Guest Article by Alex K.

Number one on my high calorie must grow foods is Garlic.

You heard me right, I said Garlic. One cup of garlic has 202 calories. Of course, we generally only use a few cloves at a time. But if you are using roasted garlic,` you may use a whole bulb. So, garlic brings a lot to the table calorie wise for every one you eat. It also stores well depending on the variety of garlic you grow. Having several pounds of garlic around goes a long way to making your stored food more enjoyable.

If growing garlic to use it for its Allicin (garlic’s “active ingredient”) always remember that Allicin is produced from crushing fresh garlic bulbs.
When fresh garlic is chopped or crushed, the enzyme Alliinase converts Alliin into Allicin, which is responsible for the aroma of fresh garlic.
The Allicin generated is very unstable and quickly changes into a series of other sulfur containing compounds such as Diallyl disulfide.
So, live whole bulbs of garlic is the key to using it for medicinal uses or for use in the garden. Remember to crush it shortly before you intend to use it.

Fall will be here soon and with it planting of Garlic for next year. This is a must have for any Midwest garden.  The following articles are some of the best articles I’ve identified with regards to growing, storing, and uses of garlic.

Sources of Garlic bulbs for planting.

Beware of trading garlic that may harbor nematodes or fungus.
It is always safest to grow new sources of garlic in containers so you can destroy plants and soil if nematodes or disease is detected.

• Bobba-Mike’s Garlic Farm (Orrville, Ohio)
• Cornerstone Garlic Farm (Reidsville, N.C.): 336-349-5106
• Filaree Farm (Okanogan, Wash.)
• Gourmet Garlic Gardens (Bangs, Texas)
• Seed Savers Exchange (Decorah, Iowa)
• The Garlic Store (Fort Collins, Colo.)
• Territorial Seed Company
• Burpee Seeds
• Hood River Garlic

Growing information

• Growing Garlic in the Home Garden, Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet
• Growing Garlic, Community Horticulture Fact Sheet #29, Washington State University
• Garlic for the Home Garden, Oregon State University
• Garlic, An Herb Society of America Guide
• GROWING GARLIC FROM BULBILS
• All About Growing Garlic, Mother Earth News
• Growing Gourmet Garlic, Part 2: Choosing Which Bulbs to Plant, Mother Earth News
• Gourmet Garlic Trimming and Cleaning, Mother Earth News
• How to Make Garlic Powder, Mother Earth News

Diseases and insects that attack Garlic

• Stem and bulb nematode in garlic
• Diseases of Garlic, Cornell University
• Fusarium rot of garlic bulbs, Oregon State University
• Bloat Nematode in Maine Garlic

Storing Garlic

• Safe Methods to Store, Preserve, and Enjoy Garlic, University of California, Davis
  Nukazuke: Japanese Rice Bran Pickles, great way to pickle garlic

Uses of Garlic

• How To Get The Bugs Out, Dr. Janet Starr Hull
• Allicin Medical Uses, aliments that Allicin may be used to treat
• Garlic Oil Spray for plants, Mother Earth
• Garlic Spray for plants uses Neem oil