When to Plant Garlic

One of the most widely used ingredients in almost any kind of cuisine is garlic. Apart from being a delicious food additive, it has many medicinal benefits too. And that's not it. It is one of the easiest plants to grow too. It does not require too much space, is not very fussy about the soil, can withstand tough weather, and also helps to protect other plants growing in the vicinity. So, are you keen on growing garlic at home, now that you've seen what a simple plant it is? Well then, just read ahead for some information on how and when to plant garlic. Follow the simple steps and instructions given and you can have your own patch in your home.

When to Plant Garlic

Growing garlic indoors or outside in a full-fledged vegetable garden is a matter of your choice. However, you need to know when is the right time to grow it so that you can be assured that when you go about harvesting it, you get the right size of bulbs and the right quantity. Generally, there are two times a year when you can plant garlic cloves. Both have their benefits and ensure a good harvest.

Early Spring: Many people prefer to plant garlic in the early days of spring. Especially if they want to plant garlic seeds. The garlic seed is frozen for a few weeks (around two or three weeks) before they are planted. This is because the seeds can sprout only in extremely cold conditions. After that you can remove the seeds and plant them in the soil. The benefit of planting garlic in the spring, approximately towards the end of February or the beginning of March, is that it will sprout and grow before the winter arrives. This saves it from the danger of being damaged by the harsh cold.

Late Winter: Another practice is to wait out the peak of fall and plant garlic in the late winter. What happens is the seeds or bulbs are already exposed to the cold weather. So, it is advisable to go about planting the garlic after the worst of the winter is over. Somewhere around the middle of October or the beginning of November is the perfect time. If extremely cold weather continues, you can cover the shoots that have grown out, to protect them.

How to Grow Garlic
You can either learn how to grow garlic from a clove or grow them directly from seeds. For seeds, as mentioned above, you need to keep them in an area with a low temperature before planting, and if you are planning to grow them from cloves, then you need to plant single cloves, in an upright position. The upright position means the flat portion of the clove facing downwards and the tapering portion facing the sky. Plant it about 1 inch into the soil. Plant it in an area that receives sufficient sunlight and in soil that is not too wet.

How to Harvest Garlic
For harvesting garlic, you need to watch the plant regularly for the signs of maturity. When the leaves of the shoot begin to appear brown and dry, they will eventually fall away from the plant. When you see this, take it as a sign that the garlic is ready to be harvested. Do not harvest them before the leaves dry or much later after they dry. The former will result in tiny bulbs, and the latter will make the bulb break up inside the ground. Each clove produces only a single bulb of garlic. Once you harvest the bulbs, leave them out in a cold and dry environment for about a week or so. You can then proceed to dusting the dirt and mud off the bulbs.

Now that you know when to plant garlic and how to grow garlic bulbs, growing them should not be a problem. Go ahead, have your own little garlic garden.