Mulching the garlic

This year we planted the garlic in between the rows of some of our younger apple trees.

The garlic shoots are about six weeks old.

They are shooting out of the ground now so it's time to mulch them.

The reason we mulch them is to stop the weeds from coming up and competing for water, nutrients and space.

We mulch them by covering the surrounding soil with a thick layer of certified organic oaten straw.

Oaten straw is the stalks left behind after the oats are removed.

That's Liam in his squirrel hunting hat.

He tells us it's warm.

That's how he gets it past the style police anyway!

I love how freshly mulched garlic looks, all snug and warm.

Now that tiny plant has to grow a long green stalk, some leaves, a flower and then the magical cloved bulb.

I can hardly wait til November.