UAF is an AA/EO employer and educational institution.

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1 UAF is an AA/EO employer and educational institution.

2 Why Grow Garlic in Alaska? Garlic has many health benefits from lowering blood pressure and cholesterol to improving iron metabolism and endurance. As fresh garlic is chopped or crushed, the enzyme alliinase changes alliin into allicin and other sulfur containing compounds with proven antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and antiprotozoal activity. Allicin is garlic's defense mechanism against pests. Garlic is known to be effective against a variety of bacteria including Listeria, E.coli, Cryptococcus meningitis, Candida albican, Salmonella and Staphylococcus. Garlic is very hardy and cold tolerant crop if the correct varieties are chosen for the climate. It is easy to grow and has relatively few pests and diseases.

3 Why Grow Garlic in Alaska? Locally grown garlic is far superior for flavor, allicin content, and freshness, as compared with supermarket garlic. But most garlic currently consumed in Alaska is a relatively flavor less variety bred for storage chances are that it has been shipped in from China, now the world s largest producer It s delicious! Let food be thy medicine, and medicine thy food Hippocrates

4 Health Benefits Anti inflammatory Anti Bacterial, Anti Fungal, Anti Viral, Anti Protozoal Prevents Heart disease Lowers Cholesterol & Tricglyceride Levels Strengthens the Cardiovascular System Improves Iron metabolism Anti tumor: inhibits prostate, skin, colon, breast and stomach cancer Prevents Colds and flu Good Source of Vitamin B6 Lowers Blood Pressure Promotes weight loss And more!...

5 Some Garlic Facts The name garlic is from the Old English garleac meaning spear leek The Egyptians worshiped garlic and placed it in ancient burial tombs. Garlic was found in King Tut s tomb. Garlic has a long history of medicinal use in many cultures. It was used to treat gangrene during WW1 and WW2 Garlic stored in oil supports the growth of Clostridium botulinum, the cause of botulism, which can be deadly. Refrigeration or low heat does not kill the bacterium so storage in acid (vinegar, lemon juice) is preferred.

6 Some Garlic Facts Much of the garlic in the U.S. comes from California, but China is now the world s major producer after California crop disease epidemics in the 1980 s The National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) has a collection of more than 200 garlic (A. sativum and A. longicuspis) accessions from 40+ countries one of the largest garlic collections in the world. The collection is maintained at the Western Regional Plant Introduction Station (WRPIS) in Pullman, WA, which collects, propagates, and distributes this material.

7 History Garlic, onions, leeks and chives belong to the genus Allium, which is made up of about 750 species. Garlic originated in area which is now Eastern Europe & Central Asia. It is thought to be descended from the species Allium longicuspis, which grows wild in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan where the climate is hot and dry. It is mentioned in ancient Egyptian, Greek, Indian, and Chinese manuscripts. Garlic is one of the oldest horticultural crops.

History Garlic has been a culinary and medicinal staple in Asia, Africa, and Europe (especially the Mediterranean region) for over 6,000 years Photo by Julianne McGuinness Today, over 200 varieties

8 History Garlic has been a culinary and medicinal staple in Asia, Africa, and Europe (especially the Mediterranean region) for over 6,000 years Photo by Julianne McGuinness Today, over 200 varieties are now commercially available in the US thanks, in large part, to the opening up of the Soviet block countries in the late 1980 s / early 1990 s. Since then, plant hunters have been able to introduce a new wave of heirloom garlic varieties to the rest of the world.

9 Garlic Types Until recently, Garlic was divided into two main categories: hardneck (aka bolting or top setting ) and softneck (aka non bolting). Hardnecks (Allium sativum var. ophioscorodon) produce a flower stalk or scape. Now, further research is needed to see where the weakly bolting or semi hardneck sub varieties fit into the scheme of things. Hardneck types are most closely related to wild garlic. Softneck types do not have a woody stalk. Garlic classification is confusing. Color, size, and taste are affected by many factors. The best way to discern garlic identity is through genetic testing.

