How To Grow Garlic

Garlic is one of those very easy to grow crops. You can purchase garlic in the grocery store or buy it from your garden supply store or seed source. (While we have read that some of the grocery store variety garlic has been treated so that it won't germinate; we have yet to ever find this to be true.)

Follow these simple instructions.

Northern U.S. - Plant 4 -6 weeks before the ground freezes.
Milder Climates - Plant from October to January

1. Separate the cloves from the bulb, do not peel them.

2. Plant cloves in a prepared bed with the pointed side up, burying them about 1 inch deep in mild climate or 2 - 4 inches deep in cold winter climate. Cloves should be planted a minimum of 4 inches apart with 8 inches between rows. For the largest bulbs, plant 6 inches apart with 12 inches between rows.

3. Cover with up to 2" of mulch.

4. Water sufficiently so that soil remains moist but not wet and soggy.

5. Feed with organic fertilizer like chicken manure (side dress). You may also use a spray-on fertilizer that gets absorbed through the leaves.

Once the plant starts setting bulbs, stop fertilizing. During the growth period keep the plants evenly moist. Don't let the bed dry out, and don't over water.

6. It is time to harvest the garlic when the tops turn 90% brown and there are still 5 or 6 green leaves.

Pull the bulbs up by the tops and immediately remove the bulbs from direct sunlight. Do not wash the garlic. It is best to keep the tops on the plant while the garlic cures to increase storage time. Dry in bunches or flat in a cool dry area with adequate air circulation to inhibit rotting.

Once dry, you can braid the garlic or trim the tops and place the garlic in net bags. Make sure to store in a cool area with good air circulation. Avoid storing in temperatures below 40 degrees because the bulbs will begin to sprout.

Related Videos