Getting Started: A Guide to Planting Garlic

Garlic (Allium sativum) should be planted in fall just before the frost. You can plant in the spring. I live up in the mountains in a zone 3. In colder zone 3 or 4 regions such as Central and Northern British Columbia where winter comes early, garlic can be planted as early as September 15 or as late as the end of October. In warmer regions like southern and coastal British Columbia, planting can range from early October until the last week of November.

To prepare the cloves, remove the garlic head's outer layer skin, then carefully pull the cloves apart. Leave the papery skin covering on individual cloves. Place the garlic cloves into prepared rows with the pointy end of the cloves facing upward and 2-3" inches deep into the soil. Be sure not to place the clove too deep otherwise it may struggle emerging in the spring. Ensure that each garlic clove points straight up in the soil to produce straight plants, and space the cloves 4-6" inches apart in the rows. Cover the cloves carefully with soil. Next cover with a layer of straw if you have a harsh winter such as I do. Give garlic one good watering before leaving it to rest over winter. 

In the spring remove the straw once temps have remained above freezing consistently and the threat of frost has passed. In early spring once you see the first sprouts, begin fertilizing your garlic. Garlic requires a high nitrogen fertilizer. Apply fertilizer according to the application rates as per your package. Continue to fertilize every 10-14 days from when sprouts appear until ~1 week before garlic scapes emerge for large healthy garlic bulbs. Garlic sprouts anywhere from 4-8 weeks. Make sure to keep your garlic watered from spring until it is time to harvest. Dry soil may stunt your garlic growth and constitute a poor yield. You may end up with small wimpy gloves from this. 

There are two types of garlic. A softneck and a hardneck. If your variety is a hardneck you will need to remove the scape. A scape is a flowering curly stalk that comes up as the garlic grows. By removing the scape you are allowing your garlic to grow larger in size. Simply cut that part off and enjoy in pesto, soups, salads, or recipes of your choice. 

Depending on the garlic variety some are a early, mid or late harvest. Once the leaves have died back about two thirds of the way by turning yellowish brown (similar to onions) your garlic is ready to be harvested and cured. 

Use a garden fork to dig up the bulbs. Shake off the remaining dirt by hand to separate the bulbs from the soil. To cure the garlic, bundle about 7-10 stems together, tie them with twine, and hang them bulb-sides down in a cool dark space. You can also lay the garlic flat on a raised screen in a single layer. Curing takes approximately 2-3 weeks. Once the tops and roots have dried, cut them off and clean the garlic by removing the outer papery skin. Be careful not to expose any of the cloves.

If you have grown a softneck variety, you can leave the stalks on the garlic and braid it. 

Garlic can be eaten right away after harvesting and not yet cured. However, the flavor will be milder in comparison to a cured garlic.

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Stevie Van Halen is a Master Herbalist who has an educational background in Nursing and Holistic Health. She enjoys researching data and articles on health, whole food, herbs, and gardening. All articles on this blog are written by her. All information and resources are cited and referenced.  Juniper Rose Garden and/or Stevie Van Halen owns this intellectual property and use or copy is prohibited unless with written permission and consent. 

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