10 Garlic Types Ron Engeland of Filaree Garlic Farm, and other Okanagan Washington growers developed the current classification scheme for garlic, which has since been verified via genetic testing by Dr. Gail Volk (USDA in Colorado) and Dr. Joachim Keller (Institute of Plant Biology in Gaterslaben, Germany). There are essentially ten different families or sub varietal groups of garlic Porcelain, Purple Stripe, Marbled Purple Stripe, Glazed Purple Stripe, Rocambole, Creole, Asiatic, Turban, Artichoke, and Silverskin. Note that the variety names generally refer to appearance characteristics.

11 Garlic Types There are three weakly bolting or semi hardneck sub varieties: Creole, Asiatic, and Turban. Asiatic and Turbans evolved in the East. Creoles evolved in Spain and southern France they grow well in the South. There are two softnecks: Artichoke and Silverskin which evolved in Italy and Europe. Softnecks are prolific and grow well in the Temperate and Southern United States. Most supermarket garlic is a Photo by Mary Kate Reeder softneck variety, Silverskin, which is mass produced in California and China for the world market.

12 Anatomy of a Garlic Plant The cluster of individual cloves is a bulb or head. Each leaf is a bulb wrapper below ground the more leaves above, the more protection for cloves below. The flowering stalk is called a scape. Scapes are often cut before flowering to conserve energy for the bulb delicious! The little mini cloves in the flowing top of hardneck garlic are bulbils

Most Garlic is Grown from Clones Over many centuries of selection and cultivation, most garlic has lost the ability to produce fertile seeds sometimes, flower stalks and flowers are not even formed.

13 Most Garlic is Grown from Clones Over many centuries of selection and cultivation, most garlic has lost the ability to produce fertile seeds sometimes, flower stalks and flowers are not even formed. Recent research shows that some varieties under the right conditions will produce true garlic seed. Propagation from seed will eventually improve genetic diversity in the crop. For now, most garlic is propagated clonally from individual cloves or bulbils Photo by Mary Kate Reeder

15 Mulch Precipitation Winter: Low temperatures, snow cover, freeze thaw cycles Planting & Harvest Timing Spring & summer climate Variety Growing Garlic in Alaska Pests & Disease

16 Varieties

17 Survival Rate 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Garlic Survival Rate across Alaska (anecdotal) N=10 N=4 N=8 N=3 N=5 Location of Survey Respondents

18 You can take the survey too! If you ve already taken it, no need to take it twice. Thanks!

19 Planting When should you plant? Within 1 2 weeks of the first killing frost; In the Fall about 4 6 weeks before ground freezes hard; Depends on where you live as early as mid September in Interior Alaska and as late as early October in Southeast. More Tips: You can plant in the spring but your garlic will likely be smaller and less productive. If you plant too early, then you will have shoot development/die off. You only want root development.

20 bin/climatenormals/climatenormals.pl

Planting Spacing Plant about 6 inches apart with rows 1 foot apart or alternate configuration with each clove about ½ a square foot space. Spacing may vary commercially vs. garden setting.

21 Planting Spacing Plant about 6 inches apart with rows 1 foot apart or alternate configuration with each clove about ½ a square foot space. Spacing may vary commercially vs. garden setting. Plant 3 4 inches deep, pointy side of clove up. To plant, break bulb into individual cloves, keeping the bulb wrapper on each. If you tear a wrapper, eat that clove rather than planting it, since it will be prone to mold and rot. Small cloves grow small bulbs, so plant big ones and eat small ones.

22 Soil & Fertilizer Soil Garlic does well in many soil types, but loves rich soil fluffy, compost rich soil use rotted manures & soybean meal for amendments Soil tilth is very important compacted soil will produce smaller bulbs. Fertilizer Moderate fertilizer needs Fertilize with an organic, nitrogen rich amendment in Fall, then again in Spring but not after that. Garlic begins its senescence around the time of the Summer Solstice, so by then, it is no longer necessary to fertilize or even water much.

Mulch After planting, mulch with leaves or straw, (even seaweed!) immediately after planting. Mulch with 4 inches of mulch. Some even mulch up to 12 inches!

