Drops of health – Garlic

Garlic, or Allium sativum, is native to Central Asia and has long been a staple of many of the world's cuisines. It is a close relative of onions, shallots and leeks. Garlic is flavorful, inexpensive and lasts for months if stored properly. It is also said to bring good luck and ward off vampires, but this is a scientific site so we will focus on its horticultural and culinary properties.

Garlic is easily grown in Sonoma County. One of the attractive aspects of adding it to your vegetable garden is that it occupies bed space from October to May, making room at exactly the right time for the Summer vegetables such as tomatoes and peppers that go into the garden in the late Spring. What else would you do with your beds during the Winter that is as easy and as productive as planting garlic?