Growing Garlic

I don't know why it took me over 10 years to start growing garlic.  For some reason I thought it was too complicated, but I was wrong.  After you have figured out the basic process the rest is easy.

The "hard neck" is shown with the cloves removed.

There are two basic categories of garlic; hard neck and soft neck.  Hard neck garlic grows is cold climates and soft neck garlic grows best in temperate climates.  

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In our Zone 4 garden, hard neck garlic is the obvious and only choice. The information below is specific to the hard neck variety only.  If your climate dictates a soft neck variety please find additional sources for information.

Hard neck garlic gets its name from the strong stem that grows up through the middle of the garlic bulb.  This stem is called a "garlic scape" and will produce a seed head if left to grow and mature.  Large cloves grow around this hard stem to form the bulb.

For those unfamiliar with garlic terminology; the term "bulb" refers to the full root and the term "clove" refers to the individual pieces that make up the bulb.

Garlic bulb on the left and clove on the right.

Fall is the time to plant hard neck garlic as it needs to winter over and have time to develop the bulb.  Plant your individual garlic cloves pointed end up in soil rich in organic matter.  Plant individual cloves 6 inches apart and covered with about an inch of loose soil.  I cover the bed with an inch or two of cover straw for winter protection.

Adding finished compost with the help of our friend Melisanda and our furry kid, Rosie.

Cloves are planted about 6 inches apart and then covered with soil.

In early spring you will see the grass like shoots poking up through the straw. Later in early summer a round stem that curls to form a circle will emerge from the center of the plant, This stem is the called the "garlic scape".

Curled garlic scapes in the center of the picture.

Garlic scapes must be removed so the plant will put all its energy into forming a large bulb.  If you miss a scape the plant will use its energy to form a seed head and your bulb will be significantly smaller.

Garlic scapes ready to eat and enjoy.

Removing garlic scapes requires a  pair of scissor or garden sheers and a small amount of effort.  Just cut the curly scape as close to the bottom as possible. Garlic scapes have a delicate garlic flavor and are great in stir fries, cold salads or any dish where a hint of garlic is welcome.  Scapes will store for quite some time when refrigerated.

In July (in zone 4) start checking your garlic every few days to see how many of the stems have yellowed.  When roughly half of the stems are yellow, it is time to harvest.  Carefully loosen the soil around the bulbs (I use a broad fork) without injuring the bulbs and then lift them out of the ground.

It is important to harvest at the right time as the cloves of bulbs left in the ground too long will separate and begin to grow.

Cloves separate when bulbs are left in the ground too long.

The yellow and green stems by the broad fork are ready for harvest.

After harvest you can clearly tell the difference in size between the bulbs where the scapes were removed and those that were missed.

The garlic on the bottom of the frame developed a seed head and a smaller bulb.

Once you  have all the bulbs out of the ground, shake gently to remove the excess soil and allow to rest on the ground so the outside of the bulbs can dry. In a few hours when the outside has dried tie 5 or 6 stalks together with twine or twist ties. I leave an 8 inch length on each end to tie the bunch to a line to dry.

Garlic bulbs must be cured with a prolonged drying period prior to storage.  Chose a spot out of direct sunlight with good ventilation. I attached a wire to two brackets under our north facing deck and tied the garlic bunches to the wire.  I usually leave them hanging until I find time to put them away.  Just be sure they are in storage before the outside temperature dips below 32 degrees.

Garlic bulbs curing under a north facing deck.

A clothes pin keeps the bunches nicely spaced.

Although I love the look of braided strands of garlic bulbs, the hard stem makes it difficult to braid, so cutting off the top and placing the bulbs in mesh bags (save your old onion bags) for storage is a good bet.  Hard neck garlic typically stores for about 4 months so use it generously during the fall and early winter. (Check out my Fire Cider post).

Bulbs with stems removed are ready for storage.

Reuse mesh produce bags to store garlic bulbs.

Garlic stores best at 40 degrees in an area out of sunlight with very low humidity.  We have an out building that we keep around 40 degrees (for the chinchilla) and place the bulbs in a plastic bin with the cover ajar to create a dark environment.

Before you tuck your garlic cloves away in September, pull out a few of the nicer bulbs, break them into individual cloves and plant them for your next year's harvest.
Replanting cloves of the garlic bulbs you grew means you only have to purchase seed garlic once.  This is a great way to safe money and become more self sufficient.