Garlic

Allium sativum
N.O. Liliaceae

Introduction and History

Garlic was worshipped by the ancient Egyptians, chewed by Greek Olympian athletes, and thought to be essential for keeping vampires at bay. It is also good for zapping bacteria, keeping your heart healthy, warding off coughs and colds, and don't worry, it needn't give you bad breath! Many of the legends surrounding garlic have to do with strength, speed and endurance.

The common garlic is a member of the same group of plants as the onion. It is of such antiquity as a cultivated plant that it is difficult with any certainty to trace the country of its origin. De Candolle, in his treatise on the Origin of Cultivated Plants, considered that it was apparently indigenous to the southwest of Siberia, whence it spread to southern Europe, where it has become naturalized, and is said to be found wild in Sicily. It is widely cultivated in the Latin countries bordering on the Mediterranean. Dumas has described the air of Provence as being particularly perfumed by the refined essence of this mystically attractive bulb.

Garlic was placed by the ancient Greeks (Theophrastus relates) on the piles of stones at cross roads as a supper for Hecate, and according to Pliny, garlic and onion were invocated as deities by the Egyptians at the taking of oaths. It was largely consumed by the ancient Greeks and Romans, as we may read in Virgil's Eclogues. Horace, however, records his detestation of Garlic, the smell of which, even in his days (as much later in Shakespeare's time), was accounted a sign of vulgarity. He calls it "more poisonous than hemlock," and relates how he was made ill by eating it at the table of Maecenas. Among the ancient Greeks, persons who partook of it were not allowed to enter the temples of Cybele. Homer, however, tells us that it was to the virtues of the "Yellow Garlic" that Ulysses owed his escape from being changed by Circe into a pig, like each of his companions.  Homer also makes Garlic part of the entertainment which Nestor served up to his guest Machaon.

There is a Mohammedan legend that says, "when Satan stepped out from the Garden of Eden after the fall of man, Garlick sprang up from the spot where he placed his left foot, and Onion from that where his right foot touched."

There is a curious superstition in some parts of Europe, that if a morsel of the bulb be chewed by a man running a race it will prevent his competitors from getting ahead of him, and Hungarian jockeys will sometimes fasten a clove of Garlic to the bits of their horses in the belief that any other racers running close to those thus baited, will fall back the instant they smell the offensive odor.

Many of the old writers praise Garlic as a medicine, though others, including Gerard, are skeptical as to its powers. Pliny gives an exceedingly long list of complaints, in which it was considered beneficial, and Galen eulogizes it as the rustics Theriac, or Heal-All. One of its older popular names in this country was "Poor Man's Treacle," meaning theriac, in which sense we find it in Chaucer and many old writers.

A writer in the 12th century, Alexander Neckam, recommends it as a palliative for the heat of the sun in field labour. In a book of travel written by Mountstuart Elphinstone about 100 years ago, he said, "the people in places where the Simoon is frequent eat Garlic and rub their lips and noses with it when they go out in the heat of the summer to prevent their suffering from the Simoon.

Garlic is mentioned in several Old English vocabularies of plants from the tenth to the fifteenth centuries, and is described by the herbalists of the 16th century from Turner (1548) onwards. It is stated to have been grown in England before the year 1540. In Cole's Art of Simpling we are told that "cocks which have been fed on Garlic are most stout to fight, and so are Horses;" and that if a garden is infested with moles, Garlic or leeks will make them leap out of the ground presently.

The name is of Anglo-Saxon origin, being derived from gar (a spear) and lac (a plant), in reference to the shape of its leaves.

Special Features and Uses

Medicinal

Recent findings show that this plant has powerful ingredients that earn it a place in the modern medicine bag.

Infection

Herbalists have long claimed that garlic was a good germ killer. Now we have research findings that explain these cures. The very component that gives garlic its strong odor is the one that destroys or inhibits various bacteria, fungi, and yeast. Called Allicin, its antibacterial action is equivalent to that of one percent penicillin. Allicin forms in the garlic when the cloves are crushed and a parent substance, alliin, meets up with an enzyme, allinase. The result is that potent smell and some equally potent antibacterial powers. Unfortunately allicin is quite unstable, and cooking the garlic may reduce its effectiveness.

Experiments have shown that garlic is effective against some influenza viruses, fungi, and yeast, such as the one that causes athlete’s foot. It is more effective then penicillin against typhus. It works against staph and strep bacteria, against the organism responsible for cholera and against the bacillus species that causes typhus, dysentery, and enteritis. Experienced herbalist recommend care in using garlic rubs and poultices. If placed directly against the skin, theses may cause irritation or even blistering. Apply the crushed garlic, extracted juice or oil to a piece of gauze that has been placed over the infected area.

Worms and Parasites

Garlic is a traditional cure for worms and other parasites in pets and people. An old-time remedy for pinworms was an enema of raw garlic juice. Such treatments might not be as farfetched as they sound. Several of the sulfur compounds in garlic are at least mildly noxious to parasites. However, it is not known if they are present in sufficient concentrations to do much good.

