When Is it Time to Plant Garlic?

Planting Times

• In the North, plant garlic in early spring, usually March or April. Garlic plants produce lots of flat, green leaves while temperatures are cool and then begin producing cloves when temperatures warm. The more vegetative growth that emerges, the better the harvest, so it's important to plant garlic early in the season. Southern gardeners plant garlic in the fall or early winter when temperatures are cool.

Soil Conditions

• Garlic thrives in loose, fertile loam soil. Apply 3 lbs. granular 10-10-10 fertilizer per 100 feet of row, or as recommended by a soil test analysis. Amend heavy clay soils with organic matter, such as compost and peat moss, since garlic becomes misshapen when grown in heavy soils. Keep the soil evenly moist through frequent watering.

Planting Garlic

• Whether you plant garlic in the spring or fall, the method is the same. Buy disease-free cloves of garlic and separate them just before planting. Place the cloves with the pointed tip up 1 to 2 inches deep in the soil and spaced 3 to 5 inches apart. Make sure the cloves are standing straight up to ensure straight necks.

Harvesting

• Harvest garlic in late summer in the North and early summer in the South. Garlic is mature when the leaves dry and bow over. Dig the garlic up with a trowel rather than pulling it up, which may damage the bulbs. Set the bulbs in a warm, dry place, such as a kitchen counter, and allow them to dry for several days until the leaves are withered and the skins are dry. Trim off the leaves or braid them and store garlic in a mesh bag at 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Properly stored garlic will keep for six to seven months.