Master the Art of Garlic Cultivation: Plant, Grow, and Harvest Like a Pro. Garlics are on the rise in kitchens and gardens as Americans discover the simplicity of growing this flavorful bulb. Proficient garlic yields are achievable for all, even novices. With a few basic steps, you can savor homegrown garlic and bountiful harvests. Choosing Your Garlic Type Garlic comes in many varieties, so you can choose one or more to suit your palate and your meal plans. True garlics fall into two main categories: Hardneck garlics get their name from their hard seed stalk called a scape. They have a strong flavor, shorter storage life, and grow in a single layer around a stiff stem. Softneck garlics don't form a hard center stalk; their tops stay soft and supple. If you plan to try your hand at creating garlic braids — like those you see hanging at farm markets — softnecks are for you. Softneck garlics offer a milder flavor than the hardneck type, and they store for six months or longer. Softneck heads consist of up to 40 small, irregular cloves in multiple layers around the center. Softneck garlics have flexible stems ideal for braiding. Timing Your Garlic Planting Garlic can be planted in fall or early spring. However, like tulips and other spring-blooming bulbs, garlic needs chilly weather to develop properly. Without a chilling period, garlic heads don't divide into cloves and you end up with onion-like bulbs instead. If you plant in spring, plant garlic alongside your earliest vegetable seeds so garlic gets the chilling it needs. Many gardeners prefer to plant garlic in fall, when they plant flowering bulbs. This gives garlic added growing time, which means larger, more flavorful summer harvests — and nature makes proper chilling easy. Plant fall garlic from two weeks before or after the typical first frost date in your area. Prepare Garlic Planting Beds Garlic needs full sun, fertile soil, and plant nutrition for a successful harvest. Add compost to enrich garden beds. Incorporate layer with balanced fertilizer like Plant Food 10-10-10 & soil test before planting for efficient garlic growth in neutral pH range of 6.0 to 7.0. Planting Your Garlic Garlic is grown from single cloves, with each clove growing into a full head. Prep cloves by hand before planting, and involve friends. To plant, remove the papery layer, separate cloves gently, leaving covering intact for root growth. If a few get damaged, don't worry; just set them aside to use in meals. Plant garlic cloves 1 to 2 inches deep in warm climates or 3 to 4 inches deep farther north. Place the flat, rooting plate down into the soil so the pointy end of the clove sticks up. For fall plantings, add a 4- to 6-inch layer of weed-free mulch. Grass clippings, leaves or straw work well. This helps prevent wide fluctuations in soil temperatures so garlic cools gradually in fall and warms gradually come spring. Harvesting and Storing Garlic Garlic harvest varies from July to September. Harvest when stems yellow, leaves brown. Dig bulbs with stems intact. Cure in warm, dry, shaded area for storage. Hang or spread out garlic to dry for 2-4 weeks. Cut stems above bulbs or braid for fun. Refrigerate for long-term storage.Be sure to set aside some bulbs for your planting stock. With a treasure of homegrown garlic at your disposal, you can enjoy these flavorful veggies in many ways — from smoky, roasted heads to fresh garlic pestos and garlic-infused oils. Cure garlic with its tops intact in a dry, ventilated space.
Master the Art of Garlic Cultivation: Plant, Grow, and Harvest Like a Pro.Garlics are on the rise in kitchens and gardens as Americans discover the simplicity of growing this flavorful bulb. Proficient garlic yields are achievable for all, even novices. With a few basic steps, you can savor homegrown garlic and bountiful harvests.Choosing Your Garlic TypeGarlic comes in many varieties, so you can choose one or more to suit your palate and your meal plans. True garlics fall into two main categories: Hardneck garlics get their name from their hard seed stalk called a scape. They have a strong flavor, shorter storage life, and grow in a single layer around a stiff stem.Softneck garlics don't form a hard center stalk; their tops stay soft and supple. If you plan to try your hand at creating garlic braids — like those you see hanging at farm markets — softnecks are for you. Softneck garlics offer a milder flavor than the hardneck type, and they store for six months or longer. Softneck heads consist of up to 40 small, irregular cloves in multiple layers around the center. Softneck garlics have flexible stems ideal for braiding.Timing Your Garlic PlantingGarlic can be planted in fall or early spring. However, like tulips and other spring-blooming bulbs, garlic needs chilly weather to develop properly. Without a chilling period, garlic heads don't divide into cloves and you end up with onion-like bulbs instead. If you plant in spring, plant garlic alongside your earliest vegetable seeds so garlic gets the chilling it needs. Many gardeners prefer to plant garlic in fall, when they plant flowering bulbs. This gives garlic added growing time, which means larger, more flavorful summer harvests — and nature makes proper chilling easy. Plant fall garlic from two weeks before or after the typical first frost date in your area.Prepare Garlic Planting BedsGarlic needs full sun, fertile soil, and plant nutrition for a successful harvest. Add compost to enrich garden beds. Incorporate layer with balanced fertilizer like Plant Food 10-10-10 & soil test before planting for efficient garlic growth in neutral pH range of 6.0 to 7.0.Planting Your GarlicGarlic is grown from single cloves, with each clove growing into a full head. Prep cloves by hand before planting, and involve friends. To plant, remove the papery layer, separate cloves gently, leaving covering intact for root growth. If a few get damaged, don't worry; just set them aside to use in meals. Plant garlic cloves 1 to 2 inches deep in warm climates or 3 to 4 inches deep farther north. Place the flat, rooting plate down into the soil so the pointy end of the clove sticks up. For fall plantings, add a 4- to 6-inch layer of weed-free mulch. Grass clippings, leaves or straw work well. This helps prevent wide fluctuations in soil temperatures so garlic cools gradually in fall and warms gradually come spring.Harvesting and Storing GarlicGarlic harvest varies from July to September. Harvest when stems yellow, leaves brown. Dig bulbs with stems intact. Cure in warm, dry, shaded area for storage.Hang or spread out garlic to dry for 2-4 weeks. Cut stems above bulbs or braid for fun. Refrigerate for long-term storage.Be sure to set aside some bulbs for your planting stock. With a treasure of homegrown garlic at your disposal, you can enjoy these flavorful veggies in many ways — from smoky, roasted heads to fresh garlic pestos and garlic-infused oils. Cure garlic with its tops intact in a dry, ventilated space.