Green Thumb: Garlic

One of the most rewarding things a person can do is grow something. Our family always had some sort of garden growing up and my own family has one now even living in an urban apartment. It doesn't take as much space as you might think to put some great things on your table. It also allows the little ones to better understand where food comes from. We'll start with a very simple one and expand in future Green Thumb posts. As children grow older they can take a bigger role in planting, caring for and harvesting. It's a fantastic way to get kids outside and let them learn basic responsibility in a way that directly rewards them as well as the rest of the family. While results aren't instant they're fast enough to be relevant in kid time.

There are countless gardening resources on the web if you want to really get into it. For now I'll suggest a few simple things that can be grown on a window sill or in a small sunny spot anywhere. Even picky eaters will sometimes eat things they have grown or prepared. We are admittedly a family of foodies so it's important to us that Bea not end up a picky eater. To encourage her to eat a variety of things we simply keep her diet varied and as fresh as possible. Bea loves fresh tomatoes, strawberries and herbs with her pasta but one of our family favorites is green garlic. It has to be one of the most rewarding and easiest plants we have ever grown.

It's wonderful stuff if you have never tried it. Simply the greens rather than the bulb of the plant, it grows easily and quickly making it ideal for children. It's also so inexpensive as to be a risk free item even for those who think they can't grow anything. You can!

All you have to do is take a basic grocery store bulb of garlic and pull it apart into separate cloves just like you would to cook with it. I gently peel the dried outer layer from the cloves so they can sprout more easily and plant them in any handy flower pot, mug or empty soup can that might be laying around. You'll see sprouts within a few days and have usable green garlic in a week or two.

This can also make an entertaining center piece on your dinner table that adults and children alike will enjoy taking greens from to put right on their plates. A decorative planter from Pottery Barn and a pair of scissors for snipping off greens can not only add flavor to your meal but your dinner conversation as well. (It's sure to impress the ladies in your life if nothing else.)

Cooking with green garlic is great. It lacks the bite and harshness sometimes associated with the bulbs and won't go bitter in a dish even if added at the beginning. using it is more akin to green onions than garlic. This also makes it attractive for people who may not normally be garlic fans. So, give it a shot.

We'll explore more Green Thumb projects in upcoming posts but for now you've got a great project that can be started on your next trip to the grocery. Grab an extra bulb of garlic and plant it.