What is garlic rust and how to prevent and reduce it's effects GARLIC RUST The fungi that creates garlic rust is prolific around the country. It's the 'spring sorrow' of any garlic grower. It's a frustrating time to see one's healthy garlic leaves begin to get white round flecks then turn into rusty orange spores that spread. There are 7,000 species of rust, but garlic rust ( Puccinia porri ) is a real th reat to garlic crops. This pathogenic fungi is prevalent, and seems to have infested every corner of our country. This fungal disease generally spreads from spores in the wind (it can travel long distances), animals, people and their machinery. Puccinia allii also infects other garden vegetables too such as leeks, onions, spring onions and chives, so it's best not to plant these in the same soil each year. Rust spores are microscopic. Rust spores from the soil can reach the leaves from disturbance of the soil, rainfall splashing and other transfer methods. If possible, is best to water the soil via a dripline and not overhead. Rust can be transported from the leaves and bulb into the following years crop. Consider a pre-treatment of the clove before planting. The presence of rust is highly variable from year to year and between locations. Garlic rust thrives when soil nitrogen levels are high, close planting, high humidity (wet leaves for 4+ hours), poor drainage, stressed plants or when plants are in their bulbing stage, and in temperature ranging from 12-24 °C. It seems that growers at higher altitudes (>500m) or in very cold climates are less affected by garlic rust. We have found this to the the case for our plot located well above sea level (300m+) in a dry mountain environment which gets regular wind and air movement between the beds. The first sign of rust are small white spots which occur on the leaves. At this stage you can pick off the leaves and dispose of them (not in the compost). Do not pick too many leaves as each leaf contributes to 10% of bulb weight, and the last few are a protective cover for the bulb. The garlic rust stages progress as the white spots turn into a rusty orange appearance as the rust reproduces. The final garlic rust stage is destructive. This is where the leaf is covered in many orange or advanced black spots. Minor rust will not affect bulb size, moderate rust will, while severe rust will result in tiny or no bulbs. It is awfully disappointing to the grower as the stages progress. While there are inorganic treatments (systemic fungicides - normally two treatments in the early stages), there is no organic treatment to kill rust. Organic treatments using sulphur, sodium and potassium bi-carbonate based sprays on contact with the rust pustules will only sterilise the surface and reduce the spread to surround leaves and soil. However the internal pathogen in the leaf will remain. We tend to use potassium bi-carbonate as it's known to act quicker and is a more powerful agent to sterilise leaves. The organic method to reduce the impact and spread is by mixing a teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) or potassium bicarbonate per litre of water (plus a teaspoon of vegetable oil to make it stick and a drop of dish detergent to penetrate the leaf). When sprayed onto the leaf it makes the surface highly alkaline, anti-fungal and as a result slows the spread of rust growth for a week before reapplication is necessary. Do not spray any acidic formulas (like vinegar) as this will feed the rust. If it is raining alot it can be a very frustrating time to reapplying regularly this treatment. Another option is using hydrogen peroxide with water following the manufacturers instructions and spray on leaves every few weeks. Some growers elect to plant their cloves earlier to hopefully harvest earlier before garlic rust takes hold. Another consideration is to grow an early harvesting group such as turban or asiatic garlic types for the same reasons. This has mixed results with growers using this technique, others believe the strongly bolting garlics that are harvested later are a more robust in fighting rust . We have found planting early has not helped our crop, and the best resistant to date has been our later harvesting types. Micro-climates and seasonal weather variability certainly alters the presence of this persistent fungi on garlic leaves. Orange spores from leaves than reinfect soils can live there for 1-2 years before the soil biota will break it down. So for this reason it is best to have a three year rotation on garlic beds particularly if you experience rust. Black rust spores (acute stage) can live in the soils for 5-10 years, so it is best to remove the emergent black rust spores leaves early.

