Growing Garlic In The Garden

Garlic Growing Instructions

Step 1
Plant garlic in the fall about four weeks before your soil typically freezes. Choose a spot with full sun (six to eight hours per day) and well-drained soil, such as a raised bed You can also grow garlic in large whiskey barrel sized containers. Garlic takes eight to nine months to mature so choose a spot where it can grow undisturbed during that time period.
Step 2
Plant the individual sections, or cloves, of the bulb. Each clove grows into a bulb. Discard any soft or shriveled cloves, as larger, plump, firm cloves develop into the best bulbs. Prior to planting, mix one tablespoon of baking soda in a quart jar of water and then soak the cloves in this solution for one hour to prevent fungal disease.
Step 3
Using a hoe, make a two-inch deep furrow in the soil. Plant the cloves pointy end up, space them four to six inches apart and rows 12 to 18 inches apart. Bury the cloves two inches deep and then top the soil with a six-inch layer of organic mulch, such as shredded leaves or straw.
Step 4
Green shoots should appear in about four to six weeks and then cease to grow during the winter months. When the garlic begins to actively grow in spring, pull back the mulch and top dress the soil with one inch of compost. Then, replace the mulch around the garlic to prevent weeds and to conserve soil moisture.
Step 5
Garlic needs an inch of water per week during spring and summer growth, so you may need to water if Mother Nature doesn't provide enough rain. Spray the growing stalks with diluted fish emulsion every two weeks from the time growth resumes in spring through May.
Step 6
Harvest the garlic in early summer when the bottom leaves begin to yellow. Use a garden fork to loosen the soil around the bulbs, being careful not to pierce them. Pull the bulbs up and gently remove any excess soil.
Step 7
Lay the bulbs in a hot, dry, shaded place for two to three weeks to cure. Curing increases the length of time the bulbs will last in storage. You'll know the bulbs are ready for storage when the skins are papery dry and tight around the bulb. At this point, trim the roots and braid the stems or trim off all but 1 1/2 inches of the stem if you want to store your bulbs in ventilated plastic bags. Garlic lasts in storage for six to eight months, provided that you don't eat it all up before then!

- The soft-necked varieties are Artichoke and Silverskin, which are most commonly found in the grocery store. 
Soil
* Garlic is a heavy feeder. Needs full sun and full range of nutrients. (Same as onions.)
* PH of 6.8-7.2 is ideal.
* Needs well drained soil with high organic matter. Loamy and fertile.
* Nitrogen can be applied in fall at planting IF a slow-release fertilizer such as soybean meal is used. In general, a nitrogen containing fertilizer should be applied in spring as soon as plants begin growing and then every 2 weeks until the plant has 4 leaves. (Applying after will encourage excessive leaf growth and reduce bulb size.)
* If foliar(leaf) feeding is used, it should be done prior to 4th or 5th leaf stage and a good spreader-sticker should be used to hold the solution on the waxy leaves.
When to Plant
* Vernalization from a period of cold is required for the mother bulb to split into cloves, Fall planting is recommended. (End of October) This gives time for good root development, but not enough time to make leaf growth. (Usually 3-6 weeks before ground freezes.)
* For Spring, the bulbs need refrigerated at 40 deg. for 40 days. (Not recommended)
* Garlic is day-length sensitive and will bulb in areas according to the sun, often near summer solstice.