Last week we harvested garlic. Usually we plant garlic cloves in the fall, but we were late last year and almost missed the planting season entirely. It was early December when we bought garlic from a local farm for planting. Garlic is one of the easiest vegetables to grow because they are practically care-free. There are no diseases to worry about and regular watering assures you a crop (even if you miss the normal planting time!).

Garlic belongs onion family, but unlike onions, garlic bulbs are buried underground so you can’t see them. When the leaves turn yellow, they are ready to be harvested, usually around Memorial Day in our area. The harvested garlic is spread out to dry outside for a couple of days. Then, the bulbs are cleaned of dirt, the roots are cut, and the stems are trimmed to 1 inch and can be stored in a net sack in a cool place.  Some varieties have a soft stem, which can be braided. This single harvest provides us a year’s supply of garlic!

Even though I appreciate the flowers, usually I head straight toward her vegetable garden where she keeps six planter boxes and a modest greenhouse.

Every year is a different set of crops. This year it’s tomatoes, garlic, green beans, sweet onions, lettuce, zucchini, radishes, Japanese eggplant, ohba, mizuna, daikon, piiman (Japanese bell peppers), and a yuzu tree. Her herb garden offers cilantro, rosemary, sage, flat-leaf parsely, and chives. She proudly showed me her new composter. It’s shaped like an orb and rotates on its own stand, like a globe. I’m amused she derives so much excitement over a composter.

The truth is I don’t know much about growing anything. But I’ve decided to try my hand at it and, with Sa and Ak’s help, started growing tomatoes and other plants in the back of our little rental. I’ve asked my mom to contribute to this site by giving us tips on gardening and sharing her recipes. Look forward to her insights, advice, and cooking!