What are garlic scapes and what to do with them. GARLIC SCAPES The scapes are the garlic's flower stem and are mostly associated with hard neck garlics. Before harvesting, hardnec k garlic typically sends up a scape which normally curls then straightens before the garlic is harvested (softneck garlic can scape when stressed). Semi-bolting hardneck types ( creole , turban , asiatic ) in milder-winter areas do not necessarily produce a scape. The garlic plant puts energy into forming the scape so many growers remove them to direct the plants resources into developing the bulb. We have found there is a direct correlation of bulb size and scape removal of around 10-30%. On the flip side scapes left during curing result in the bulb drawing more nutrients during the drying process and it is likely they will store longer. Different types of garlic are more affected if the scape is not removed. Creole , porcelain , rocambole , purple stripe types respond well to scape removal, producing larger bulbs while turbans and asiatics less so. In saying that, some growers believe rocambole is minimally impacted by scape removal. As a general rule, garlic types which produce the tallest, thickest and largest scapes will grow larger bulbs if the scape is removed. Some growers have found that by leaving the scape on during drying that the plant's bulbs are harder as well as storing longer. An example of a Turban scape is pictured below. We remove the scape before they begin to curl, before they are longer than 20cm tall. Some growers including ourselves believe the earlier the better. Other growers remove the scape once they curl. There is no scientific evidence to support either approach as to when to remove the scape. If removing the scape, do so on a dry day so the break can heal cleanly without introducing infection and disease. When you see the firm stalk rise up from the middle of the leaves snap (not pull) it off the stalk by hand (if the scape is small) or with secateurs below the umbel before it widens. If the scape is pulled, it may result in the pseudostem becoming weak and will let water down into the bulb. The scape can be sauteéd, be part of a salad or stir fried as mentioned under the eating section .

Asiatic garlic type Asiatic Garlic Group Early Season| Med Storing | 5-10 cloves The Oriential: enjoys the warm, humid climate of the north Asiatic garlic is harvested early, normally just after the turban group. It is a semi-hardneck garlic growing best in warmer climates with mild winters. This garlic group produces several cloves per bulb and has a white colour with a purple striped bulb wrapper. It grows best in a mild winter climate . As a semi-bolting hardneck garlic type it generally sends up a flower scape with a relatively solid stem which is not braidable. This garlic might not produce scapes when grown in warmer climates if not vernalised . The garlic's taste ranges in heat from mild to hot, and is considered very complex and flavoursome. Characteristics Clove & Bulb Appearance The bulb is normally a flat tened globe shape , it generally has a purple stripe d wrapper (skin) and contains between 5-10 cloves. The bulbs have a single layer of cloves. Generally all cloves of a standard sized bulb are suitable for planting . The clove skin can be pale or very vibrant and can be tight and hard to peel. The cloves are wedge-shaped with short clove tips. They have a moderate storage duration of around 6-7 months after harvest. Bulbils T his hardneck garlic generally sends out a scape (flower stalk) particularly in colder climates. They typically produce only a few bulbils (4-10) which are extra large and dark purple coloured. They are also known to sometimes have large bulbils embedded in their stems known as ne s t sets. Leaves & Scapes Asiatics have wide leaves which are tall and grow upright . The leaf colour is medium green. Scapes tend to droop and not coil, while the umbel has a narrow, pale yellow-green appearance. The spathe typically has an elongated dimple on lower part.

Garlic Growing Guide - Storing garlic GARLIC GROWING GUIDE The ten steps of growing garlic Storing Unless eaten green, preserved or dehydrated garlic should be stored as fresh bulbs. Once garlic is dried it needs to be sorted, hung and left ready to be eaten. This is the second part after harvesting where the garlic goes through a dormancy period. Prepare Preparation Once garlic is dry it needs to be sorted to make sure that is has no disease. C hoose the best bulbs for next years crop and prepare it for storing. Trimming It is necessary to remove the roots and the dirty bulb wrappers before storing. Unless you are looking at plai ting your softneck garlic, also to remove the false stem or pseudostem (what most people think of as the stem) prior to storing. This can normally be done with a pair of scissors, although the hardneck garlic (less so the semi-bolting turbans , creoles and asiatics ) are likely to need to be cut with secateurs as the stem is very tough. While removing the dirty bulb wrapper and trimming, watch for any bulbs with damage or disease. Any in poor condition should be destroyed. We keep the necks on the bulb quite long, the longer the neck being stored the longer it should keep as it reduces air and moisture entering the bulb. The same can be said with keeping on as much bulb wrapper as possible for storing. Si zing Sizing is a process more important for commercial gro wers but is necessary for the home gardener to find the best bulbs for replanting next year. Bulb s izing names vary in the industry both here abroad. We use a wooden template to poke bulbs through to decide the various grades. Premium prices are obtained for larger bulbs which contain larger cloves, as generally larger cloves will grow large bulbs next year. A small bulb could o nly weigh 20gm, while a extra large could weigh in at 100+gms. This is a five fold difference to any returns for a commercial grower if selling by weight and for the home gardener a larger bulb and cloves are easier to use in the kitchen. Garlic grades are based on the width of