Growing Garlic - Fall Planted for Summer Harvesting
By: Ashleigh Smith for True Leaf Market
Garlic is a very easy and rewarding crop to grow. Plus, it is perfect for gardens of every size! Garlic bulbs are often overlooked by home gardeners because they are fall-planted, unlike most traditional vegetables and herbs. This is because garlic requires a cold period to form its bulb. You plant in the fall, it overwinters, and matures in late spring to early summer.
Why Grow Your Own Garlic?
If you haven’t grown your own garlic before, now is the time to start! Homegrown garlic, like most produce, has a much more robust and attractive flavor than what you will find in the grocery store. And, it comes at a very affordable cost. Since you plant garlic by the clove, you can often get 6-10 new garlic plants per bulb.
Hardneck vs. Softneck: Choosing the Right Type
Hardneck - Features a woody central stalk and a curled flowering structure called a scape. The scape can be used as you would fresh green onions. While hardneck types of garlic have a shorter storage life, their flavor is more complex. This makes them a popular choice for cooking throughout the summer and early fall months. They also perform best in the cooler climates of zones 3-7. Warmer climates should consider growing softneck varieties instead.
Softneck - Produces garlic with tight bulbs that lack the central stalk found in hardneck types. Softnecks are known for their superior storage life, making them the preferred choice for supplying your kitchen all year long. They are also milder in flavor, making any softneck variety a versatile selection for your everyday culinary adventures. Softnecks can be grown in both transitional and mild winter climates of zones 6-12. Zones 4 or 5 may also grow softneck varieties, but should protect plantings through the winter with a heavy layer of mulch. Bulb size may be reduced due to reduced hardiness compared to hardneck types.
How and When to Plant Garlic
Timing – Garlic is best planted in the fall, about 4–6 weeks before your first fall frost. This puts most growers planting around October to November. You want to allow the bulbs some time to start establishing roots without necessarily sprouting and investing energy into vertical growth. As the cold temperatures arrive, they will enter dormancy for emergence in the spring.
If your garlic does start to sprout in the fall after planting, don’t worry. This can happen if you experience warm weather throughout the fall months. Once the cool weather does arrive, they will enter dormancy, and the top growth will either pause or die back. If you haven’t already added mulch before this happens, go ahead and add a 2–4 inch layer to protect your crop as winter weather approaches.
Preparation – Like most crops, it is best to prepare your planting space by removing any weeds, debris, or previous crops. If you have just grown a cover crop in your planting area, be sure to allow at least 2–3 weeks of rest before planting in the same location. This allows time for the cover crop to start the decomposition process without blocking access to nutrients during the root-establishment process. To boost soil fertility, you can mix in some compost. If your soil is quick to dry out, consider adding retain to slow water loss.
Planting – Garlic is one of the easiest crops to plant. Start by breaking up your garlic bulb into individual cloves. Sow 2–4 inches deep and 6 inches apart, with the pointed side up. While garlic can be planted in the spring, it is discouraged due to small bulb development that results from lacking a dormant cold period. If your planting region lacks winter temperatures consistently below 40–50°F, consider refrigerating your garlic for about 10 weeks before planting.
Mulching – Cover your newly planted garlic with a 2–4 inch layer of mulch. Weed-free straw (not hay) is best, but leaf mulch may also be used. This will help prevent weed growth while also insulating the newly planted garlic bulbs throughout the winter season. Keep the mulch layer loose so any developing shoots can make their way upwards.
Spring and Summer Care
As the weather warms and brings natural spring rain, your garlic will begin sprouting. Aside from keeping track of where you planted, there is little maintenance needed for garlic crops. You may consider adding a balanced fertilizer early in the season to aid new growth once dormancy breaks. Just be sure to stop applying fertilizers about 2 months before harvesting in late June to July.
Once your garlic starts to form foliage, watch for the flowering structure, called a scape, to develop. You will want to cut the scape to help direct the plants energy into bulb development rather than flower production. The scape is a long curled stalk with a bud that forms at the end. Be sure to save the scapes as they can be used in the kitchen just as you would green onions!
How to Know When to Harvest Garlic
Garlic is ready to be harvested once the lower leaves turn yellow and brown, while the top leaves remain green and healthy in appearance. This happens because the lower leaves are those that surround the outer part of the bulb developing beneath the soil. Softneck varieties will start to flop over as they lack a central structure for support once these outer leaves begin to weaken. These signals should start sometime in late June to July.
Curing and Storing Your Harvest
The garlic curing process is vital to preserving the storage life of freshly harvested garlic bulbs. Start by laying your harvested bulbs out to dry with the stems and leaves still attached. Laying them on a rack or hanging them upside down is best. Choose a shady, airy location. The drying process will take 2-4 weeks and should result in the leaves and wrappings being totally dry. Then you can cut the stems or braid them together for easy storage.
About the Author:
Ashleigh Smith is the Managing Editor at True Leaf Market with a bachelor's degree in Horticulture from Brigham Young University - Idaho. True Leaf Market is a nationally certified organic, non-GMO seed and horticultural company based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The True Leaf Market staff specializes in supplying a large selection of conventional, heirloom, and organic seeds to home gardeners everywhere. Learn more about our seeds, supplies, and other growing ideas: www.trueleafmarket.com.
All articles are copyrighted and remain the property of the author.
Although the garden feels like it’s winding down, there is an opportunity to begin something new: next season’s flowers. For an interesting article on the topic, click here .
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