Bed 3 - Tomatoes

Plans for 2013 include planting the following in the Tomato Bed:

• Basil=improves flavor of tomatoes
• Carrots
• Garlic
• Marigolds=repels tomato hornworm
• Nasturtiums=deters aphids & other pests
• Peppers= Tomatoes provide shade & increase humidity
• Petunias

• Parsley & Asparagus increases the vitality of the each other
• Tomatoes protect Asparagus against that awful asparagus beetle.

• Plant garlic in late October through early December.  Note: Plant cloves after the first frost. Garlic cloves can also be planted in late winter as soon as the soil thaws, but fall-planted garlic produces bigger, better bulbs.
• Plant one clove with the pointy end up @ about 8 – 10 inches deep. Also allow about 2-4 inches between cloves.
• Garlic requires adequate levels of nitrogen. Fertilize accordingly, especially if you see yellowing leaves.
• Let the garlic to Flower (late spring/early summer). Once the Flower is dead and the leaves have browned 1/2 to 2/3 of the way down the stem, dig your garlic up. This should happen no later than July.
• Save some of thelargest, best-formed garlic cloves to plant in the fall.

Harvesting

• Carefully lift the bulbs with a spade or garden fork; brush off the soil; and cure in an airy, shady spot for one to two weeks. Hanging upside down is a good method for curing.
• The Garlic is cured when the garlic skins are papery and the roots are dry; the root crown hard; and the cloves can be cracked apart easily.
• Bulbs should be stored in a cool (40 degrees F), dark, dry place, and can be kept in the same way for several months.
• The flavor will increase as the bulbs are dried.

If you plan on planting garlic again next season, save some of your largest, best-formed bulbs to plant again in the fall.

Planting cloves from the grocery store is risky.  They may be not grow well or be hard to grow (most are treated to prolong shelf life) It is best to order from a seed company or buy at a local nursery.