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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
Your garlic most likely will be fine. Sometimes if garlic is planted a little too early in fall (which yours wasn't--usually plan on planting about 4 weeks before the ground freezes), or if after fall planting there is a period of mild fall/winter weather, the bulb will sprout. Leave the sprouts alone; they might die off in the cold weather. But as long as the bulb is protected with mulch from freezing and thawing, in most cases, the plant should be fine. In spring, the bulb should have a good root system to sprout again.
Hi, Gary,
You can plant garlic until the ground is frozen. This week should be fine. Cover with leaves or other mulch.
Fall is the perfect time to plant garlic outside -- for a harvest next summer. We'd suggest growing in a pot that's 8 to 15 inches in diameter and 8 inches deep. Use multi-purpose compost and incorporate some fertilizer. Sun or partial shade should be OK. Make sure the pot is in a sheltered area (from winds). Plant each one-inch deep and 4 inches apart (and not too close to the container edge). Add more compost on top for protection.
There are several types of garlic: softneck, hardneck, elephant (which is really a leek), and many garlic varieties, so unfortunately, we wouldn't be able to tell you what type yours is. Softnecks are best for southern climates and have more cloves than hardnecks, which work will in northern climates. Elephant garlic forms a large bulb with a few large cloves. Those garlic types that "flower" (actually, produce scapes) can produce small bulbils at the top of the scape; these can be planted and most will form a single bulb (called a round) with just one clove, the first year. (Rocamboles may produce several cloves the first year.) Harvest the round, cure, and replant in fall and they will produce a slightly larger bulb with more cloves. If you had a single bulb with just one clove, and it was indeed garlic, it might have been one of these first-year rounds derived from a bulbil planted the previous year. In this case, after this year's growing season, it should have more cloves when you harvest it.
Not all garlic will produce flowering stems--most softneck types will not; hardnecks will. If you don't see a scape at this stage, and it has been growing all season, do not wait for it to flower, as it might not. Because it is still green, keep it growing until the leaves begin to yellow and dry and begin to fall over. Don't wait until all leaves on the plant dry, but watch for when about a third or so of the leaves have yellowed and fallen over. The longer you wait, the larger the bulb, but the more likelihood that the bulb will split its wrapper, which causes it not to last as long in storage. If you are eating the cloves right away, then waiting a little longer would be fine. But if you are planning to store the bulbs, harvesting it a little earlier would be best.
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