Allium ampeloprasum var. ampeloprasum, commonly known as elephant garlic, is a strange tiny plant. In spite of its appearance, it is more closely related to leeks than to garlic and has a faint garlic flavor. A biennial, elephant garlic completes its life cycle over the course of two growing seasons. Assuming that the plant doesn’t produce flowers, you can expect to acquire one bulb. For its second year, this plant will be able to produce flower stalks by relying solely on the strength of its single bulb. Two years into their life, a single bulb is likely to be divided into several different cloves.
Unlike actual garlic, which may be harvested in around eight months, elephant garlic can be cultivated in the fall and harvested in the following summer. If you plant garlic in the fall, it may have time to mature into cloves before winter. If you only locate one huge bulb, you have the option of waiting another year for it to fully ripen or harvesting the single bulb. Elephant garlic sown in the spring has a 90-day harvest window, however, it is likely to be a single huge bulb.
Elephant Garlic: What’s the Big Deal?
Elephant garlic has a mild garlic flavor, making it even more versatile as a kitchen item than regular garlic.
There are numerous other benefits to having this plant in your yard in addition to its use in cooking. In the garden, elephant garlic, if allowed to develop and bloom, maybe a lovely aesthetic feature.
A further benefit of elephant garlic is that it’s a good plant for the environment. Perennial polycultures benefit greatly from the addition of this plant since it attracts beneficial wildlife and deters or confuses pests.
The best time to plant elephant garlic
When it comes to planting, elephant garlic can be done in the spring or the fall, just like regular garlic. There are a number of factors to consider while planting elephant garlic in fall, including the climate where one lives and the ability to give some sort of winter cover. It’ll take them longer to mature when you plant them this way. In the first year, the bulbs have a better probability of dividing rather than forming a single mono-bulb.
Elephant Garlic Planting Locations
The success of your elephant garlic planting depends on where you plant it. Ideally, you should locate the plant in a place that gives it the ideal conditions for growth. Elephant garlic prefers soil with a pH between 6 and 7 that is both moist and free draining. Elephant garlic may be a better choice for gardeners who have had difficulty growing conventional garlic due to their soil being too damp. When waterlogging occurs in the winter, even though it can endure damp soil conditions better than conventional garlic, it will not grow there.
It prefers full sun but may grow in a partially shaded environment. To avoid wind damage, it is best to select a sheltered location. Although these plants can withstand heavy gusts, it’s important to note that they won’t do well near the ocean.
Steps to Getting Your Garden Ready
It is critical that you thoroughly prepare the site once you have selected an appropriate area for your elephant garlic. The fertility of the soil in the growing area can be improved by applying an organic compost topdress to the soil. If you want to grow elephant garlic, you’ll need to make sure the area is completely weed-free.
Elephant Garlic Seeds Being Planted
When it comes to planting garlic, elephant garlic is no different from any other variety. Of course, the first step is to choose a supplier for your light bulbs. The bulbils and cloves of elephant garlic can be harvested and replanted after they have been obtained. Planting bulbils in addition to cloves is a smart move because it allows you to plan ahead and boost your supply of the plants in subsequent years. However, as previously stated, bulbil plants will not be ready for harvest in the first year. These, on the other hand, should be let to mature in the ground. Make a note of where you’ve planted the bulbils so that you don’t accidentally pick them before they’ve matured enough.
- When planting elephant garlic, dig holes big enough to fit the cloves into. (They may be damaged if forced into the soil without first drilling holes in it.) To ensure that the plants have enough room to grow, the holes should be at least 20cm apart.
- You should plant your cloves and bulbils around 10cm deep. Make sure the pointy end is looking above and the root end is facing downwards before planting them.
- Cloves and bulbils should be watered in after the holes have been filled with soil.
- Soil and roots are protected from winter frost, soil moisture is conserved and weeds are limited by mulching the area.
Care for Elephant Garlic
The first step in planting elephant garlic is to cut the bulb into cloves. In order to allow for adequate airflow between plants, plant each clove with the pointy end up 4 to 6 inches into the soil and 8 to 12 inches apart. The earth should be gently pressed down over the cloves and lightly watered. Like regular garlic, elephant garlic also produces flower stalks, known as scapes. These scapes rob the plant of energy that could be used to increase the bulb’s size. Prevent the scapes from curling and flowering by chopping them off early. In order to save waste, scapes can be eaten. Keep weeds at bay around elephant garlic plants, since they will fight for space and nutrients with the elephant garlic.
You’ll know it’s time to harvest your elephant garlic when the leaves turn yellow or brown. Get rid of the plants and brush the dirt off the bulbs as much as possible. The bulbs must be cured if you don’t intend to use them right away. In a well-ventilated area in a cool, dark place, keep them there for three to eight weeks. After curing, you can trim the flower stalks down to about an inch in length and remove any remaining roots. The bulbs should not be washed just yet, as this could lead to decay. It is best to keep them at a temperature of between 45 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit and a humidity level of between 45 to 50 percent. They’ll keep for about eight to ten months if you maintain them in these circumstances.
Currently, there are no varieties of elephant garlic available for cultivation. The bulbs produced by both the hardneck and the softneck varieties are identical.
Light
To thrive, elephant garlic needs at least six hours of sunlight every day, six hours of which should be direct sunlight. While these plants can thrive in partial shade, it is generally recommended that they be grown in full sun.
Soil
In order to thrive, elephant garlic necessitates a pH balance between 6.5 and 7.5. It is essential to have good soil drainage in order to cultivate these plants, as they do not tolerate being waterlogged well at any time.
Water
When these plants are actively growing, they require regular watering. Soak the soil just enough to keep it moist, but not waterlogged. Bulb rot can occur if they are overwatered. You should water in the morning so that the foliage can dry before nightfall, which can lead to fungal growth if it remains wet for long periods of time.
Humidity and Temperature
Tolerant of its growing zones’ temperatures, elephant garlic could require some assistance. It’s best to choose a location for your tree that’s protected from the worst of the wind. Protecting the roots of plants with mulch can also be beneficial. Plants might succumb to fungal development and rot as a result of excessive humidity. However, they can be shielded from this by ensuring proper air and drainage in the soil.
Fertilizer
Adding compost to the soil when planting elephant garlic is a good organic fertilizer. The second layer of compost might be added the following year if bulb harvesting has not yet begun.
Typical Insects and Diseases
Pest and disease problems are rare in elephant garlic. When the weather is wet, slugs can be a problem for newly planted plants. However, if you plan to eat garlic, you should avoid using any chemical insecticides. Plants in wet circumstances are more susceptible to fungal infections and decay. The unhealthy plants should be removed and a new crop planted in a more favorable environment if this is the case.
