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Planting
When to Plant Garlic
Plant garlic in fall, after the weather has cooled but before the ground freezes. In colder climates, a useful rule of thumb is to plant about 1 to 2 weeks after the first killing frost, giving the cloves time to develop roots before winter.
Garlic needs a period of cold temperatures for good bulb development. Fall-planted garlic receives this chilling naturally over winter. If you plant garlic in spring, chill the cloves in the refrigerator for about 8 weeks beforehand, then plant as soon as the soil can be worked.
In many areas, garlic goes into the ground around the same time as spring-flowering bulbs, generally from September through November. Gardeners in mild-winter climates may plant later, but spring-planted garlic often produces smaller bulbs.
Where to Plant Garlic
Plant garlic in full sun, with at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight per day, and in fertile, well-drained soil. Before planting, work compost or other well-rotted organic matter into the soil to improve its structure and fertility.
Good drainage is especially important. Garlic can rot in soil that stays wet, so if you have heavy clay or poorly drained soil, consider planting in a raised bed.
How to Plant Garlic
Plant garlic as individual cloves, 2 to 3 inches deep and about 4 to 6 inches apart, with the pointed end facing up. Separate the cloves from the bulb just before planting, and leave the papery skins intact.
- Start with healthy seed garlic. Choose large, firm, disease-free bulbs from a reputable nursery, garden center, or seed supplier.
- Separate the bulb into cloves just before planting. Use the largest healthy cloves and keep their papery skins on. Larger cloves generally produce larger bulbs.
- Plant each clove 2 to 3 inches deep, with the pointed end facing up.
- Space cloves about 4 to 6 inches apart. If planting in rows, leave enough room between rows for weeding and tending the plants.
- Water after planting to settle the soil around the cloves.
Types
Garlic comes in two main types: hardneck and softneck. The best choice depends largely on your climate and whether you value scapes, large cloves, or longer storage.
- Hardneck garlic is generally more winter-hardy and is a good choice for colder climates. It produces a stiff central stalk and edible scapes, with fewer but typically larger cloves. Hardneck garlic does not store as long as softneck types. Popular varieties include ‘Chesnok Red’ and ‘German Red’.
- Softneck garlic is well suited to many milder climates and generally stores longer than hardneck garlic. It usually produces more, smaller cloves and has flexible stems that can be braided after curing. Popular varieties include ‘California Early’ and ‘Inchelium Red’.
Harvesting
When to Harvest Garlic
Harvest garlic when about one-third to one-half of the leaves have turned yellow or brown, while several upper leaves are still green. Don’t wait until all the foliage has dried, or the bulbs may begin to split apart and won’t store as well.
Garlic planted in fall is typically ready to harvest the following summer, usually from June through August depending on your climate and the variety. If you’re unsure, carefully dig up one bulb to check it. Mature bulbs should have plump, well-defined cloves covered by several layers of papery skin.
If you’re growing hardneck garlic for scapes, harvest the scapes earlier in the season when they begin to curl.
How to Harvest Garlic
Loosen the soil around each bulb with a garden fork or shovel, taking care not to pierce or bruise it. Lift the whole plant from the soil rather than pulling hard on the stem.
Gently brush away large clumps of soil, but leave the leaves and roots attached while the garlic cures.
Storage
Garlic can be used fresh from the garden, but bulbs intended for storage should be cured first.
Place freshly harvested garlic in a warm, dry, shady location with good air circulation for about 2 to 4 weeks. Garlic is fully cured when the outer skins are papery, the neck and roots are dry, and the cloves feel firm.
After curing, gently brush away loose soil. Trim the roots and cut the stems to about 1 to 2 inches above the bulb, unless you’re growing softneck garlic and want to braid the tops.
Store cured garlic in a cool, dry, dark place with good air circulation. Softneck garlic generally stores longer than hardneck garlic.
Save a few of your largest, healthiest bulbs if you’d like to plant your own garlic again in fall.
Gardening Products
Do you mean Spanish Roja? That is a rocambole type of garlic, good for northern gardens, that produces bulbils up top, that sort of look like mini-cloves. That's normal for that type of garlic. You can plant each rocambole bulbil in fall; it may take about 2 years (3 for other types) to produce a full garlic bulb; that first spring after fall planting, you may get a bulb with a few cloves, instead of a round (which is just one clove) that other types tend to produce; you can replant this next fall to grow a second year for a fuller bulb. Spanish Roja has a very thin paper coating; that is normal, but it means that it does not store as long. You can plant sprouted bulbils (or cloves) in fall, but as they are sprouting at this early date, I'm not sure how they will do over the summer.
You can harvest garlic scapes before they form flowers and bulbils, although the seeds in the bulbils are edible, too. Some harvest just when the scape forms its first curlicue, harvesting around late May and June; these are tender and can be chopped in salads. Other gardeners wait until the scape is tall and then cut them at the base; you don't want to wait too long, though, or it will become woody. The more mature scapes are cooked, such as by sauteeing, or pickled. The scape is usually ready about a month or so before the bulb, so leave the bulb to continue growing after harvesting the scape.
The heads should last if properly stored. The article above as well as the following blog post give a few tips on how to do that. Hope this helps!
http://www.almanac.com/blog/gardening/gardening/planting-garlic-fall
Hardnecks will produce scapes; softnecks will not. Avoid Turbans, Creoles, and Asiatics, as they are not reliable for scapes. Rocambole, Porcelains, and Purple Stripe types usually produce good scapes. You might try something like a 'Carpathian', 'German Red', or 'Spanish Roja' rocambole, if they would grow well in your area. Hope this helps!
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