GARDEN
GARDENING WITH JC: GARLIC
by JC Hines, Greenspace Manager
Like wearing jeans, watching football, and soups cooked all day long on a chilly Sunday afternoon, planting garlic is an annual fall tradition.
up with the soil. If your soil is particularly dry, water the cloves in. Be sure not to overwater as the cloves may rot.
Choosing the right variety There are so many great garlics to choose from. Like many other vegetables, different varieties do better in the South. I always recommend doing a little variety research or ordering from southern based companies like Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. For southern growing, I am fond of the hardneck variety German Extra Hardy and for softneck, Romanian Red (a little on the spicy side). Some garlics, particularly hardneck varieties, need long cold winters so be sure to check before you order.
Giving your bulbs the right conditions Garlic likes to be kept cool and moist. Straw mulch or partially composted leaves are the best solution through the winter. Deseeded hay is the best so that you don’t have hay grass growing, but be sure it hasn’t been sprayed with a chemical inhibitor. Standard Feed and Seed in Decatur has hay mulch. Put a nice thick fluffy layer of hay mulch or leaves over your garlic.
Preparing your soil I’ve had luck with garlic in a variety of soils, but hard packed soils and wet, soggy soils will really hinder the growth of your garlic. I recommend turning your soil with a spade fork and loosening up big chunks. How do I plant garlic? Your seed will likely come in bulb form. Break the bulbs into individual cloves just before planting. I leave the garlic skins on. I pre-make my holes for the cloves. Plant the cloves 1 inch deep, 4-6 inches apart and 12 inches between rows. I put one garlic clove in each hole, with the pointy side UP. Once all my cloves are planted, I cover them back
Break up the bulb before planting.
Plant the pointy side UP! Space 4-6” apart.
Garlic hates weeds! The mulch should help to eliminate some of the weeds, but it’s really important to keep your garlic bed weeded. Garlic does not like to compete for soil nutrients and moisture. Too many weeds can result in small or malformed garlic bulbs. Also, while garlic is in the ground it is soft and roots from weeds can penetrate the garlic making it more susceptible to disease and rot. Wait Patiently Garlic should be planted October through the end of November so it has a chance to get established. Then you wait. Patiently. In late June when the leaves of the garlic turn brown, your garlic will be ready to harvest.
Green stems of the garlic in early spring.
Harvest garlic in late June.
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