Meet the neighbours · vegetable
Garlic
Plant every fall for a mid-summer harvest — small bulbs, big flavour.
Garlic is the patient neighbour that goes in the ground in autumn and doesn't ask much until the longest days of summer. Homegrown bulbs are usually smaller than the ones in the grocery store, but they are stronger and more potent — and the difference is obvious the first time you crush a clove.
How to grow it
- Plant in late September or early October (in Cindy's climate), about two weeks before the ground freezes.
- Break a bulb into individual cloves and leave the papery skin on — don't peel them.
- Plant each clove 6 inches apart and 2 inches deep, with a little bone meal in the bottom of each hole.
- Mulch 3 inches deep to protect the cloves through winter.
- Snip off curly flower tendrils (scapes) as they appear mid-season so the plant keeps energy in the bulb.
How to use & eat it
- Harvest when the stalks start dying back, around the beginning of August. Dig gently with a fork — don't pull.
- Dry bulbs in a shaded, dry spot for a couple of weeks before storing or braiding.
- Health note: the compound allicin is linked to immune support, heart health, and anti-inflammatory benefits. It is most potent when garlic is raw, chewed, or crushed.
Makes friends with
Companion planting is just good neighbouring — these do better beside Garlic.
TomatoRhubarbCalendula
Cook with it
- Basil PestoA summer staple in Cindy's kitchen — "It isn't possible to have too much basil in my opinion. That's what pesto is for."
- Carrot Top PestoA great way to use up the carrot tops most people throw away — don't waste them, they're more nutritious than the root itself.
- Nasturtium PestoCindy's own words: "Best pesto ever!" A creative way to use the peppery leaves of an often-overlooked garden flower.
- Radish Green PestoA genuine discovery story — Cindy grew radishes only as a row marker for carrots, tried the greens on a whim, and now calls this the "BEST pesto Ever!"
Other neighbours
- TomatoThe loud, generous neighbour who shows up with more than you asked for.
- Calendula (Pot Marigold)Hardy, self-seeding, vibrant flowers with edible, lightly peppery petals — great in salads and as a soothing tea.
- RhubarbThe old neighbour in the back corner who was here before you and will outlast you.
- TatsoiA cold-hardy, fast-growing Asian green Cindy discovered almost by accident from a seed swap — now a permanent fixture in her garden.