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Nettles
Find out more about nettles - how to benefit from them and how to get rid of them
foraging
16:12, 13th Apr 2012
Making Nettle Beer
Find out how to make your nettle beer
recipes
16:10, 13th Apr 2012
How to Make Sloe Gin
Find out how to make your own sloe gin
recipes
14:40, 13th Apr 2012
Grow Your Own Chilli Peppers
Find out how to grow your own chilli peppers
grow your own
13:33, 16th Mar 2012
Home Beekeeping
Find out more about keeping bees in your garden for honey
grow your own
15:40, 4th Jan 2012
Storing Apples
Find out how to store apples
fruits
13:23, 28th Jul 2011
Pear and Lemon Jam
Instructions for making pear and lemon jam
preserving
15:59, 27th Jul 2011
Making Apricot Jam
Instructions for making your own apricot jam
preserving
16:44, 26th Jul 2011
Storing Garlic
Find out how to store your garlic
Storing Garlic
preserving | grow your own
If you grow your own garlic, then you’ll need to consider how you are going to store it, so that you can make it last as long as possible and give you a reliable supply throughout the year.
If garlic is not stored correctly, then it will rapidly lose its flavour, nutritional value, and have to be discarded.
For garlic to keep for a long time, it first needs to be well dried. First of all carefully wash the bulbs and the roots making sure you do not break them. Ideally hang the garlic by its green stem if you can in a well-ventilated, shady, dry location for a week or two. Proper drying/curing is essential, so do not rush this process.
Now the garlic has dried (and its flavour intensified) trim off the roots carefully and rub off the outer layer of papery skin around the bulb. Keep any damaged or split bulbs to one side since you’ll need to use these soon as they will not keep well.
Do not attempt to store garlic bulbs with visible sprouts as they are too ripe. They can of course be used immediately in cookery.
Garlic needs to be stored somewhere with good ventilation (so that clean dry air moves over it), darkness (to prevent sprouting), and a dry atmosphere (to prevent moulding). Do not store garlic in the fridge as it is too humid.
A mesh container, a terracotta garlic pot (see above) or even a brown paper bag is perfect for garlic, and it can be stored at around 15 degrees Celcius for many months when stored in this way. However, once a bulb is broken open and you start to remove cloves, you need to use that bulb within a week or two.
Article Published: 14:44, 25th Nov 2010
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