Respiratory Ailments

In the traditional medicine of both China and Europe, garlic is recommended for various respiratory ailments. Tuberculosis used to be treated with an inhalant of garlic oil or juice. A widely used treatment for whooping cough was a rubdown of garlic and lard on the chest and back. Some herbalists even recommended putting a clove in the patient's shoes; it was believed that the healthful aspects of garlic could easily be absorbed through the soles of the feet. It is possible that the irritating quality of garlic's volatile oils may help open the lungs and bronchial tubes because these oils are readily absorbed into the bloodstream. A more direct remedy is to take a teaspoon of garlic syrup to relieve congestion.

High Blood Pressure

The Chinese have long used garlic to treat high blood pressure and other cardiac or circulatory ailments. Now Western physicians are beginning to experiment with it. Research in the 1970s showed that oils extracted from garlic inhibit blood clotting. Studies in India gave garlic and onions credit for reducing both the cholesterol levels in the blood and the clogging of arteries. Just how garlic works on cholesterol isn't yet understood. Scientists have isolated a substance from onions which decreases blood pressure when injected  intravenously. We still don't know whether this agent has the same effect when swallowed, or whether it is also present in garlic.

Stomach cancer

Investigators in China are looking at the role garlic may play in preventing gastric cancer. They compared the countries with the lowest and highest rates of stomach cancer deaths and found that the residents of the healthiest country regularly ate up to 20 grams of garlic a day. They proved to have significantly lower levels of nitrite in their stomachs as well. Other medicinal uses of garlic have yet to be supported by research. We don't yet know whether garlic is truly useful against colic, colds, kidney and bladder problems, toothaches or snakebites. For those who wish to try home remedies, garlic is one of the safest herbs.

Available Commercially

Fresh whole, dried in flakes or powder. Whole is preferable.
Storage Note: Store fresh garlic in an airy place and not in the refrigerator.

Craft

As with other members of the genus Allium, the flower heads of garlic dry nicely and make an attractive addition to herb and flower arrangements. Garlic is also braided together to form a rope to hang on the wall.

Companion Planting

The pest-controlling powers of garlic are well known. Companion planters claim that garlic helps keep pests, particularly aphids, off roses. It is also recommended as an interplant with cabbages, eggplants, tomatoes, and fruit trees. Although scientist haven't been able to prove its benefits, they do know that garlic contains some fungicides and feeding deterrents. In one study one application of garlic spray kept black pea aphids at bay for up to 30 days. Researchers in the northwest have found that a garlic spray also keeps hungry deer away from tender saplings.

Other Uses

Japanese scientist discovered that grated garlic breaks dormancy in some bulbs, tubers and woody plants. When gladiolus corms were treated with garlic paste they sprouted in 41 days compared to an average of 51 days for untreated bulbs. Sulfur and other chemicals have been used in this way, but they can be damaging if not used in very small amounts. Garlic seems to have no phytotoxicity and is effective on far more plants.

Hardiness

Garlic (Allium sativum) is a hardy perennial bulb. Zones 4 to 9.

Growth Habit

Garlic is usually planted in rows but can also be planted in groups of six to eight bulbs. It has an upright form that grows 2' tall and about 8" wide.

Bloom

Globe-shaped, 2" clusters of white flowers appear atop of flower stalks in early summer. These are usually cut back so that the plant can devote its energy to developing bulbs.

Propagation

Although you can start garlic from seed, it is much easier to plant individual cloves. Plant the cloves 2" deep and 4" apart, four to six weeks before the first frost in fall. Use only the larger cloves. Plant Elephant garlic 4" deep.

Soil

Soil PH 4.5 to 8.3. Garlic grows best on friable (crumbly) loamy soils that are fertile and high in organic matter. Gardeners who can grow onions can grow garlic since the culture is similar. Garlic does well with high amounts of fertilizer. Follow soil test recommendations for your particular garden soil when fertilizing. As a general recommendation, apply three pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer per 100 square feet. The soil must be kept evenly moist as dry soil will cause irregularly shaped bulbs. Heavy clay soils will also create misshaped bulbs and make harvesting difficult. Add organic matter, such as well-rotted manure or compost to the soil on a yearly basis to keep it friable.

Sunlight

Full sun produces the largest bulbs, but garlic will tolerate some shade.

Pests and Diseases

Occasionally, the onion maggot larva can be seen in the garlic cloves upon harvesting. The typical symptom is premature dying of the leaf tips. Control involves sanitation since sprays are not available.

Species and Cultivars

Garlic is divided into two main categories: hardneck and softneck. Hardneck types, so called because the flower stem dries hard in the center of the bulb, tend to have fewer cloves, more pungent flavor and thicker and more easily peeled skin, but a shelf life of only three to four months.

Some of the varieties to look for include Spanish Roja, French Red Rocambole, German White, Carpathian and German Red.

The softneck types have more cloves and a milder flavor. They can be stored for up to a year. Among the varieties of softneck are California Early, Silverskin, Polish White, Inchelium, Machashi and Early Red Italian.

Elephant garlic, which is actually a type of leek, has a flower stalk like a hardneck garlic, a mild garlic flavor, four to six very large easy-to-peel cloves in each bulb, and stores well.

References

Culinary Herbs by Maggie Oster
A National Home Gardening Club book

Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs
by Claire Kowalchik and William H. Hylton (Editors)

The Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening
by Rodale Press

Modern Herbal
by Mrs. Maud Grieve

Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet: Growing Garlic in the Home Garden