Grow Great Garlic: From Clove to Harvest

Great garlic starts months before harvest. Choosing the right type, planting at the right time, feeding it properly, and knowing when to harvest can make the difference between average bulbs and great ones.

#Garlic #GrowingGarlic #GarlicGardening #VegetableGardening #FallPlanting #GardenTips #HomeGarden #HardneckGarlic #SoftneckGarlic #DirtFarmerJay #justdoityourself

Growing great garlic mostly comes down to getting a handful of key things right.
Start with good planting stock and choose garlic suited to your climate. Hardneck and softneck garlic differ in cold tolerance, clove size, storage life, flavor, and whether they normally produce scapes (seed stalks, blooms, seeds).

Plant individual cloves, not whole bulbs, with the pointed end up in loose, fertile, well-drained soil. Plant garlic in fall so roots can establish before winter.

As growth takes off in spring, control weeds, maintain even moisture, and provide adequate nutrition. Hardneck garlic will usually send up a curling flower stalk called a scape. Removing it helps direct the plant’s energy toward the developing bulb, and the tender scape is also excellent to eat.

Harvest timing matters. Dig bulbs when several lower leaves have browned but healthy green foliage remains above. Cure the bulbs thoroughly in a dry, shaded, well-ventilated area before trimming and storing them.

Softneck garlic generally stores longer, while many hardneck types offer larger cloves, easy peeling, and excellent flavor.

You can download the companion Grow Great Garlic infographic here:
go.dirtfarmerjay.com/great-garlic

More from DirtFarmerJay:
YouTube.com/@dirtfarmerjay
Just Do It Yourself!