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Is Garlic a Vegetable?

Garlic IS a vegetable.

More Info: Garlic is a hardy perennial native to Central Asia and a member of the lily family. Also known by the scientific name allium sativum, this vegetable is closely related to leeks, onions and chives. While onions produce a single large bulb, garlic produces numerous small sections known as cloves. Most garlic bulbs have at least 12 cloves, which is covered by a thin skin.

Requirements

Garlic thrives when grown in loamy soils rich in organic matter. Clay soils do not favor garlic development. Garlic grows best when planted three to five inches apart and heavy applications of fertilizer are used. Few insects are known to attack garlic plants, but the onion maggot larvae is the most serious pest of this hardy perennial.

Uses

A vegetable most often used to season food, garlic is available in flake form, oil or whole bulbs. Many companies manufacture nutritional supplements made with garlic, which is thought to have cancer fighting compounds.

If you have successfully grown onions, you will have little trouble growing garlic. This vegetable can be used fresh or stored for later use. Garlic stores best at temperatures over 40 degrees Fahrenheit, with a humidity level of 60 to 70 percent to avoid mold growth.