Society Garlic

Society Garlic (Tulbaghia violacea) is a little wisp of a plant that makes a big impact. A handful of strappy leaves - five or six - grow about a foot long from the little bulb. It's hardly enough to garner a second look. But several of them together can look like a much larger plant. The good news is that they spread rapidly and easily to form these little colonies - or 'societies' - and will easily look like a million bucks on your garden.

Garlic has been proven to develop at its best if the heads are separated into individual cloves and planted in the fall of the year.  Work up the soil in a location such as a raised bed or any well drained area that is full sun. Make sure to position your individual cloves in an area where your garlic can develop in a 3-4 inch area. Put the root side down and pointed side up into the loosened soil and cover with an inch or two of soil and water in well. 

Each clove will develop roots and grow until the soil freezes just like how a tulip bulb would. Then in the spring, your garlic plants will start growing into nice, large bulbs of garlic that can be harvested in July or so depending upon where you are located. 

The leaves have a soft garlic smell. It's not overpowering like real garlic, but it is there. The flowers aren't garlic-scented - they can actually smell faintly sweet - but they are pretty. They grow on long, naked stalks about 2' tall. They are violet colored and grow in umbels of 7 to 20 little florets.

Both the leaves and the flowers are edible and Society Garlic is a joy to use in the kitchen. Chop up the leaves to add a softer garlic taste to stir-fries and soups or use the flowers to bring unexpected color to summer salads.

This plant looks great with other herbs like low-growing rosemary, shrubby thymes or dark-colored basils.

Society garlic is a time-tested flower from South Africa that will do very well in your warm-weather garden. Order several from us today to start your own 'society' of Society Garlic.