Growing Garlic

Italian Garlic

Italian garlic is soft necked and will store through the winter and be usable in the spring until the next season’s harvest. Italian garlic is preferable because of it’s long shelf life, it is easy to grow and may have a slightly higher yield. Italian soft neck garlic is the only one that can be planted in the spring as well as the fall. Spring planted garlic may have a less yield. We have planted this garlic in every month from October to May and had good luck. Most of our supermarket garlic is soft necked.

Garlic is planted in the fall. Soft necked Italian Garlic is the exception, so if you are late to get your garlic in, no problem. You can still plant your garlic from now until spring.  In most areas where there are cold winters, plant your garlic from October or November on. The bulbs will survive the cold of winter and won’t resume growth until the ground warms in the spring. We like to cover our garlic row with a layer of straw. This mulch protects the bulbs during the cold and them cuts down on weeds in the spring and keeps the ground moist for the early growth stages.

Garlic can survive in poor soil as long as it does not become water logged. If you have clay soil, add some compost to keep the soil from compacting.

To plant garlic, break the bulb into cloves. Plant the largest of the cloves.  Small cloves tend to produce small bulbs. If your winters are mild, plant the clove 1 inch deep. Where winters are colder, plant the clove 2 to 4 inches deep. Plant the root side of the clove down. Mulch immediately after planting. Plant the bulbs 6 to 12 inches apart.

Nitrogen is the plants basic requirement. When the plant begins to create leaves in the spring, fertilize moderately. Keep the plant watered but not soggy during the rapid grown stage. Don’t fertilize in summer after the plant has stopped making new leaves. Cut off the flower buds when they form. They will steal energy from the bulb.

Knowing when to harvest garlic is important. If you harvest too soon the plant has not had a chance to form skins over the bulb. As the bulb matures the leaves will brown. When there is still 4 or 5 green leaves on the plant, dig up one bulb to be sure the the bulb has a nice skin on it. Harvest by digging or pulling the bulbs out of the ground, if you have loose soil. Brush off the dirt from the skin and roots, gently. If you live in a very dry area you can leave the garlic out in the sun to cure. We live in a damp climate, so I place my bulbs, with the stems, on a screen under the cover of our wood shed. This way they are protected from the morning dew and possible rains and still get  good air circulation for curing.

Garlic can be stored by hanging in a mesh bag or braided and hung out of the sun in temperatures of 45 to 55 degrees. Temperatures any lower will cause the garlic to sprout. We hang the braided garlic in our kitchen and have had success keeping it in good shape for a year.

Elephant Garlic

Elephant Garlic is planted at 4 to 5 inches deep and 12 inches apart.  Otherwise follow the directions for Italian garlic harvesting, curing and storage.