We have an abundant supply of garlic in stock! It is a wonderful crop that is planted in the fall and harvested the following summer. It is easy to grow and requires very little space in the garden. Garlic is also a natural pest repellent!
PLANTING
- Best time to plant garlic is in the fall. Plant 6 to 8 weeks before first expected frost date.
- Plant in a spot that has not recently been used for garlic or other plants from the onion family.
- Plant in a sunny spot with well drained soil.
- Work several inches of compost or manure and fertilizer into the bed.
- Break apart cloves from bulb a few days before planting, keep the papery husk on each individual clove.
- Space the cloves 4-6" apart. Rows should be spaced one foot apart. The cloves should be planted with the pointed end up and the blunt end down. Push each clove 1-2" into the ground, firm the soil around it, and water the bed if it is dry.
- After planting, lay down a protective mulch of straw. The mulch should be approximately 4 inches thick. Mulch will help prevent the garlic roots from being lifted out of the ground by freezing and thawing.
Spring Care
- Mulch should be removed in the spring after the threat of frost has passed.
- In the spring, as warmer temperatures come, shoots will emerge through the ground.
- When the leaves begin to grow, it is important to feed the garlic plants to encourage good growth. Gently work in Osmocote into the soil near each plant.
- Cut off any flower shoots that emerge in spring to encourage bulb growth.
- Keep well weeded. Garlic doesn’t do well with competition.
- Water every 3 to 5 days during bulbing (mid-May through June).
- Fertilize again just before the bulbs begin to swell usually early May.
- By June remove any remaining mulch and stop watering. The garlic will store better if you allow the soil around the bulbs to dry out.
HARVESTING
- Harvest garlic when most of the leaves have turned brown. This usually occurs in mid-July to early August.
- Dig up bulbs (don't pull), being careful not to bruise them. If the bulbs are left in the ground too long, they may separate and will not store well.
- Lay the garlic plants out to dry for 2 or 3 weeks in a shady, dry spot for two weeks.
- Do not get the bulbs wet or break them apart, or the plants won't last as long.
STORAGE
- The bulbs are cured and ready to store when the wrappers are dry and papery and the roots are dry.
- Either tie the garlic in bunches (4 to 6), braid the leaves, or cut the stem a few inches above the bulb. Hang the braids and bunches or store the loose bulbs on screens or slatted shelves in a cool, airy location. You may want to set aside some of the largest bulbs for replanting in the fall.
- During the winter months check your stored garlic bulbs often, and promptly use any that show signs of sprouting.