Garlic

Garlic is a great garden plant

because it goes in the ground

when a lot of vegetables are done growing.

This is more true for areas that get real winters,

like here it  in Scotland.

Garlic can be plant in the spring

but it is best planted in the Autumn.

What is the reason?

Garlic needs to go through

a cold period of 40 degrees or less as to be primed and ready to form large bulbs come spring harvest.

They need about a 2 week cold period.

Your refrigerator could replace cold weather.

The Autumn garlic should be planted in late September or October.

Basically, Autumn planted garlic will get the cold weather and form large garlic bulbs come spring.

Spring planted garlic will grow but you could end up with a smaller bulb.

Either way, you can grow garlic in the Autumn and spring!

And what else do you have growing in your garden through the winter.

Garlic should be planted about 3 inches deep

and 4-6 inches apart.

This depth is to provide frost protection

and heaving protection

during ground freezes.

If your winters aren't causing major ground freezing you don't have to plant as deeply.

I plant my garlic a little closer together (2 inches) because I am not after monster size bulbs.

I'll never use it all. I prefer to pull it fresh.

I don't even cure it typically.

But if you want to get maximum size bulbs and cure your bulbs, you should plant your cloves 4-6 inches apart.

You can order garlic from catalouges

or (in my case) plant garlic

bought at the gardening shop.

There are rumours that gardening shop garlic

is treated to retard sprouting

but that is either a myth or ineffective.

I grow gardening shop garlic yearly

and it works without issue.

To prepare your bulb for planting,

simply break the bulb into individual cloves.

Throw away any overly soft or damaged cloves.

The clove gets planted as describe above

with the root side down.

If in doubt, just plant it sideways

and Nature will do it's thing

and it will right itself so to speak

Everyone has room for a row of garlic.

Give it a try.

You have a few more weeks of planting time left.




 

Here is some great advice that was just sent in by Amy

Amy @AlphaNew

In Wyoming the growing season is super short. I can still grow amazing garlic by planting it in spring and pulling it the next year. I do harvest the seeds from the flower every fall, grind it in the coffee grinder and use it in any recipe