By Shannon Cowan
Growing garlic at home can be straightforward and rewarding, offering flavors and varieties you won't find in grocery stores. This easy-to-grow ancient crop prized for its pungent aroma and disease-fighting properties has become a garden staple. Read on to learn when to plant garlic and how to create the best conditions in your home garden for healthy bulbs.
Key takeaways
- Plant garlic cloves three to six weeks before the ground freezes to develop strong roots before winter and larger, more flavorful bulbs by summer harvest.
- Hardneck garlic produces fewer but larger cloves around a central stalk and sends up edible scapes. Softneck varieties have more, smaller cloves and are ideal for braiding.
- Prepare loose, fertile soil with organic matter and neutral pH; plant cloves pointed-end up two inches deep; mulch after a month; and fertilize twice in spring with liquid fish fertilizer for robust bulbs.
WHY GROW GARLIC? BEST WAY TO PLANT CHOOSING GARLIC: HARDNECK VS. SOFTNECK SELECTING AND PREPARING CLOVES FOR PLANTING WHEN AND WHERE TO PLANT GARLIC CARING FOR GARLIC THROUGH THE SEASONS MANAGING GARLIC GROWTH: SCAPES & FLOWER STALKS PESTS, DISEASES AND CROP ROTATIONS HARVESTING GARLIC: WHEN & HOW CURING AND STORING GARLIC FAQ FURTHER RESOURCES & REFERENCES
Found in ancient Egyptian tombs, garlic has long been desirable for its pungent aroma, unique flavor and ability to ward off disease. Today garlic is a staple in many gardens. One of the easiest crops to grow and store, garlic also comes in a wide variety of delicious cultivars suitable for almost any location.
Garlic can be planted in the spring with your other summer crops, but it can also be planted in fall where the roots will develop through winter and send up well-established sprouts in spring. Many gardeners favor fall planting for garlic.
Callout:
Garlic is one of the earliest plants documented for medicinal and culinary uses.
Why grow garlic?
- Better flavour and freshness – Homegrown garlic is noticeably more aromatic and complex than store-bought, especially varieties that aren’t widely available commercially.
- Easy, low-maintenance crop – Garlic is simple to plant, requires very little care and is naturally resistant to many pests, making it ideal even for beginner gardeners.
- Cost-effective and rewarding – One bulb can yield many cloves for planting, giving you a generous harvest from a small space. Garlic also stores well, so you can enjoy it for months.
What’s the best way to plant garlic?
Although garlic can be grown from the small bulbils that sprout on top of the plant’s central stalk, most growers use individual garlic cloves for a faster, more reliable crop. Growing from bulbils takes several years of successive replanting to produce the same size garlic bulb.
Although using bulbils to propagate garlic can reinvigorate seed stock and reduce the transmission of soil borne diseases, it’s worth starting your garlic growing with cloves for an introductory experience. This includes deciding between the two main types of garlic (or some combination of the two): hardneck or softneck.
Choosing garlic: hardneck vs. softneck
What are hardneck varieties?
Hardneck garlic varieties generally produce fewer, larger cloves around a central hard stalk. They send up scapes in the summer (more on that below), and store for a limited period, although we have found them to last quite a long time under the right conditions.
What are softneck varieties?
Softneck varieties have more, smaller cloves and tend to store longer than hardneck varieties. Because they don’t have the same hard, central stalk, they don’t send up scapes in the summer and are good candidates for garlic braids.
Selecting and preparing cloves for planting
How to choose healthy bulbs:
- Select firm, robust bulbs free from mold or disease.
- Larger cloves will usually produce larger bulbs, so save smaller specimens for cooking.
- Select for your region, since different varieties of garlic perform better in different climates.
- Locate “seed” garlic through local farmers or local seed suppliers with garlic varieties known to perform well in your area.
How to separate cloves safely:
- Separate into individual cloves by removing the outer skin and working the cloves apart.
- Pry them open with a blunt-ended knife. Be careful not to puncture since it’s best to leave the individual clove skins intact if possible.
- Separate your garlic no more than 24 hours before planting.
