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Learning Download: How to Grow Garlic

Garlic naturally repels pests from the garden and can be used for its bulbs or the scapes, or green fronds, the bulbs produce. Scapes can be eaten fresh or used in various dishes.

Before Planting: Garlic in most cases should be planted right before your first frost date in the fall. For more Southern states that are in zones 8-10, garlic should be planted in early December. Prepare garlic for planting by breaking apart all cloves from the garlic. Be careful to leave the outer skin attached. Soak cloves in a jar of water for 2 hours prior to planting. If you have some seaweed fertilizer laying around add some of this to the water. This will help prevent fungal disease.

Planting: Plant garlic in a rich, well drained soil that is weed-free. Dig a hole 2″ deep and place soaked garlic clove in hole with the flat end facing down (pointy end up). Cover with soil and add an organic fertilizer on top. Space cloves 4-6″ apart in same row and rows 18-24″ apart. For best results cover soil with 6-8″ of straw. In a couple months you will see shoots poking through. During the winter months growth will stop. When spring arrives growth will resume.

Watering: Water every 3 to 5 days during bulbing.

Days to Maturity: Garlic can take up to 210 days to mature.

Harvesting: Harvest garlic when green leaves have turned brown and fallen over. Be sure to dig deep and under garlic to not break or cut the garlic itself. Upon harvesting garlic will store best with leaves braided and hung in a dark, cool cellar.