Growing Garlic: Set and Forget!

You’ve just harvested the last of your crops. Your winter squashes, pumpkins, the last of your carrots etc. You begin to prep your gardens and close “shop” for the winter. Now just before your local frost sets in and you’re ready to put your feet up, there is one last crop you should consider planting. 

Garlic.

Garlic is quite possibly the easiest vegetable…herb?…well kind of both, you can plant. Set it in October(ish) and forget it till June(ish). Garlic has many benefits, including; easy to plant, potentially 2 harvests (scapes and garlic), and easy to store with a long lifespan. Although Garlic is very easy to plant, there are a few things you need to consider before, during, and after planting. 

First, Which variety of Garlic is right for you? Hard neck or soft neck? 

The answer to to this is quite simple really, and I will get to that soon. First you should understand the difference between hard neck and soft neck garlic. 

Hard neck garlic has a stock growing from the base of the bulb and shoots up through the ground to what is more commonly known as the scape. Scapes can also be harvested, but more on that later. The stock is what causes the “neck” of the garlic to be hard, hence the name. Soft neck garlic simply lacks the stock structure of a hard neck variety resulting in a more pliable “soft” neck. 

So, which is right for you?

Typically hard neck varieties are better suited for colder climates and soft necks tend to thrive  in warmer climates. Though this isn’t always true, it’s a good principle to follow. The simple answer, and the one we follow, is to purchase your bulbs from a local source. This could be from a farmers market, nursery, garlic farm, or an online source that provides bulbs appropriate for your zone. Equally as important is to never use garlic bulbs purchased from a grocery store! They may have come from a different zone and likely have been sprayed with a growth inhibitor to prevent sprouting. 

Second, When and how to plant garlic. 

Garlic needs to be planted before the frost arrives in your region, but not so early that the garlic has any chance at sprouting. For us this typically means around the 3rd-4th week of October (we live near Ottawa, Ontario), although the most appropriate time will vary year to year as it depends on these factors.

Once you have established the best date for planting it’s time to prepare your bed(s) as you would before any crop. Before heading out to plant we will break up the garlic bulbs to separate all the cloves. The easiest way to accomplish this task is to hit the bulb firmly against a hard surface to the neck of the bulb, this should help to separate each clove. Try to keep as much of the “paper” attached to the garlic as possible but don’t sweat it if some comes off. Next up, plant the cloves! 

The spacing for garlic is typically 6-8” between bulbs and 10-12” between rows at a depth with approximately 2” above the top of the clove. I recommend following the directions provided on the packaging or referring to a local nursery or place of purchase. I also recommend cutting up some jigs for whatever spacing you decide to go with. I will find scrap wood to cut for clove spacing, row spacing, and one with a pencil mark for the proper depth of planting. Spend some time making decent jigs and you will have them for years of future planting. 

Once you’re done planting all your cloves it is time to add a layer of insulation (mulch) to protect your hard work from the deep winter freeze. A great resource to accomplish this is straw or spoiled hay. A thick layer of either will help with providing a blanket for your cloves through winter and provide a mulching layer in the spring while ultimately breaking down and feeding your garlic as they mature. Although these are great resources, we always encourage to use what you have and/or are comfortable with.

Third, when to harvest the scapes and garlic

If you planted a hard neck variety you will have the luxury of two harvests! The first harvest will be for the scapes. A scape is ready to harvest after it curls 1-2 times typically around June. Take caution to harvest them before the scape begins to straighten as they will become tough and no longer useful. Once harvested, scapes can be used immediately or stored in the fridge for future use. Scapes can also be preserved by freezing, dehydrating, put in oil etc. Harvesting the scapes will also allow the plant to put all of its energy into growing a larger healthier bulb, which brings us to the second and final harvest. When the bottom leaves of your garlic plants begin to turn brown it is time to dig up your bulbs, typically around the end of July (again this will vary by location). 

After harvesting, you will need to cure the garlic in preparation for storage. Tie garlic together in bundles (5-10) using hemp or something that will not damage the plant. Hang the bundles up in a shaded well ventilated area for about 3 weeks to allow moisture to escape and dry the bulbs. Once curing is complete, clean all the dirt off and cut the stems of each garlic close to the bulb for storage in a cool and dry location. 

Done! Now enjoy your home grown garlic for months to come!