the garlic. Commercial garlic grade within the trade is based on a numbering system. Size 3 is 30-35mm, 4 is 35-40mm, 5 is 40-45mm, 6 is 45-50mm while grade 7 is 50-55mm. We prefer a grade based on a description of the size. Our preferred sizing scale would be: • Small <50mm • Medium 50-60mm • Large 60-70mm • Extra Large 70mm+ Stati stics If you are a commercial grower or a re an interested home grower, then the best time to record the results of your harvest is after grading . We collect information on bulb size, average bulb weight and other records between the different garlic groups. In this way we know how much garlic to grow next year, whether our trials worked, and our growing regimes for the next season. Our goal is constant improvement. Pl aiting Garlic One way to keep your softneck garlic (silverskin and artichoke ) is to plait them before or after curing. While the strongly bolting garlics cannot be plaited due to their thick scape, in some warmer climates some of the semi-bolting hardneck (turban , creole and asiatic ) garlic groups might be able to be plaited. There are plenty of online videos describing how to plait garlic. Store Storing When to Store Storing garlic is the final stage of curing. In NZ even in cold climates where the late harvesting garlics occurs in early February, the start of Autumn in March is a time when culinary garlic (not planting stock) should begin to be stored. This is because in March in NZ the weather typically begins to change. Daily tempe r atures below 1 6 °C and moist air from rainfall (>65% humidity) are the seasonal triggers for garlic bulbs to develop green internal shoots in preparation for shooting. Naturally garlic is capable of shooting two months after harvesting - particularly turbans . Therefore it is best to bring culinary garlic inside whe re temperatures are more stable and where garlic can be enjoyed for the rest of the year. How to Store Garlic should be stored in a dry, mild, low humidity environment out of direct light. Ideally , garlic should be stored between 10-20 °C. The optimum temperature is 13-14 °C. If the garlic is stored too cool (between 4-1 0 °C) it is likely to sprout. Storing temperatures above 20 °C results in quic ker bulb shrinkage and decreases their storage life. Garlic is best stored at 45-50% relative humidity. Low humidity will result in the bulb withering, too high (70+%) and it will encourage molds and roots to form. Ideally garlic should be stored in a stable temperature zone without significant fluctuations. While it is difficult to obtain ideal home conditions, try to find a spot that will be satisfactory. Put garlic in a space with good air circulation (not air tight containers). A good place is a paper bag, woven or netted bag/basket similar to those used for onions. Do not use glass or plastic containers as garlic will generate condensation and molds. Garlic matures in storage. At their freshest and juiciest after harvest the clove skins are hard to peel. As garlic ages the flavour is enhanced, the clove shrinks making it easier to peel. In storage all cloves will eventually dry out, go moldy or sprout . Depending on the type of garlic and how tight their bulb and cloves skins are garlic will continue to lo se weight through moisture loss. Softneck garlic is known to lose 4-5% of their weight during normal storage, some types (porcelain , standard purple stripe and glazed purple stripe lose 5-10%), while the remaining garlic types can loose 10-15% of their weight due to continued drying. In the kitchen it is great to have a small amount of bulbs ready for use. It is best placed in a breathable container (not plastic), basket, terracotta pot or metal container with holes. Keep out of direct light and in or nearby the kitchen. Garlic types have different storage times. If you are growing a variety of garlic then consider using turban garlic first as it has the shortest storage duration. Consider the storage chart as to the length of storage for various types of garlic. Preserving Preserving Garlic Dehydrating G arlic This is a safe way to keep garlic long term. Pick healthy, firm cloves and remove their skins. Put them in a blender or slice them lengthways or into small pieces. Place on the dehydrator's drying trays until dry, golden and crisp. Keep in an airtight container away from direct light. The dry flakes can also be made into powder with a mortar and pestle or by using a blender with fine cutting blade. The taste remains distin ctly that of the original garlic group. Freezing Garlic Another proven storage technique is freezing the cloves which keeps much of their flavour. You can put the cloves with or without peeling them, into a ziplock bag and freeze. If pre-peeled you can also chop them before freezing. If the clove skins are on it is normally easier to remove them after they are frozen. Garlic in Vinegar Garlic can be preserved in vinegar or wine but it does change the flavour. We advise against preserving garlic in oil because of the risk of botulism. Garlic is prone to botulism due to it's pH being between 5.3-6.3 which is considered too high for preserving in this way. Smoked Garlic Garlic can also be hot or cold smoked. For hot smoked use whole bulbs and remove any loose wrappers (skin), brush olive oil over each bulb and smoke for 1-2 hours depending on the temperature of your smoker. The smoked cloves' contents should resemble a paste like roasted garlic. Cold smoking takes between 1-10 days. Black Garlic Using standard garlic bulbs, garlic can be turned into black garlic - a licorice like food with a non-garlic umami flavour. Black garlic can be made by importing a specialised cooker or alternatively by using a rice cooker, slow cooker or dehydrator can be used to keep garlic bulbs (wrapped in two layers of tin foil) at a low heat for 30-40 days. Black garlic is ready when the cloves are black and their contents treacly. It is not fermented as no bacteria or micro-organisms are used. Black garlic goes through the Maillard reaction of chemically changing amino acids which causes the browning. It's a treat.

