Fall is the perfect time to think about planting for next year’s harvest, and garlic should be at the top of your list! Valued for its incredible flavor, health benefits, and even its mythical vampire-repelling properties, garlic is a rewarding crop to grow at home. For those in cooler climates, planting garlic in the fall and allowing it to overwinter is crucial for optimal bulb development. This extended growing period, including a necessary cold period of at least six weeks, makes it an ideal crop for many home gardens.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to successfully planting garlic now for a bountiful harvest.
Selecting the Best Garlic for Your Garden
Choosing the right type of garlic is the first step to a successful harvest. For home gardeners, especially beginners, understanding the difference between hardneck and softneck garlic is important.
Hardneck garlic varieties are generally recommended for colder climates due to their hardiness. They produce fewer, larger cloves and a scape (a curly flower stalk) that is a delicious bonus harvest in the spring. Softneck garlic, on the other hand, is better suited for milder climates and is known for its longer storage capabilities and pliability, making it ideal for braiding.
It’s crucial to start with quality seed garlic. Avoid using garlic from the grocery store as it is often treated to prevent sprouting. Source your seed garlic from a local nursery, garden center, or reputable online supplier. These sources can provide varieties specifically suited to your region and ensure disease-free bulbs. Many local nurseries offer hardneck varieties that thrive in colder climates.
Once you begin growing your own garlic, you can save the largest and healthiest bulbs from each harvest to replant the following fall. This practice of saving your own seed garlic allows for natural selection, potentially leading to better yields and garlic that is increasingly adapted to your specific garden conditions over time.
Timing is Key: When to Plant Garlic
The best time to plant garlic is in the fall, typically from October through November in many regions. The goal is to plant before the ground freezes solid, giving the cloves enough time to establish roots before winter sets in. Aim for a period when the soil is cool but not frozen and avoid planting during periods of extreme heat.
If you find yourself with garlic to plant in late fall, don’t worry! As long as you can still work the ground, even if it’s nearly frozen, planting garlic is still worth it. Garlic is quite resilient and often will still produce a successful crop even with a late planting.
Where to Plant Garlic for the Best Yield
Garlic thrives in a sunny location with well-drained soil. Choose a spot in your garden that receives full sun, meaning at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. Well-drained soil is essential to prevent the garlic cloves from rotting over the winter. Raised beds are an excellent option for planting garlic as they naturally provide good drainage and allow for better soil control.
However, garlic can also be successfully grown directly in the ground as long as the soil is loose, fertile, and amended with compost or other organic matter to improve drainage and fertility. Before planting, ensure the soil is worked and loose, allowing for easy root development.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Plant Garlic Cloves
Planting garlic is a simple process:
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Prepare the Cloves: Just before planting, gently separate the garlic bulb into individual cloves. Leave the papery skin on each clove intact. Select the largest, healthiest cloves for planting, as these will generally produce the biggest bulbs.
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Planting Depth and Spacing: Plant garlic cloves 1 to 2 inches deep and 4 to 6 inches apart. Space rows about 10-12 inches apart if planting in rows.
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Orientation: Place each clove in the soil with the pointed end facing upwards (this is where the shoots will emerge) and the root end (the flatter end) facing down.
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Cover and Mulch: Cover the cloves with soil and gently firm the soil surface. Apply a generous layer of mulch, such as 6 inches of straw or shredded leaves, over the planted area. Mulching helps to insulate the soil, retain moisture, suppress weeds, and protect the garlic cloves from winter temperature fluctuations.
Caring for Your Garlic After Planting
Watering: After planting, water the garlic bed thoroughly to settle the soil and provide moisture for root development. Keep the soil evenly moist until the ground freezes. In the spring, when shoots emerge, water occasionally if rainfall is scarce. Garlic is relatively drought-tolerant once established and generally doesn’t require excessive watering.
Fertilizing: Garlic is not a heavy feeder. Amending the soil with compost before planting is often sufficient. You can also side-dress with compost in the spring as the plants begin to grow if desired. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers, as they can promote leafy growth at the expense of bulb development.
Scapes: In late spring or early summer, hardneck garlic will produce scapes – curly flower stalks. It’s important to remove these scapes as they appear. Removing scapes encourages the plant to put its energy into bulb development, resulting in larger garlic bulbs at harvest time. Don’t discard the scapes! They are a culinary delicacy with a mild garlic flavor and can be used in a variety of dishes like pesto, stir-fries, and salads.
Harvesting and Curing Your Garlic
Harvest time for garlic typically occurs in mid-summer, usually around June or July in many regions. A key indicator that garlic is ready to harvest is when the lower leaves begin to turn brown and die back – about halfway down the plant.
Carefully dig up the entire garlic plant, being gentle to avoid bruising the bulbs. Use a garden fork or spade to loosen the soil around the bulbs before pulling them up.
Curing: Curing is a crucial step after harvesting garlic to ensure proper storage. Leave the stems and leaves attached to the bulbs. Choose a dry, well-ventilated location out of direct sunlight for curing. A shed, garage, or covered porch works well. Spread the garlic plants out on screens or hang them in bunches to allow for good air circulation around all sides of the bulbs. A compost sifter or similar mesh frame can be repurposed for this.
Allow the garlic to cure for 2-4 weeks, or until the necks and outer skins are completely dry and papery. Once cured, trim the roots and cut off the stems a few inches above the bulb. Store cured garlic in a cool, dark, and dry place. Properly cured and stored garlic can last for several months, providing you with delicious homegrown flavor throughout the year.
Planting garlic is a simple and rewarding gardening activity that offers delicious and healthy returns. By following these steps, you can enjoy your own homegrown garlic harvest year after year!
