Garlic planted

After an inch and a half of rain overnight and this morning, it turned clear and cool by late afternoon.

Fortunately I'd prepared beds for garlic some time ago, so they were perfect for tucking in cloves of Thai Purple, Susanville, and Leningrad (all adaptable strains that should be good for the Piedmont). They came from impressive heads, grown by Hood River Garlic Farms -- much bigger than my harvested heads from last season!

I've grown Inchelium Red and German Porcelain successfully in the past, too, along with other cultivars, but it's always fun to try something new.  Thai Purple and Leningrad are stronger-flavored garlics, according to their labels.

It was a joy to tuck the cloves into still warm fluffy soil, nicely hydrated by the rain.  I had prepared the beds, I think, after pulling out potatoes and onions in early and mid- summer and spent tomatoes in late August.  Here was a post of similar ilk from last fall, preparing for spring planting  (I still have woodchuck issues, so I'm not planting greens in the satellite garden!)