Growing Garlic is Easy

For beginner gardeners, growing garlic is easy because of it’s set it and forget it type of planting. Designate your planting area for use during the fall. This means initially you can essentially get two crops from one garden bed or area. Garlic grows best being planted late in September and basically left alone for the winter. During the spring you will see the garlic shoots emerge pretty early. In Canada and the northern USA harvesting your garlic will take place from mid July to mid August depending on your area and the garlic being grown.

Planting garlic is one of the last things I do in the garden in fall. After all the clean up, and adding of leaves to our garden beds. Adding leaves and yard waste to your garden beds help replace some of the last nutrients to the soil. When planting your garlic cloves, they should be planted 2″ deep with the skins on. Providing a spacing of 4-8 inches between cloves will allow your garlic the space to produce larger heads. Spacing will always vary between garlic varieties, but as you grow it you can adjust your spacing accordingly. Always plant your garlic cloves with the root side facing down and about 10″ of space between rows.

Soil Type

Garlic provides better yields when grown in a sandy and loamy soil. (Loamy is a nearly equal mixture of sand and silt with clay to a lesser extent.) For garlic to grow its best you need a soil rich in organic matter that holds moisture during dry spells, but also drains well during wet periods. This is why the loamy soil is recommended. Garlic will be prone to rot if planted in low lying areas during wet conditions. Ensure you never plant your garlic in an area that retains water in the spring or during wet seasons. To reduce disease problems rotate the location of your garlic yearly.

Selecting your Garlic

There are many types of garlic in soft neck and hard neck varieties. Most of which will produce a larger harvest in the warmer climates. The most cold hardy garlics come from the hard neck variety which produces on average about 8-10 cloves per bulb. The Porcelain, Purple Stripe, Marbled Purple Stripe and Rocambole are all families of garlic that produce well under northern and less than ideal growing temperatures and conditions.Making them a great option for the new gardener. Soft neck varieties are known to produce an average of 8-10 cloves per bulb as well. However in warmer southern climates some varieties can reach upwards of 40 cloves per bulb! In these climates extending the space between your rows as well as the space between the cloves is essential to increase your harvest.

Buying Local

The garlic you choose to grow is an important choices that will effect your harvest. You COULD buy the cheapest stuff in the store. However, that was probably not grown in your area and would take a few years of growing and planting to provide a good harvest. The best solution is to find a local farmer in your area that has been growing garlic for a long time. By using a locally grown product it will provide you with a stronger more resilient crop. As an experiment last fall I planted some store bought garlic. Come summer time as the garlic shoots fell over signaling the completion of its growth cycle, the result was tiny little bulbs.

Garlic is a staple in many dishes across many cultures providing many health benefits. Growing garlic is easy, so why not grow your own? It is an inexpensive way to supplement your food costs and diet. All while receiving the many health benefits garlic has. Adding fresh home grown garlic to your sauces and meals will save you money. However the largest benefit comes in the form of your health and reducing your requirements from the food system. This self sufficiency in lifestyle is nothing more than a bunch of small steps towards better health and well being for us and the planet.

Planting Tips Rundown

• Depth 2″
• Spacing 10-12″
• Soil Type: Sandy Loamy Soil
• Plant in the fall, Late September, Early October.
• Rotate planting locations each year