How to Grow Garlic

California Giant Garlic

Step 1
The best time to find garlic bulbs is around late autumn or the beginning of winter and at the local good nursery.Plant cloves into the ground about 6 weeks prior to the soil freezing. Plant in January or February in mild climates,for harvesting in late summer or early fall.

Step 2
Pick a garden site that will get full sun. Garlic will do well in soil with a pH of 5 to 8 but will do best in 6.2 to 6.8 pH.

Step 3
If needed, dig a trench down 8-10 inches. Put good compost in this trench to make sure the garlic gets good water retention and drainage and good nutrition.

Step 4
Do a good job of weeding because of their power to overtake garlic's plants.

Step 5
Set in only the best cloves and free of any mold.

Step 6
Plant the cloves with the point side up and unpeeled approximately 2 in. deep and 4-5 in. apart. If you are planting the elephant garlic plant use 3 in. deep and 10 in. apart.

Step 7
Place more compost around the plants and then mulch. After the ground freezes add more mulch to further protect from the cold.

Step 8
Come spring take away the mulch to allow the soil to warm and when things start to grow add new mulch. To get larger bulbs cut down any flowers that grow. Spray the plants with a foliar spray like compost tea that gets absorbed through the leaves a couple times during the growing session.

Step 9
Water with about 1 in. per week till the foliage becomes yellow and starts to fall over which tells you they are near ready.

Step 10
If garlic leaves are wanted, you can clip anytime but only 25% of the leaves at a time. Reason for this, too much will reduce the size of the bulbs that are developing.

Step 11
When 75% of the tops are yellow then start harvesting.

How to Grow Garlic Tips & Warnings

You will get smaller and fewer bulbs if you plant in the spring but you can plant at both times fall and spring. Also in the spring some bulbs will not form individual cloves.

Plant your garlic in a remote location because of the length of time it takes to develop so as not to disturb them inadvertently.

Get your bulbs for planting at respected nurseries or catalogs and not grocery store produce. Those at the stores are prepared for eating by adding a chemical to keep sprouts from developing.

To avoid any problems don't plant in an area where onion-family type plants have been for the last 3 years. The worst disease is pink root that blocks roots from growing and they usually turn pink.

Garlic is capable of getting diseased, so it is wise to use new seed stock each year. Stress on garlic may stop producing little shoots and put all of its exertion into growing one huge clove and not the 8-10 little ones you are wanting.

Best to ask around to see what varieties of garlic grow the best in your area because each type is very dependent on temperatures and weather.

A weed-free garlic bed is essential to growing a successful crop.

how to plant garlic

Prepare the Soil

Of the general types of garlic, that is- Common or softneck garlic, Allium sativum and Hardneck garlic, both have the same needs. The soil needs to be weed-free, fertile and well-drained. Might be a good idea to build a raised bed or use huge containers.

Add sand or compost to your bed to produce a loose crumbly soil for ideal conditions. Compost with its organic matter will add the fertilization needed by the bulbs.

If needed a good granular organic fertilizer can be added to the soil. This is providing the nutrients required by garlic to be completely healthy.

After soil testing adjust the pH to the optimal 6.2 to 6.8.

Ideal Temperatures

Garlic is a cold loving plant so the ideal time to set them is the fall or early winter, normally after the first frost. In warmer climates a storage of bulbs in cold temperatures for a while may be needed.

Placing in the Ground

The largest cloves are the best to plant because they will produce the largest bulbs. Split the cloves from the outer wrapping before planting. Wait no longer than 2 days after splitting to plant. They rapidly dry out and will not grow then.

Garlic likes a moist soil but not with a lot of water. If you are have a drought, get ready to water garlic.

As you can see 'How to Grow Garlic' is an easy endeavor and with a fanastic and beneficial outcome and we didn't even mention the medical benefits.

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