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Well Drained, High Fertility |
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Growing Guide
GROWING NOTES
Well-drained, fertile, with plenty of organic matter. Slightly dry sites preferable. Tolerates wide pH range but prefers slightly acid soil (6.2 to 6.8).
Perennial grown as an annual. (Fall-planted, harvested the following summer.)
Easy if you have rich well-drained soil and good weed control.
MAINTAINING
Garlic prefers cool weather when developing foliage, and warm weather when bulbs enlarge. Fall plantings take about 8 months to mature.
Choose a weed-free, well-drained location. Raised beds are ideal. Do not plant where other onion family crops have been grown in the past 3 years.
In New York, plant from about the time of first fall frost to early November. If your soil is loose and well-prepared, you can plant in very early spring, but fall plantings usually yield more.
Using cloves from the supermarket is not recommended. They may carry diseases or have been treated to discourage sprouting. Most are also from varieties that are not well-adapted to New York's climate. Purchase bulbs from mail order suppliers, garden center, or other local source.
Break bulbs apart at planting time, keeping papery husks on the individual cloves. Plant with tips up, 2 inches deep and 4 to 6 inches apart in rows 15 to 24 inches apart. Plant elephant garlic varieties about 3 inches deep and 8 to 12 inches apart.
Mulch heavily after planting to prevent soil heaving - particularly with less-hardy elephant garlic varieties. Roots will begin to grow even though topgrowth may not be evident in late fall and winter. Remove mulch in spring, leaving only what is needed to suppress weeds.
For larger bulbs, remove woody flower stalks (scapes) as they appear. Bulblets at top of scape can be used in cooking.
Plant large cloves to produce the largest bulbs. Plant smaller cloves at closer spacings or in patches for harvest as garlic greens. Save largest bulbs for planting your next crop.
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