Garlic 101

• Before planting, choose the appropriate type of garlic for your climate.
• Plant garlic 6-8 weeks before the first fall frost.
• Choose a spot that gets 6-8 hours of sunshine daily.
• Improve soil nutrition and drainage by adding Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics® All Purpose In-Ground Soil (in-ground) or Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics® Raised Bed Mix (raised beds).
• Plant garlic cloves 4-6 inches apart (pointed side up) in rows that are spaced 12 inches apart.
• When shoots appear in spring, begin feeding with Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics® All Purpose Plant Nutrition Granules.
• Keep soil moist in spring and summer.
• Stop watering in mid-summer when the tops begin to yellow.
• Gently harvest with a garden spade just before the tops dry out.
• Before using, dry bulbs in a cool, well-ventilated spot for 2 weeks.

Garlic is the last plant to go in the garden. It also spends the longest time growing in the garden, planted in fall and harvested the following summer. However, the bountiful reward is worth the long wait.

Garlic is easy to grow as long as you plant varieties that are suitable to your location. There are three main types of garlic - softneck (best for areas with mild winters), hardneck (ideal for cold winters), and elephant (grows in cold areas if mulched heavily).

Plant in Fall

Garlic cloves can be planted 6-8 weeks before the first fall frost, and must be planted before the ground freezes. It can also be planted in the spring as soon as the soil can be worked, but the bulbs will not be as large or flavorful. Don't plant garlic you purchased from the produce aisle of your local grocery store. It may be a variety not suitable for growing in your area. Instead, purchase bulbs or cloves from a mail order seed company or your local garden center. A few days before planting, break the bulb apart into individual cloves, but be sure to keep the papery wrapper intact.

Prep Your Soil

Plant your garlic in a sunny location that gets at least 6-8 hours of sunlight a day. Garlic tends to rot in poorly drained soils, so plant in raised beds filled with Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics® Raised Bed Mix or in well-drained soil improved by adding aged compost-enriched Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics® All Purpose In-Ground Soil. 

Plant & Mulch

Plant individual cloves pointed side up, 2-3 inches deep. Space cloves 4-6 inches apart in rows 1 foot apart. If you live in an area with really cold winters, mulch the garlic beds heavily with a 3-4 inch layer of straw or leaves to help protect the young plants as they start to emerge from the soil. After the threat of frost has passed in the spring, remove the mulch layer from on top of the rows but leave it in between the rows to help control weeds.

Spring Care

When the shoots begin to emerge in the spring, feed them with Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics® All Purpose Plant Nutrition Granules. This, in combination with great soil, goes a long way in helping produce impressive garlic harvests! Make sure the soil stays consistently moist throughout the spring and summer, especially when the bulbs are forming (mid-May through June). As flower stems, called scapes, emerge in late spring, cut them off so they don't affect bulb size. The scapes are edible and add a spicy kick to stir fries.

Time to Harvest

Around late July or August, the tops will start to turn yellow. This is your indication that harvest time is approaching. When about half the leaves are yellow and starting to fall over, stop watering. Before the tops completely dry out, carefully lift the bulbs from the garden bed using a spade or garden fork. Brush off the excess soil and let them cure in an dry, airy, shady spot for 2 weeks. You can also hang them upside down on a string in bunches of 4-6. As the bulbs dry, their flavor will increase