Arno Pink Garlic - Allium sativum

Arno Pink Garlic is a spring variety, to be planted in February and March. It produces very fragrant round bulbs with a pinkish colour. It is ideal for long-term storage. Harvest takes place in June and July.

Garlic is a hardy perennial plant, cultivated as an annual. It belongs to the Liliaceae family, like onions, shallots, and chives. It comes in the form of a large bulb, called a head, topped with long flat leaves. The garlic head contains several cloves. These cloves are planted in the soil and give rise to new garlic heads.

There are 3 categories of garlic: white, violet, and pink. White and violet garlic are planted in autumn. They are quite early, have a good yield, but their storage is limited. Conversely, pink garlic is planted in spring. It is well adapted to regions with harsh winters. Its productivity is less significant, but it can be stored for a longer period.

In terms of cooking, garlic can be consumed raw or cooked. Its pungent taste flavours raw vegetables, meats, mushrooms, or stuffings. Garlic has the particularity of being rich in sulphur compounds and selenium. Finely chopped leaves of white or violet garlic flavour omelettes and fresh cheeses, just like chives.

Harvesting: Pink garlic is harvested when the leaves wither, in June and July, when it reaches ripeness. Pull out the bulbs and let them dry for a few days on dry and shady soil (to avoid sunburn). The foliage of autumn garlic (white and violet) is harvested in April and May, while it is still green.

Storage: Cut off the leaves or braid them to hang. Store garlic away from light in a dry and warm room, e.g. the kitchen. Check beforehand that the bulbs have not been damaged, to prevent rotting that could contaminate the entire harvest. Garlic heads can be stored for several months (from 6 months to 1 year, with pink and violet garlic storing better than white garlic).

Gardener's tip: prepare a garlic decoction to prevent damping off in seedlings and, as a curative measure, to combat mites and fungal diseases such as mildew and rust. Soak 100g (about 10 cloves) of crushed fresh garlic in 1L of rainwater and let it rest for 24 hours. Boil gently, covered, for 20 minutes. Let it cool (still covered) for 1 hour. Strain. Use undiluted: - either in a watering can, to combat damping off in seedlings. - or by spraying on the foliage of plants (including the undersides of leaves) to combat fungal diseases and mites. You can add a little milk to the mixture before spraying to allow better adhesion to the foliage.

Repeat the process 3 times with a 3-day interval. The garlic decoction does not keep and should be used within 48 hours.