Garlic is Planted

In spite of being home sick today (I have a head cold that makes me less than desirable to have at work) I managed to get something done,  I dug out the bed I intended to plant next summer's garlic crop in and... I planted my garlic.  Right now the bed looks like a big dirt-filled box, but come spring, it will start shooting up garlic seedlings and then, next summer, provide me with (hopefully) a bumper crop of garlic.

I went in on an order with my Mum to Salt Spring Seeds to augment my planters... the ones Mum gave me a couple of years ago produce marvellous large bulbs with snappy garlicky cloves, but I really did not plant nearly enough.  I planted 21 (all of which provided) and harvested 21 and here I am, a month past harvest, and including what I planted, I only have two and a half bulbs of garlic left! This is partly to do with the gorgeous roasted tomato sauce I have been making and canning, but really, this year proved to me that I needed to plant more!

I used up my entire long bed - and have planted almost 60 cloves!

Yes, that seems like a lot for one person to consume - but consider that next year I hope to have two of the Health Kick tomato plants in and producing - and hope to have at least twice the amount of canned roasted tomato sauce set aside - that speaks to almost 36 bulbs right there! Additionally, if I need to set aside 8 of the biggest for planting, that means that I would really only have about 16 for consumption through summer, autumn and spring - until next year's crop is ready for harvest. I will need to mulch the bed well before the frosts really are upon us - but the maple leaves are still mostly green and happy on the trees across the street, and so I will need to keep my eye on things and ensure that when they really start to come down, I hustle myself over there and collect lots!  I will also plan to pile in all of the leaves that fall in my back yard.  The leaves on the lilac are yellowing and getting ready and the apple and pear trees will not be far behind that...

In June of next year I can make double the amount of Garlic Scape Pesto (and freeze it for summer and autumnal consumption) 

Earlier this week I used some of my home-made tomato sauce in a lasagna - it was heavenly!  Before too long I want to purchase a pasta machine for myself - they are a bit pricey and so have not been very high on my "to get" list, but as I am progressing in my "do more of it myself" journey, I want to be able to start making my own pastas.  I may never have a farm of my own where I can grow beef, pigs and chickens, but I can certainly make the most of what I can do in my small space of the world!

With love across the waters...