When and where to plant garlic
Soil & bed preparation
Since garlic does best in loose, fertile soil, prepare your garden beds ahead of time by spreading 2-3 inches of organic matter over the soil area and then digging this in. Like all plants, garlic needs a combination of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and other nutrients to grow.
Cow or poultry manure, along with alfalfa meal or pellets can provide your plants with the nutrients they need to form robust bulbs. Garlic also grows best in soil with a fairly neutral pH. If you aren’t sure where your soil stands, take a soil sample and test it yourself or send it to a reputable lab.
Callout:
The ideal time to plant garlic in most locations is about 3-6 weeks before the ground freezes.
Your goal is to get some root development before winter comes, but not so much that the plant’s green tops grow high above the ground. In colder climates, the plants may be damaged by the cold or even killed if they are too far along in their life cycle. For this reason, it’s best to plant closer to your freezing date so sprouts stay safely underground if you live in an area with cold winters.
Spacing & plant depth
To prepare your rows, use a pipe to lay shallow furrows in the ground approximately six inches apart. If you are planting a lot of garlic, you can also fashion a device with wooden plugs spaced where you want to drop your cloves. In our family, we use a board fit with plugs spaced 4 inches apart in rows six inches apart. The board is just as wide as one row.
Each year we place this on the surface of the soil and step on it, making a neatly spaced series of planting holes up and down the row. Drop cloves into the planting holes or furrows with the pointed end up. Cover so the clove is about two inches below the soil surface.
Caring for garlic through the seasons
Mulch after planting
About a month after planting, spread mulch over the soil surface. This will give the earth a chance to cool off and retain some of the moisture of fall rains. The mulch will go on to moderate soil temperature and keep the ground evenly moist come springtime. If no green tips have yet emerged, ensure your mulch won’t form a dense mat while rotting.
Chopped leaves, straw and alfalfa hay are all good choices for mulch, although some people avoid straw because of problems with mites in certain locations. Check with your local extension office if you’re uncertain.
Watering schedule
- In spring, dose your garlic with liquid fish fertilizer. We do this twice, approximately one month apart.
- Water your garlic evenly, ensuring soil doesn’t dry out or stay too wet.
- Mulch helps keep ground temperature and moisture consistent.
- Stop watering 3-4 weeks before harvesting.
Managing garlic growth: scapes & flower stalks
What are scapes and why/when to remove them
Around midsummer, hardneck varieties will send up a tall flower stalk known as a ‘scape’. With most garlic varieties, gardening wisdom says to remove (break off) the scapes so the plants will put its energy into making robust bulbs.
Government sources indicate bulbs will be significantly smaller (about 30%) if the scapes are left on. A general rule is to cut scapes as soon as they have formed one or two curls but before the stalks have straightened. Experimenting will tell you what your varieties prefer.
Pests, diseases and crop rotations
Although garlic can be affected by a variety of pests and diseases, practicing a strict crop rotation of at least two years between plantings will reduce effects. This rotation should include other plants in the allium family, such as onions, leeks, and shallots, many of which are affected by the same pests and diseases.
In cool, wet areas, ‘garlic white rot’ can be a serious concern. This soil-borne fungus has been known to stay alive in contaminated fields for more than a decade. Cleaning garden tools after harvest and destroying infected plants can help halt the spread of the disease.
Harvesting garlic: when & how
When two thirds of the plants’ tops have turned brown, your garlic is ready to harvest. If you’re anxious for fresh garlic, dig a few sample bulbs a little earlier than this to see how the bulbs are forming. When your bulbs have formed individual cloves and have a nice outer skin, they are ready.
- Begin by loosening the soil around each bulb with a digging fork or flat spade, taking care not to puncture the bulbs.
- Pull gently from the ground.
- Shake loose soil from each bulb while still preserving the papery outer layers of each bulb. These will preserve the bulbs longer in storage.
- Transfer bulbs, with the rest of the plants still attached, to a drying rack set up away from the su
- You can also bundle or braid garlic and hang to dry, but make sure air can circulate freely around the bulbs.
Curing and storing garlic
- After 2-3 weeks of drying, the bulbs will be ready for storage.
