Use the garlic from your garden to make a garlic braid – don’t cut off the stems when you harvest it. Soft-neck garlic is better: its thinner, more flexible stalks are easier to work with. If the garlic is too fresh, it will develop mold.

When you braid, the stems should be half brown but still pliable. You’ll need eight to 10 heads of garlic, natural jute or raffia, and a flat surface to work on. If you’ve ever made a French braid, you can braid garlic.

Begin the braid

Lay out three bulbs with the stalks facing toward you.

Add to the braid

Add a fourth bulb to the center and merge with bulb A.

 

Incorporate the remaining bulbs

Add another bulb on each side, merging the bulb on the right with B and the bulb on the left with C. Repeat until you’ve used up the garlic heads.

 

Braid and tie

After you add the last garlic head, continue braiding the three streams of stalks until you have about 5 inches of thick braid below the last bulb. Tie the braid off with jute or raffia. Hang it in a cool, dark place. Braided garlic is attractive, handy and tasty.

Source: Lee Valley Tools, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension