog website project where I document and write about backyard food growing, self-sufficiency, and urban farming in general. I love sharing my foodie and DIY adventures online, so come along with me and let's get into it! Cheers, Mark :)

*Disclaimer: Some links to products in this description and comments sections are affiliated, meaning I receive a small commission if you follow these links and then purchase an item. I will always declare in a video if the video is sponsored, and since starting my channel in 2011, I have yet to do a sponsored video.

[veronicadoggone]

The taste test is awesome... like an Aussie version of Hot Wings 😂

[eileencollins]

I have grown garlic for a number of years now. I put my garlic several inches down, put 1 spoonful of organic fertilizer in the hole, and mix that in with a stick. My harvested bulbs are nice and full. When I harvest, I tie the different varieties together and hang them in my garage, which is a nice even temperature all year long. I grow way more than I can possibly use and have many garlic loving friends! I roast individual cloves in the oven in olive oil at 250F for one hour. After that I peel the cloves, and make a paste, mixing them with the olive oil I roasted them in and add a little salt. I use this paste in many dishes.

[mattgreen]

My favorite part of the video was the taste test lol! Mark you really are the best, thank you for being my favorite gardener on YouTube!!

[hollysharvest]

Try tossing your seed garlic in the fridge for 6 weeks before planting and planting 4-6 inches deep with a thick layer of mulch on top. I also live in a hot subtropical climate and I get bulbs the size of my fist.

[Mark_Nadams]

Your mate in Brisbane has the right idea. We have a cold climate and grow hard neck garlic. The original garlic we use was brought from Italy by my Godmother and given to my mother. I thought it was lost to time but I found some still growing around the property when I started living back at the homestead and redomesticated it. I started with seeds (bulbils) and allowed them to grow in a prepped bed for two years. The first year they grow a single bulb like an onion. The second year they split into the cloves we are used to seeing at the market. Once I had cloves I could plant leftover cloves for the next season like most people do. I choose the biggest nicest garlic bulbs when I harvest in July to replant the best cloves in the bed in October. I just planted 119 cloves last week.

[bbull]

I was cringing when you tasted a whole clove!!! Then the second one…Ohhh!! I was smiling, but wondering how you were doing it! Then the third and you spit it out and I was laughing! Wow! Dedicated!

[Handles_AreStupid]

A few tips for anyone growing garlic from a UK grower:

1) Soaking your cloves for a day can improve the speed at which they sprout. Put your cloves in a bowl of cold water and leave it in the fridge. The cold and the water together promote growth and reduce spoilage. Any cloves that feel slimy or look gross afterwards should be thrown away. If you are using suspect garlic, soaking them for 2 days is a good way of weeding out the dead ones.

2) Straw mulch tends to reduce fungal issues that you may face with garlic. Not entirely sure why straw works best, but it does. Make sure to get seedless straw, or you will soon have a lawn!

3) This is an important one. ONLY PLANT LARGE CLOVES. Your garlic bulb will only be around 3-4x bigger than what you start off with. If you start with small cloves, you will get small bulbs. Get several more cloves than you intend on planting, and select only the largest to plant. You can plant the rest where ever you can fit them on your property, but don't expect much from them.

[SuperNightgoddess]

Garlic testing … you’re so brave Mark 😅😀👍

[sign]

Hello from Denmark.
When you have garlic like this, you can preserve the garlic by freeze them. Clean them, grind them in a food processor and use a teaspoon to make "garlic pug", lay them on a tray with
baking paper, pre-freeze them and then out the pugs in a dobbelt layer freezing bag. Then you only get "garlic finger" one time and dont have to peel garlic for a long time. Remember gloves🤗

[desfox]

The reason the flavor is sooo strong is due to irregular watering. When you were out of the country, the plants created more pungent oils to protect them from drying out.

[JudyPipkin]

Best video ever. I haven't had a good laugh in a while.The taste test was priceless. 😂

[tonispann]

Oh my goodness that taste test had me in tears 😂 hilarious well done

[ESPSJ]

That gentlemen that sent in their photos has an amazing garlic harvest! That's very impressive to see.

[Chocamatoes]

What a brave man! Even the birds were laughing. 😂😂😂

[metoo]

I squish garlic through the garlic press and let sit 10 to 30 minutes in a mug add 1 chicken bullion cube and some green onion slices and some pepper whatever kind you like and then pour boiling water over it and let it steep for a few minutes, then drink it. It helps get rid of congestion and helps with a cold or flu.

[steveegbert]

Hi Mark, it's too bad you were gone and missed the best harvest time. Here is what works well for me at harvest time. Usually you want to harvest when about 4 to 6 semi green leaves are left on the top of the plant. Evert leaf is also a bulb wrapper. You can pull one up or clear some soil to check bulb development to verify if they are ready. gently brush off excess soil from bulbs and roots but don't wash. Tie in bundles of 6 to 10 depending on the size.with the leaves on, You want good airflow around the bulbs. Hang right side up in a shed or shaded place out of the sun. Sunlight can quickly scald the bulbs in a few minutes. The moisture left in the leaves will migrate to the bulb as they dry, helping to keep the moisture in the bulbs. This can take a 3 to 6 weeks or longer depending on the temperature. Wait until the tops are completely dry and crispy before cutting them and the roots off and storing the bulbs. Cut about a half to an inch above the bulb to prevent moisture loss. Decrease or cut off water about a week before harvest.

[reneezacharias]

Hi mark I recommend you keep as much of the Italian red as you can for replanting as r will now be more well adapted to your climate and do even better next season. Good luck

[madissonmiller]

Oh it's garlic planting time here in Canada it'll be interesting to see differences. We plant in the autumn because it needs to freeze and thaw over the winter.

[pinkytaylor]

That 5aste test looked brutal! Thanks for taking one for the troops!!❤❤

[gennatran]

Omg 😂😂😂
Thanks for entertaining me late at night while I’m paying my bills 😂. Absolutely love your garlic tasting session…so hilarious! I haven’t laughed so much in a while until now! 😂😂🤣🤣