Growing Garlic at a Glance
◆ ◆ Plant in the fall at the same time when spring
flowering bulbs like daffodils, crocuses and tulips
are planted.
◆ ◆ Planting depth is 1-2 inches deep.
◆ ◆ Distance between plants: 1-2 inches apart.
◆ ◆ Mulch after planting to stabilize winter ground
temperatures.
◆ ◆ In spring, remove seed heads as they develop so
the bulbs will continue to grow.
◆ ◆ Harvest when leaves begin to turn brown.
◆ ◆ It is easiest to braid when some green remains on
the stems.
Garlic for Planting
Garlic seed can be bought many places, but
planting bulbs is easier and produces better results.
Do not use soft-neck garlic from the grocery store.
It will not work because it has been treated with an
anti-sprouting chemical. It is easiest to get your first
garlic from a reputable seed company either online or
through a catalog.
Planting Garlic
The best time to plant is in the autumn after the
first frost, but before the first hard freeze, about the
time early spring flowering bulbs like daffodils or tu-
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lips are planted. Spring planted garlic does not do as
well as garlic planted in the autumn.
Garlic grows best in deep rich soil and in the full
sun. Do not plant it in a garden bed that was recently
vacated; build a new bed instead, in the spring if
possible. To build a new bed, create a 4 x 8 foot box
with untreated lumber or brick or stones. You may
loosen the soil inside the box, but you don’t have to
do that. Simply lay out a thick layer of newspapers
www.GardenandGreenhouse.net
August 2017