As we enter fall, it is time to plant garlic (and shallots) before winter arrives. Back in Western Washington, in grow zone 8b, I could often plant into early December – I just had to pay attention to any Canadian freezes that were forecasted. Those came late, though. It was definitely easier gardening for the lazy. But I will say this: growing in West Virginia in 7a has been more productive. I am still picking fully ripe tomatoes. There is something to be said about temperatures in the 80s°F in the first week of October.
However, in the Shenandoah Valley, in zone 7a, I need to be more mindful of the temperatures. As winter approaches, the temperature drops quickly at night, becoming cold. We are in the first half of October, so do not hesitate. It is time to get it done. And don’t forget to plant elephant garlic and shallots, if you plan to do so.
- Determine the type of garlic you want to grow: Softneck or Hardneck? Hard neck? Spicy or mild? Each garlic variety will have a description talking about its features. To determine how much to buy, consider the number of potential cloves each head contains. And how many plants do you want? You will want to plant enough to eat, and enough to plant next year. If a head has an average of 8 cloves, and you want 64 plants…well, you need eight bulbs. See below for spacing.
- Figure where you want to plant the garlic: If your groundwater level is high, deep raised boxes can be your friend. Since your garlic will be overwintering, you don’t want it to sit in water and potentially rot. Consider whether rainwater accumulates in the area or if it seeps in quickly. Raised (hilled) rows also work well. Rotate garlic yearly; don’t grow it in the same spot every year. Ensure your garlic receives as much sunlight as possible during the summer.
- Once situated, weed the bed well, turning it over gently. Add soil or compost as needed on top.
- Break your garlic up into individual cloves. I wear disposable gloves so I don’t stink for days, but I am a garden princess, it seems.
- Spacing and planting: I plant in rows 1 foot apart, and since our beds are 48 inches wide (4 feet), I can fit eight cloves across. You want at least 6 inches apart per clove for ample growth.
- Using a dibble or a broomstick, poke holes into the soil. Drop a single clove in, then cover it with soil and gently tamp it down. Be sure to mark your rows before you cover up.
- Cover your garlic with straw deeply. Water the straw to hold it down, then walk away for the fall and winter. Unless your fall is hot, don’t worry about watering. If it is in the 60s or lower, you are fine.
- In late winter to early spring, the garlic will come alive once again and push up through the straw, green stalks rising up. As the weather heats up, you will want to keep it well watered so it grows large.
- In late spring, if you grow hardneck garlic, you will get garlic scapes. They come up out of the top of the stalk. These are edible, cut off, and enjoy. Diced, they taste like garlic asparagus (I add them to eggs), or I use them to make a pesto sauce. The scapes, if allowed to grow, will turn into a flower head that then produces bulbils. The bulbits can be harvested and used to grow garlic, but it will take 2 to 3 years. Cutting off the garlic scapes allows the bulb in the ground to develop fully. I let 1 or 2 go for the fun of producing the tiny “seeds” and because bees love the flowers – always support your pollinators.
- Around the end of June/4th of July, quit watering.
- You will know when to harvest when the tops start turning tawny in color. To harvest, pull gently up to pop out. If the top breaks (and it does a few times at least), gently use a small hand shovel or hand fork to loosen under the roots, being careful not to gouge the garlic.
- To cure: Shake dirt off the bulb and gather all the garlic. Trim the stalks back, leaving approximately six inches. Please place it in a well-ventilated spot, out of direct sunlight, for a couple of weeks. We have in the past put a wooden pallet over a garden cart in our shop and walked away. The pallet ensures air flow, and the dirt drops down as the garlic dries. Once cured, we trim the stalk back even more.
- To store for use, we keep ours in a large cardboard box with plenty of space to allow for airflow. We had a cellar that remained at 55°F year-round in our previous home, where we stored our items. Next year, I will store them in our basement. We haven’t had rodent issues with garlic, but your mileage may vary. The key is to keep it cool, in the dark, and dry. If it sprouts, use that for seed garlic first.
- Saving seed garlic: I pick out any heads (bulbs) where the paper is cracked or pulled back first, or ones I have to dig out. Then I use the biggest after that. These I keep well-ventilated in a cool, dry place and wait for planting time. Then I enjoy the rest of the garlic!
- And last but not least, if you get garlic that sprouts, just plant it randomly, even if it is from the grocery store. Find a spot, and plant it. Garlic is resilient, and it has a will to grow even if you have a black thumb. The only thing more resilient than garlic is potatoes.
And that is a wrap for the year. I built it, planted it, and put it to bed. Cool temps are coming this week. Fingers crossed this crop does well – half of it is locally grown garlic I sourced.
~Sarah
