Five Essential Tips to Successfully Grow Garlic
Garlic is undeniably one of my favourite crops to grow in my garden. I love it so much, in fact, I always find myself wishing I had grown even more of it every season! It’s one of those ingredients that’s in just about every meal, and always makes a dish taste better if you ask me. Something that I love about it is that it’s a very easy crop to grow, and it can be interplanted easier than a lot of other typical garden crops. Overall, garlic is a very low maintenance plant, so if this is your first time growing it in your garden, don’t be frightened by it! In this blog, I’ll share with you five of my top tips to ensure you have a thriving garlic crop in your garden next season.
Garlic takes about 9 months to grow (you will be harvesting in July!), so choosing the right location is key. Choosing a location with full sun (6+ hours), and where the soil won’t be too wet is where you want to plant your garlic cloves. When purchasing garlic, don’t buy from the grocery store, purchase from a local nursery or farmer! Here are five tips to help you in growing a successful garlic crop this upcoming season:
1. Choose the Right Variety: There are two main types of garlic: hardneck and softneck. Hardneck garlic produces scapes (see photo below) and is well-suited for colder climates (I mainly grow this one in Canada), while softneck garlic stores longer and thrives in warmer regions. I still plant softneck but I find it’s not as big as the hardneck garlic. I love to grow red russian garlic as my variety of choice. Choose a variety that suits your climate and growing needs.
2. Plant in the Fall: Garlic is typically planted in the fall, about 4-6 weeks before the ground freezes so for me I always think around Canadian Thanksgiving (mid-October), it’s time to plant. This allows the cloves to establish roots before winter, leading to a strong plant in the spring. In warmer climates, garlic can also be planted in early winter. Plant before your first frost hits if possible!
3. Use Well-Draining Soil: Garlic needs loose, well-drained soil with good organic matter. Amend your soil with compost or aged manure to provide plenty of nutrients and ensure good drainage. Garlic can rot in waterlogged soil, so avoid planting in areas that tend to stay wet or are full of clay. We plant some in our raised beds but I find my garlic does better in 1 foot deep mounded rows on the ground. I am also planting with my roses this year as they are companions and the garlic helps repel pests on your roses for next season.
4. Space and Mulch Properly: Plant garlic cloves with the pointed end up, about 2-4 inches deep, and space them 6 inches apart in rows 8-12 inches apart. After planting, cover the bed with a thick layer of mulch (straw, aged woodchips or leaves) to protect the cloves during winter and control weeds. I don’t remove the mulch until right before harvesting.
5. Water: Garlic likes consistent moisture but avoid overwatering, especially as the bulbs mature. Water deeply and less frequently, about once a week when it’s warm in Spring. I will water garlic until November if we have a dry October. I fertilize in the early stages of growth (April) using a fish fertilizer or compost tea to ensure robust bulb formation!
I hope you learned a ton about growing garlic from this blog, but if you’re wanting to learn even more, fill in the form above and receive my latest freebie, my garlic growing guide, delivered directly to your inbox!
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