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Vineyard Gardens

14 Oak Knoll Rd
West Tisbury, MA, 02568
508.593.8512

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Vineyard Gardens

  • Home
  • ABOUT
  • Landscaping
  • Nursery
  • SPRING CHECKLIST
  • Application
  • Blog
  • Contact

PLANTING, GROWING AND HARVESTING GARLIC

August 28, 2018 Karen Logan
Garlic; photo credit

Garlic; photo credit

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.
Garlic Scapes ; photo credit

Garlic Scapes ; photo credit

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.
Garlic; photo credit

Garlic; photo credit

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.
Storing Garlic; photo credit

Storing Garlic; photo credit

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.
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484 State Road, West Tisbury, MA 02575   Office(508)693-8512   Nursery(508)693-8511