8 Steps for Great Garlic!

• Remove all weeds from the area.
• Add compost or manure.
• Dig into the top 6” of soil.
• Buy your garlic at this time and choose good-sized bulbs to start.

• Split the bulbs into individual cloves (save any damaged or very small cloves for your next meal).
• Plant the cloves 2–4” deep and 6–8” apart.
• Plant four weeks before the ground freezes; aim for early October (Thanksgiving weekend).

• Cover Your Cloves With 2–4” Of Straw, Leaves, Or Grass Clippings.
• Mulching Will Help With Weed Control, To Prevent Drying Out, And Add Some Insulation; This Needs To Be Done Before The Snow Starts.

• Your Cloves Will Sprout Roots Underneath The Snow, Grow Through Spring, And Reach Full Size In June.
• Water If There Is A Long Dry Spell (Two Or More Weeks) In May Or June.
• Pull Out Any Weeds That Sprout Through The Mulch.

• Once The Scape (Flower Stalk That Sprouts In Spring) Curls Once Around, Cut Or Snap It Off; This Will Direct The Energy To A Large Bulb Rather Than Putting The Energy Towards Flowers And Seed.
• To Add Interest To Your Garden, Try Leaving A Few Scapes; You’ll Find That The Energy The Plant Uses To Make Scapes Results In These Plants Having Smaller Garlic Bulbs At Harvest.
• Fry Or Bbq The Scapes In Any Recipe As You Would A Green Onion Or Asparagus—delicious!

• As the garlic matures in late July, the bottom leaves will turn brown from the ground up.
• Once half the leaves are brown, dig up the garlic with a shovel or pitchfork.
• Shake off loose soil, leaving roots and stems attached, and bring in from the garden.
• You can start to eat a few bulbs at this point, but they won’t store well until they’ve been dried.

• Bring your garlic plants into an area with open air and shade; a shed or covered porch will suffice.
• Tie plants in bundles of 10 and hang to dry.
• Once your plants have dried for a few days, try braiding some—this is a great way to store garlic (and it makes for a nice gift!)
• Leave for two weeks, or until the stem is dry throughout, then cut 1” above the bulb.
• Trim the roots, cut the stems, and store in a dry spot above 10°C (50°F). Inside a paper or mesh bag in the kitchen pantry works great.

For more great garden advice, check out the Growing Vegetables care tip:

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