I don’t have much free time, especially in spring, but spreading fertilizer doesn’t take long. It’s a critical step in the nine-month-long gamble I’ve dedicated so much energy to. In truth, this is the easiest part of the entire process. In the previous four growing seasons, I’d fertilize with liquid fish emulsion; it works wonderful, but has drawbacks — most notably its smell, being made of fermented fish. Also, it’s difficult to apply on a larger area. I still recommend fish emulsion when anyone asks what to use as fertilizer on the garlic they planted. But this year, with double the number of bulbs planted in our plot, needs have changed. We are switching to a granular fertilizer that’s more convenient to apply. I combine two components: nitrogen and a mix of minerals important to this particular plant — most notably sulfur, which gives garlic its pungent kick.

A soil test last October showed the soil here to be low in nutrients my crop needs to excel — not surprising, considering the sad state it was in just this past summer. As I start applying the fertilizer mixture to the first of 20 growing beds, the tractor finally makes its way to my end of the field and my older brother climbs out of the cab to see what I’m up to. Farming has been in our family for generations, but market gardening is something new for us. We talk for a few minutes about the garlic. He’s been a big help in scaling up this year’s crop, including allowing me to take over the old, overgrown garden space at his new farm.

As we go back to our separate tasks, I can’t help but think about when this ground was waste-high weeds amongst dozens of dead fruit trees. It took two months just to get it under control. Before the dirt could be turned over, we had load after load of brush and old trees to drag out. Next came pulling the stumps left by the previous owners, along with several half-buried fence posts and old wire. Finally, a few passes with the disk turned the grass and weeds into beautiful sandy soil. My favorite part followed: planning. With access to more space, I was able to expand and trial new varieties of garlic. Fourteen unique strains this year, up from five the previous, totalling 10,000 bulbs. It’s a challenge of its own to keep everything orderly; luckily we take detailed notes. From the day they were planted, to the scapes emerging, and then harvest, every interaction and the amount of time needed is recorded to help refine the process for next year.

It’s mid-October when planting begins. I start with several loads of composted manure and a neighbor rototills it in. Next, I pull measurements as a guide to lay down heavy-duty landscape fabric in neat, orderly rows. Three feet wide, 50 feet long. Every row is identical, with a three-foot walkway between. I always appreciate how uniform it looks. A wooden template enables me to burn exactly 500 openings into the fabric with a MAP torch. It takes roughly an hour to place each row and make the holes.

Courtesy Photo Fresh garlic drying on the wash rack at Towski Acres.

On Oct. 21, I put on a podcast and stayed up until midnight, breaking bulbs into individual cloves. These ones are from the previous harvest, saving the biggest and best to replant. The next day, one of my oldest friends came to help plant. Working in tandem, I used an auger bit on my drill to dig a hole into which she places one clove, two inches deep. We manage to get eight rows planted in two days as my son plays with her two kids in the yard close by. For eight more days I work alone, except when my wife and kids bring lunch or stop to check my progress. Finally, the last clove makes contact with the soil and this task is done.

Mid-May, where we are now, those cloves have turned into beautiful plants. Some varieties are already taller than my knee. I finish applying the fertilizer and check for signs of the first scapes to emerge. The flowering stem needs to be removed around mid-June and is one of our favorite spring treats. By the end of July, each bulb will be dug out, roots trimmed short, excess leaves removed and placed on racks in front of fans to air dry. Over the next several months, much of this crop will be sold in bundles or ground into garlic powder. But, the very best will be held aside to start this cycle all over next season.

Tim Zbytowski owns Towski Acres, a market garden focusing on naturally grown heirloom garlic, cucumber, lettuce, and tomatoes. Reach him at 989-884-1377 or see Towski Acres on Facebook.