Agriculture.ph Blog

Growing garlic for profit, health

GARLIC (scientific name: Allium sativum) is one of the most important food seasonings in the world. From the earliest times, garlic has been used as a food. It formed part of the diet of the Israelites in Egypt (Numbers 11:5). It was consumed by the ancient Greek and Roman soldiers, sailors and rural classes.

Garlic’s mellow taste and aroma spice up gourmet dishes the world over. Popular with health-conscious cooks because it adds flavor without fat, some people still object to the herb’s strong odor, which is known as bawang among Tagalogs and ahos among the Visayans.

Like most spices, garlic is a relatively good source of calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. Its leaves are sources of protein and of Vitamins A and C. In the Ilocos Region and in many parts of the country, the green tops are used for pinakbet, an Ilocano delicacy.

But because of its many other uses, demand for the crop is continuously increasing. Most of the garlic grown in the Philippines comes from Ilocos, Southern and Tagalog regions. However, the crop can be grown anywhere in the country.

The most commonly grown variety is the Ilocos White, which has purpose to white scales. It is moderately resistant to insect pests and diseases. It matures 90 to 110 days after planting and has a potential yield of 3.5 tons per hectare. It has a prolonged span of shelf life. Other varieties such as Batanes white, Batangas white, Ilocos pink, Nueva Ecija pink, and Tan Bolters are also grown but not commercially.

Garlic grows well in clay, alluvial and sandy loam soils. Sandy loam, properly applied with fertilizer, generally produces big, compact and heavy bulbs of good quality. Heavier soils such as clay loam also give profitable yields if they are cultivated and fertilized properly.

Garlic requires cool weather during the early stage of growth thus it is best to plant them on the months of October and November. During the ripening stage, a comparatively dry soil, dry atmosphere and moderately high temperature are important.

According to a fact sheet prepared by the Department of Agriculture (DA), the area where the garlic is planted should be thoroughly prepared. “If the field is weedy and/or the soil surface is very irregular, plow and harrow the land thoroughly to kill weed seeds and to produce a fine, firm, smooth and level surface,” it says.

DA recommends broadcasting fertilizers, which should be mixed thoroughly with the soil before leveling the field. “For one hectare, use 125 to 175 kilos each of urea (45-0-0) and complete fertilizer (14-14-14 or 12-24-12),” the fact sheet instructs. “Mix the two fertilizers thoroughly. If urea is not available, use 235 to 270 kilos of ammonium sulphate. Mix with 115 to 130 kilos of 14-14-14 or 12-24-12 fertilizers.”

After fertilizer application and the field is already leveled, rice straws are spread evenly throughout the entire paddy to a thickness of about 5 centimeters as mulching materials. After placing the mulch materials, the field is irrigated just enough to moist the soil. In a few days, the field is ready for planting.

A day before planting, the pieces of cloves are prepared in the afternoon. “Carefully separate the cloves from each other, taking care not to injure them,” the fact sheet states. “Choose only the big pieces for planting. Soak the cloves for two minutes in a solution of Malathion prepared by mixing three tablespoonfuls in five gallons of water.

Treating the cloves with Malathion would kill the microscopic mites that cause ‘tangle top,’ a common garlic disease. Drain off the solution and put the cloves in a clean container for planting.”

In planting, the rows are marked with the use of parallel lines of string spaced 20 centimeters apart and placed just on top of the straw mulch. The DA instructs on how to plant: Hold the clove between the thumb and forefinger and set one-fourth of the clove into the soil.

Then press the soil slightly but firmly towards the clove. Plant the cloves at intervals of 20 centimeters in the row. Garlic does not need much irrigation. As long as there is sufficient soil moisture, bulb formation would be normal.

Garlic matures 90 to 120 days after planting. Generally, early planting has a longer period of maturity than the late planting. Indices are the softening of the main stem above the bulb and the yellowing of 75% of the leaves.

Mature plants are uprooted from the ground and arrange in windrows with leaves on to protect the bulbs from the sun. When the leaves have completely dried, the crop is braided and placed in trays for further curing and storage.

Garlic is rarely kept in cold storage in the Philippines. The farmers store their produce under ambient storage conditions in several ways (1) by hanging the bundles in rows with bamboo stick or lumber in a well ventilated place; (2) by packing them in a wooden crate, arranging them in such as way that the air will circulate freely; (3) by packing them in a wooden crate, arranging them in such a way that the air will circulate freely; and (4) by piling the bundles to form a pyramid (mandala), which are placed in a storeroom (bodega).

To minimize pest infestation during storage, the area is cleaned and dried. Before the stocks are stored, the area is sprayed with Malathion or other insecticides recommended for the control of storage pest. Under the mandala type of storage, the garlic is kept from touching the concrete floor by using bamboo slats or lumber properly arranged on the floor.

The slats are covered with empty polyethelene bags sprayed with insecticides. The surrounding is regularly sprayed with the recommended insecticides to prevent the occurrence of insect pests.

But garlic is not just only for cooking. “Because garlic has the power to save from death, endure it, though it leaves behind bad breath,” Duke Robert I of Normandy once said. In those days, garlic was said to strengthen the heart; protect against the plague; cure colds, athlete’s foot, toothache, and snakebite; repel vampires and demons; grow hair; stimulate sexual performance; and rid the dog of fleas.

Today, scientists all over the world are examining the folklore’s claims of garlic’s benefits.

But the therapeutic qualities of garlic are nothing new. Sanskrit records reveal that garlic remedies were pressed into service in India 5,000 years ago, while Chinese medicine has recognized garlic’s powers for over 3,000 years.

So, what is it about garlic that makes it such a boon to our health? When cloves are chewed, crushed or cut, they release a sulphur-bearing compound called allicin — the chemical that gives garlic its pungent aroma. And it’s the allicin that scientists have discovered is the magic ingredient thought to be responsible for garlic’s therapeutic qualities.

“Allicin is the remarkable agent that fights bacteria,” points out the editors of Super Life, Super Health. “It seems to even fight some infections that are normally resistant to antibiotics.” But allicin is unstable and sensitive to heat,” the editors remind. “Cook the garlic lightly, if at all, and always mince it to release the most allicin.”

Written By Henrylito D. Tacio

Source: Sun Star