- Clean each bulb by trimming and brushing remaining dirt from the roots.
- Peel off damaged or dirty outer skins where necessary but preserve 2 to 3 layers where possible.
- Trim the tops off the plant several inches above the bulb.
- Store in burlap sacks hung in a dark, well-ventilated location.
Aim for a storage temperature of 32°F -40 °F (0°C-4°C) for eating garlic and 50°F-65°F (10°C-18°C) for planting stock. If stored at room temperature, hardneck varieties will last about 4 months and softneck varieties up to 8 months. Storage life will increase substantially in controlled conditions.
FAQ
1. Should I plant garlic in spring or fall?
While garlic can be planted in spring, many gardeners prefer fall planting. The ideal time is about 3-6 weeks before the ground freezes. This timing allows the roots to develop through winter while keeping the green tops safely underground. Come spring, well-established plants should then sprout. Check with your local extension agent for region-specific instructions.
2. What's the difference between hardneck and softneck garlic?
Hardneck garlic makes fewer, but larger, cloves and sends up a hard central stalk that produces scapes (flower stalks) in summer. It stores for a limited period. Softneck garlic has more numerous, smaller cloves, stores longer than hardneck varieties, and doesn't produce scapes.
3. Can I plant garlic from the grocery store?
Yes, but it's better to use "seed" garlic from local farmers or seed suppliers. These varieties are selected to perform well in your region and are less likely to carry diseases. Choose firm, robust bulbs free from mold, and select larger cloves since they typically produce larger bulbs.
4. How deep should I plant garlic cloves?
Plant garlic cloves about 2 inches below the soil surface with the pointed end facing up. Space cloves about 4 inches apart in rows that are 6 inches apart for optimal growth.
5. What should I do with garlic scapes?
Garlic scapes are the tall flower stalks that hardneck garlic varieties send up around midsummer. Break them off at the leaf joint so the plant directs energy into bulb formation rather than flowering. Cut scapes when they've formed one or two curls but before the stalks straighten. But don't throw them! Instead, try making garlic scape pesto, pickled scapes, or grilled as a side dish. You can also treat them like chives or scallions by finely chopping and using as a garnish or add to scrambled eggs, biscuits, or muffins.
6. How do I know when my garlic is ready to harvest?
Garlic is ready to harvest when two-thirds of the plants' tops have turned brown. You can also dig up a sample bulb earlier to check development. When bulbs have formed individual cloves with nice outer skins, they're ready. This typically occurs in mid to late summer.
7. What's the best way to store harvested garlic?
After harvesting, dry the bulbs with tops attached for 2-3 weeks in a location away from sun and rain with good air circulation. Then clean the bulbs, trim tops several inches above the bulb, and store in burlap sacks in a dark, well-ventilated area. For eating garlic, aim for 32-40°F storage temperature. Hardneck varieties last about 4 months at room temperature, while softneck can last up to 8 months.
8. Do I need to rotate where I plant garlic each year?
Yes, practice a strict crop rotation of at least two years between garlic plantings in the same location. This rotation should also include other allium family plants like onions, leeks, and shallots, as they're affected by similar pests and diseases.
Further resources & references
Here are some further resources to familiarize yourself with planting and enjoying garlic in your garden:
From Eartheasy:
6 Fall Garden Projects You Can Do Right Now
Practical step-by-step guide including fall garlic planting and soil preparation.
Top 6 Most Cost-effective Vegetables to Grow
Features garlic as an economical crop with timing and care advice.
Four Condiments to Grow and Prepare at Home
Explores garlic's medicinal properties and preservation methods.
Other recommended resources:
University extension offices
Contact your local extension for region-specific variety recommendations and growing guidelines.
Local farmers and seed suppliers
Your best source for climate-adapted garlic varieties and local growing wisdom.
Garlic growing made easy
Growing your own garlic is one of the most rewarding gardening projects you can undertake. Not only is it easy to grow and store, but a single planting in fall will reward you with fresh bulbs the following summer, delicious scapes in early season, and enough homegrown garlic to last months. Your kitchen—and your garden—will thank you.
