Planting Garlic in the Fall: for An Early Spring Crop
Garlic is the one herb that seems to go with almost every recipe or dish we make. Having fresh garlic cloves on hand year-round is easy when you plant a crop in the fall.
This is a quick read, so take and few minutes to find out how easy it is with planting garlic in the fall.
How to Grow Garlic ~ Planting Garlic in the Fall
Fall is the best time to plant garlic since they need a long growing season in cool soil. Count back three weeks from the time the temperature in your climate dips below freezing.
Double-check your growing zone with the USDA Growing Zone Map!
This will be the best time to plant the garlic, just before the soil freezes for the winter. So, when you are organizing your fall garden chores, remember to jot down your planting times in your garden journal!
You can buy garlic bulbs at a Farmer’s Market or the grocery store or order fresh garlic online.
Prepare The Soil for Growing Garlic Cloves
As an underground bulb, garlic needs loose, well-draining soil to grow. Turn the soil and amend it with compost before planting the garlic cloves. You might even want to water with some homemade compost tea!
How To Plant Garlic in the Fall
Select healthy cloves from your local garden supply center to ensure the variety will be hardy in your growing zone. Find the type of garlic that you want to plant.
Do not break the bulb apart into individual cloves until you are ready to plant them.
Also, make sure to leave the paper on each garlic clove. You may actually damage the garlic cloves by trying to remove the outer paper protective covering.
Plant only the largest cloves, as they will produce the largest cloves. Save the smaller ones for use in the kitchen.
Make planting holes in the amended soil that are 2-inches deep and 4-inches apart. Place one clove in each hole with the root side down and pointy end up.
Cover the holes with soil and water thoroughly.
Place a 4-inch layer of organic mulch over the top of the entire garlic bed. This will help the soil retain moisture and prevent the bulbs from heaving during the winter.
Winter Maintenance
Throughout the winter, keep the soil moist (unless it’s frozen). Garlic likes consistent soil moisture throughout the growing season.
The plants will not need fed, the compost in the soil will provide enough nutrients.
In the Springtime
As soon as the soil warms a little and the ground thaws, your garlic cloves will begin to appear.
They will be coming up about the same time as the other bulbs like daffodils, crocus, snowdrops and hyacinths.
Water if the weather is dry, but make sure not to overwater. The mulch will help ensure the soil stays moist.
Then, watch for the curly looking garlic scapes! These are the shoots that grow out of the middle of the leaves. They have a round stem with a flower head on the end.
The easiest way to prepare garlic scapes is to simply sauté them in olive oil or butter, but you can also grill scapes, too!
Harvest Time
Garlic will need 7-8 months from planting time until it’s ready to harvest. In early spring, the bulbs will send up green shoots that will continue to grow until harvest time.
When these green shoots begin to turn brown, stop watering the plants.
Once most of the shoots are brown, it’s harvest time. Loosen the soil with a trowel and lift the bulb from the soil.
Store Garlic
Brush off the dirt, snip off the top, and place the bulbs in a single layer, and store in a warm, dry place to cure.
When the outer paper-like wrapping is dry, store the garlic bulb in a cool, dark place for future use.
You may want to try your hand at making Garlic Braids which is a great way to store your kitchen garlic or to give as gifts!
Think About Planting Garlic in Containers
If you do not have a garden area, then consider container gardening by planting some garlic cloves in flower pots on your back porch or balcony
In Conclusion on Planting Garlic in the Fall:
So, as you can see, planting and growing garlic is easy and super fun! Fresh garlic is awesome….plus, garlic bulbs make a wonderful gift for friends and family.
Giving gifts that are handmade and homegrown is so fun to do!
Get Busy Planning your fall Garlic Planting and then Enjoy Your Homegrown Garlic next spring!
