BC Living
Local Easter Offerings to Try This Spring
Delicatessens Across B.C.: More Than Just High-End Grocers
March Sushi – From Scratch
4 Tips on Balancing a Nutritious Diet with a Side of Indulgence
Choosing Connection: A BC Family Day Pledge to Prioritize Presence Over Plans
Embracing Plant-Based Living this Veganuary and Beyond
Inviting the Steller’s Jay to Your Garden
6 Budget-friendly Holiday Decor Pieces
Dream Home: $8 Million for a Modern Surprise
Plan Your BC Foodie Field Trip
Kamloops & Sun Peaks Resort: The Ultimate See & Ski Family Getaway
Local Getaway: Stay at an Elven Haven in Courtenay
B.C. Adventures: Our picks for April
Cooking Classes
Culinary Cinema
Culinary Fashion: What to wear on “Foodie Field Trips”
Freshen Up your Skincare this Spring with these 9 BC Based Skincare Products
Are you getting the most from your expertly cultivated and perfectly aged wine collection?
Plant garlic bulbs now for a bumper crop next summer
Hardneck garlic produces garlic scapes or edible flower stalks that be sautéed, pickled or made into pesto
How to Grow Garlic with Success Q: I want to grow garlic for fall. What do I need to know?
Garlic is a crop that overwinters in our mild B.C. climate, which means you plant in early fall and harvest the following July. We recommend you pick up bulbs for planting at West Coast Seeds or your local farmers market.
Hardneck varieties are preferred by B.C. growers as they are hardier when it gets cold, and they produce much-coveted scapes – the edible flower stalks of hardneck garlic. These delicacies are typically harvested in June and can be sautéed, pickled and incorporated into pesto. This means your garlic crop has two harvests: the scapes and the bulbs. Garlic prefers a sunny location and compost-enriched soil.
Once harvested, garlic can be cured and stored for the winter. If you start off growing a healthy cultivar and your crop is successful, you can split your crop and save some bulbs for the next planting.
Samantha Philips is an urban farmer for hire with Victory Gardens/604-377-5140.