All 10 Global garlic groups or types Global Garlic Groups There are ten recognised types of garlic around the globe. We have managed to collect one of each type to grow and to offer in our online store . Each garlic group differs in when to plant or harvest them, how long they store for, their ease of peeling and their flavour profile. Each of the ten types have a preference to a particular climate zone. Consider picking a few groups or try them all to see what works in your unique garden micro-climate. Try our garlic group picker to help decide which garlic to grow. NZ Garlic Climate Zones NZ Garlic Climatic Zones Climatically there are three main garlic zones in NZ. These are mild, cool and cold winter climates. We have placed each type of garlic into the broad range where they are most suited to grow. Cool winter areas have the most choice as most garlic types will grow adequately after acclimatising to the local micro-climate. Clicking on a type of garlic takes you onto another page for more information on each. The ten global garlic groups are: MILD WINTER COOL WINTER COLD WINTER Mild Climate Garlics MILD CLIMATE GARLICS These five garlics are the best performing for mild winter zones Creole Mid Season | Long Sto ring | 5-10 cloves The Flamb oy ant: this small one is hot, dresses in vibrant rosy clove skins, and is a real c rowd-pleaser Turba n Early Season | Short St oring |6-12 cloves The Earlybird: Likes to arrive early at the garden part y and prefers to be eaten first Asiatic Early Season | Med Storing |5-10 cloves The Oriential: this one enjoys the warm humid clim ate of the north Silverskin Late Season | Long Storing | 10-30 cloves The Keeper: A long storer that loves being braided, produces plentiful cloves, and is easy on the taste buds Artichoke Mid-season | Med Storing |10-20 cloves The Reliable: The best all-rounder, loving most climate zones, is happy in a braid and has a clean taste Cool Climate Garlics COOL CLIMATE GARLICS These five garlics are the best performing for cool winter zones Silverskin Late Season | Long Storing | 10-30 cloves The Keeper: A long storer that loves being braided, produces plentiful cloves, and is easy on the taste buds Artichoke Mid-season | Med Storing |10-20 cloves The Reliable: The best all-rounder, loving most climate zones, is happy in a braid and has a clean taste Standard Purple Stripe Late-season | Med Storing |8-12 cloves The Godfather: The easy-peeling garlic from which all other garlics originate ... best of all: this wild one's the sweetest Marbled Purple Stripe Late-season | Med Storing |4-9 cloves The Baker: An easy-peeler is know for its tastiness when roasted Glazed Purple Stripe Late-season | Med Storing |6-12 cloves The Dazzler - Has an easy-peeling glossy sheen of silver and gold ... it's a real head-turner Cold Climate Garlics COLD CLIMATE GARLICS These five garlics are the best performing for cold winter zones Standard Purple Stripe Late-season | Medium Storing |8-12 cloves The Godfather: The easy-peeling garlic from which all other garlics originate ... best of all: this wild one's the sweetest Marbled Purple Stripe Late-season | Med Storing |4-9 cloves The Baker: An easy-peeler is know for its tastiness when roasted Glazed Purple Stripe Late-season | Med Storing |6-12 cloves The Dazzler - Has an easy-peeling glossy sheen of silver and gold ... it's a real head-turner Porcelain Late-season | Med Storing | 2-6 cloves The Beauty: Large teardrop form, produces a few massive cloves, is at the top of its field Rocambole Late-season | Short Storing |7-14 cloves The Chef: Culinary perfection and renowned as the tastiest with a sweet nutty flavour