CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. — It’s garlic planting time – now until early November before a local freeze. You will be planting garlic cloves, the individual pieces of the bulb. One bulb of garlic with 8 to 10 cloves will give you 8 to 10 bulbs next year. Garlic takes 8 to 9 months to harvest so fall plantings won’t be ready until May or June next year. Fall is the best time to plant as it allows the roots to develop.
There are two types of garlic – softneck and hardneck – the neck referring to the stem. Softneck types have a long shelf life, mild flavor, and their leafy stem makes them easy to braid. They are the ones most often stocked by grocery stores. Hardneck, due to its hardiness, grows best in cold climates and they are recommended by Penn State for southern areas in the state.
- Buy your bulbs from your local nursery, garden center, or mail order from catalogues. Remember when you buy that there are from 8 to 12 cloves per bulb, but you will want to plant only the biggest.
- Start in a small area with well-drained soil and a minimum of 6 hours of sun. It is important to prepare for future replanting as it needs at least two years or more to allow the soil to recover.
- Break the bulbs to get the cloves to plant. Don’t do this more than a day before planting as the root end will dry out making it hard to get established. Sort the cloves keeping the biggest to plant.
- Plant upright with the root nodule down about 2-4” into the soil, spacing them 4-6” apart. Leave 6” between rows.
- Water them well for 3-4 days then mulch with 2-4” of straw or shredded leaves. For proper bulb formation, water weekly as needed and side dress with nitrogen rich fertilizers until the flower stalks (scapes) appear. Allow the soil to dry before you harvest.
- Use a garden fork to lift a few bulbs to see if they are mature.
- After harvesting, allow them to dry and harden in a shady, well-ventilated, area for a few weeks. Brush away the dirt and trim the roots and tops within an inch of the bulb.
You can plant garlic in containers, with drainage holes, that are at least 8″ deep to allow for root growth. Since the post will need to be watered weekly, you may want to avoid terra cotta pots. A pot 22″ in diameter can accommodate 8-10 cloves. Use well-drained soil with compost mixed in. Space as noted above, pushing the root end down into the soil about 3”. Water, mulch, and put the pot in the sunniest location. As winter bears down, move to a sheltered area and mulch around the pots to prevent freezing.
–Carol Kagan, Penn State Extension