23 Mulch After planting, mulch with leaves or straw, (even seaweed!) immediately after planting. Mulch with 4 inches of mulch. Some even mulch up to 12 inches! If you have reliable snow cover you don t need to mulch as much. In spring, remove mulch as soon as possible, to expedite soil warming. Beware if you have freeze/thaw conditions, you could end up with a icy mat of mulch if you are not careful!

24 Weed Weed, weed, weed! Much like onions, garlic does not like competition for nutrients!

25 Pests & Diseases Rots and molds (especially white rot) are of concern in cool climates such as Alaska Most cultivated garlic harbors at least one of four known viruses: Onion yellow dwarf potyvirus, Leek yellow stripe potyvirus, Garlic common latent carlavirus and Shallot latent carlavirus. These viruses do not generally affect crop condition, flavor, or yield. Symptoms include yellow streaks on the leaves. In addition to diseases, several types of nematodes also represent significant threats to garlic crops. The garlic bloat nematode (Ditylenchus dipsaci) has become a major threat to garlic crops in California, the northeastern US and eastern Canada. Bulb mites are also common

26 Scapes Cut garlic scapes to ensure that maximum energy is devoted to bulb development. If not cut, you ll probably have smaller bulbs. Cut scapes when they begin to curl. They are delicious in stir fries, etc. much like chives or green onions. They make a great value added market vegetable.

27 Harvesting Choosing when to harvest garlic is an art. Dug too soon, bulbs won t have sufficient protection by skins formed around each clove. Hard neck bulbs, dug too late, will begin to divide and spread apart in the soil. Dig when plant leaves are about 40% yellowed. (All parts of the garlic plant are edible, so relish them at any stage, even if dug too early or late!) TECHNIQUE: In nice fluffy soil, garlic plants may be pulled by hand. Gently brushsoil from the roots, and lay plants in a dry, handy spot to cure. Never wash garlic keep moisture to a minimum to avoid rot and mold. Brush soil off bulbs as it dries.

28 Curing Garlic stores longer if it is cured with its stalks, leaves, and roots attached. Cure ~ 3 weeks or closer to 2 months if humidity is high. Use a fan in the curing shed if necessary for good air circulation After the garlic has cured, clean bulbs gently with a soft bristle brush, preserving the papery skin.

Storage Hang bulbs in net sacks, with good air circulation. If storing in bags, use paper bags to minimize condensation. 60 70 F or 32 40 F, the latter range keeping garlic even longer.

29 Storage Hang bulbs in net sacks, with good air circulation. If storing in bags, use paper bags to minimize condensation F or F, the latter range keeping garlic even longer. Ideal humidity is between 60 and 70%. Hardnecked garlic does not store long in particular, Rocambole types keep for only (2 3 months) Softneck garlic can be braided and stores much longer than hardnecked.

References and Further Information Alaska Botanical Garden http://alaskabg.org/ Filaree Garlic Farm www.filareefarm.com Joe Orsi, Southeast Garlic Grower http://www.orsiorganicproduce.com/ Brust, G.

30 References and Further Information Alaska Botanical Garden Filaree Garlic Farm Joe Orsi, Southeast Garlic Grower Brust, G Garlic Problems...Again. Retrieved from Engeland, R Growing Great Garlic. Okanogan, Washington: Filaree Farms. Rosen, C., Becker, R., Fritz, V., Hutchison, B., Percich, J., Tong, C., and Wright, J Growing Garlic in Minnesota. University of Minnesota Extension. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Climatic Data Center (NOAA NCDC). (2000). Alaska Freeze/Frost Occurrence Data Retrieved from Voigt, Charles Garlic Trial in Northeastern Illinois. Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences University of Illinois Volk, G. M., Henk, A. D., & Richards, C. M Genetic diversity among U.S. Garlic Clones as Detected Using AFLP Methods. Journal of American Society of Horticulture Science. 129(4):

Growing Great Garlic! By Alaska Master Gardener Deb Blaylock

Growing Great Garlic! By Alaska Master Gardener Deb Blaylock Garlic Background Family: Lily or Amaryllis family Two main types Hard neck Allium sativum var. ophioscorodon Soft neck Allium sativum var.