Elephant Garlic is our garlic of choice on Rugged Root Farm. And if you have never tried to grow garlic, I highly recommend that you do. Growing garlic is about as low maintenance as it comes. It is hardy and has amazing flavor!
What is elephant garlic
Elephant garlic (Alliumampeloprasum var. ampeloprasum) isn’t actually garlic. Although it resembles a giant head of garlic, it isn’t a true garlic.This hardy garlic is a perennial plant that is part of the onion genus. It is referred to a garlic because of how it grows. It has a hard neck stalk that flowers and has broad, flat leaves. This garlic is closely related to a leek. Elephant garlic has an wonderful mild garlic flavor and is perfect for cooked and uncooked dishes.
When to Plant
In Missouri, as well as most of the US, the best time to plant elephant garlic is in the fall about 4-6 weeks before the ground freezes.
How to plant and grow garlic
It is best to plant elephant garlic in nutrient rich loose soil. First, separate the individual garlic cloves right before planting. Plant the garlic with the pointing end up about 3-4 inches deep. Gently water the freshly planted garlic. Cover with the loose soil and cover with mulch or straw. This step keeps the soil insulated enough from the cooler temperatures and allow the garlic to start growing a bit before the ground freezes.
Growing Season
Growing elephant garlic is incredibly low maintenance. Once it is planted, we just let it grow on it’s own. The only thing we worry about is in the spring. We remove the garlic scapes from the top of the stalks of the garlic.
What are Scapes?
Elephant Garlic Scapes are the flower that comes from the center of the garlic stem. It is best to remove these when you see them. We pinch them off right where they come out of the stem. This allows the growth to happen in the garlic bulbs and not in the flower of the garlic. Consider using the scapes in your cooking instead of throwing them away. They are taste amazing! You can add them to soups, stir frys, salads, and many more things you want to add garlic flavor to. My favorite way to use garlic scapes is to make Pesto out of them. Yum!!!
If you are interested in my garlic scape recipe click here
Harvesting Elephant Garlic
Knowing when to harvest garlic can be a bit tricky. But never fear, there are some clues! The first clue depends on when you planted you garlic and your climate. If you are in the Mid-West and planted your cloves in the fall from the previous year, late July- early August are usually about the time to pull your garlic. The second clue is the dead leaf to living leaf ratio on the garlic stalk. You want to pull your garlic when half the leaves are dead on the stalk.
After the Harvest
The elephant garlic needs to cure. There are several ways to accomplish this. Some people hang them in a well ventilated and cool place like a garage. We have lined them outside in the shade on a picnic table. We also laid the plants on giant grates in the garage with a fan on them to help the air circulation. The important thing to remember is the plant needs to lots of air circulation. When the outer paper on the bulb is dried completely, then they are ready for long term storage. The curing process takes about 2 weeks.
Storing your Elephant Garlic
Once the garlic is cured, it is best to remove the outer dirty papers from the bulbs. Trim the roots back and remove the stems. Some keep the stems long and make beautiful garlic braids to hang in their kitchen.
For long term storage, you should keep the bulbs in a dry, dark and cool (40°F / 4°C) place. Do not store your garlic in the refrigerator or a damp basement.
Other Thoughts
If you want to grow elephant garlic again next year, keep back some of the largest bulbs for planting in the fall. This is how we have kept our elephant garlic supply growing over the past 4 years.
