How to Plant Garlic in Washington State

Choose between growing hardneck or softneck garlic. Most of the garlic produced in Washington is softneck. Hardnecks differ from softnecks, because they grow larger cloves, while softnecks grow larger bulbs. Hardnecks came in varieties that can be purple, red, purple-streaked and white.

Conduct a soil pH test on the designated planting location. Garlic prefers to be grown in a range between 6.5 to 7.0. Purchase a soil testing kit from your local county extension office. Dig a hole that is 6 inches in depth to collect samples. Mail the results to the laboratory. Spread lime on the planting location if the results indicate that the soil is too acidic, and spread sulfur on alkaline soil.

Pick a time in the fall from mid-September to mid-October to plant your garlic. Dig your holes at a depth of 2 to 4 inches deep. Place the garlic bulb with the base root downward. Garlic that is planted upside down are generally smaller than their upright counterparts. Cover with dirt. Space your garlic rows 12 inches apart.

Water your planted garlic thoroughly. Spread 6 inches of mulch around the garlic bed to keep weeds at bay. Keep your garlic watered up until the winter months.

Fertilize your garlic in the early spring after the last frost with a slow-release fertilizer. Use a fertilizer with a NPK amount of 10-10-10. Spread the fertilizer over the planting area according to the directions, and water thoroughly.