This will be my second year growing garlic. I had hestitated for years planting garlic because I had only 3 raised beds and growing garlic is a long term committment to the bed. Garlic planted in the fall will be harvested in the summer. But after growing in one of my beds last year and seeing not only how easy it was, but how much better it tasted from store bought garlic that I was committed to growing again. I now have 6 raised beds so I have plenty of room for garlic. In my 4×6 bed using the square foot gardening method I could plant 144 cloves or more! Garlic only takes up 6 inches. But I never take the whole bed. It would be like summer zucchini, I couldn’t give it away.
Are you kidding me? We have to ship garlic from Spain? Wonder how long it sat in a shipping container, or what it was sprayed with? Let’s grow our own or at least buy from a local farmer. Rant over.
Tips on Growing Garlic:
- Choose Healthy Bulbs: Look for the biggest and healthiest garlic bulbs you can find. Make sure the cloves are firm, not soft. Visit your local garden nursery or farmers market. They will carry the best variety for your area.
- Pick the Right Type for Your Area: If you live in a warmer climate, like I do in the South, “soft-neck” garlic is recommended. It produces more but smaller bulbs and stores well. You can also braid the soft stems for storage. In cooler climates, “hard-neck” garlic is a better choice. It has fewer but larger cloves and offers garlic scapes, though it doesn’t store as long.
- Varieties: Garlic comes in many varieties. When deciding what to plant, consider storage, flavor, and bulb size. I chose the Early-California variety, a soft-neck garlic that’s easy to grow, medium-sized, mild-flavored, and stores excellently. It’s one of the most common varieties grown in the U.S.
- Use Planting Garlic, Not Store Garlic: While some people grow garlic from supermarket bulbs, they may have been treated with sprout inhibitors. Purchase garlic sold specifically for planting.
Planting Garlic:
- Location: Garlic needs full sun and well-drained, rich soil.
- Timing: Plant garlic in late fall, before the ground freezes. I like to plant mine before the first frost to give it time to develop roots before winter sets in. My plan is this weekend the end of October.
- Storage Tip: If you order your garlic early, don’t store it in the refrigerator or it will sprout. Keep it in a cool, dry place around 60-70°F with low humidity. I’m storing mine in my basement office, which stays cool, and I run a dehumidifier.
- Prepare the Soil: Amend your soil with plenty of compost before planting for good drainage and initial nutrients. I don’t add any organic all purpose fertilizer when I plant mine, but if you do, avoid high nitrogen fertilizers, which lead to lots of green growth but small bulbs. Remember on the package the three numbers. NPK . The first number is nitrogen, so don’t purchase a fertilizer where the first number is higher. Adding bone meal to the soil is also important as it provides phosphorus, which promotes root development.
- Planting Depth: Separate the cloves from the bulb but leave the outer skin intact to prevent rotting. Plant cloves flat side down, pointy side up, about 3-4 inches deep in loosened soil. Space them 6-8 inches apart. Mulch with straw or leaves to insulate them for the winter.
- Watering: Water gently after planting and continue watering every 5-6 days if it doesn’t rain until the garlic is established. Once winter sets in, you won’t need to water. In the spring, if it’s dry, water every 7-10 days. Garlic needs hot, dry summer weather to mature, so stop watering about a month before harvest, which for me will be around July.
Growing garlic requires patience, but with the right preparation and care, you’ll have plenty of garlic next summer!
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