How To Plant Garlic (PHOTOS)

From OrganicGardening.com:

A simple way to keep your garden productive all winter long is to plant garlic in the fall.

Garlic practically takes care of itself, and growing your own gives you the opportunity to try a remarkable array of varieties that are rarely available in the supermarket, including ones with purplish pink, red, pearly white, or silvery skins.

Check out the steps below.

More From Organic Gardening:
Garlic--Buried Treasure

Step One

• • • Plant garlic from mid-September through mid-October. Break a garlic bulb apart into individual cloves, being careful to keep the papery skins covering each clove intact. Then fill a quart jar with water and mix in one tablespoon of baking soda and one tablespoon of liquid seaweed. Soak the cloves in this mixture for two hours prior to planting to prevent fungal disease and encourage vigorous growth.

Comments

[thegardenbuzz]

12:25 PM on 10/01/2010

Plant your garlic the same time as your tulips, kind of "flip thinking" for food gardeners. For summer harvest, let them cure in dry warm place or on screens for a few sunny days. So great to have your own supply for cooking. Try the "Music" variety, it's a great all around garlic.

[mellene]

10:56 AM on 10/01/2010

I'm happy to see garlic being planted. That's what the world needs more of is my beloved garlic to cure what ailes us.

[Just4theHalibut]

10:32 AM on 10/01/2010

Does anyone know what an Elephant garlic clove looks like, is it like a regular garlic clove only several times bigger, or it is one large bulb (kind of like a daffodil). There is something growing in the yard of my new place, I thought it was giant allium (flower looks identical to Elephant garlic) but root has large attached cloves. Afraid to eat/replant it until I know for sure.

[MNinWI]

06:22 PM on 10/01/2010

I just googled elephant garlic & got this among others http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant_garlic

[kozmo2000pa]

07:59 PM on 10/01/2010

My wife and I really enjoy elephant garlic. They are really big (usually twice the size of a regular soft or hardneck) and taste very mild. I cut the cloves in half and throw them in my sauces. When you bite into one you'll be surprised how mild they are. Im growing garlic for the second year, using some of last years bulbs. Very surprised how easy it is to grow. Not sure where i read this but i heard 90% of our garlic is imported from China. If its true....seems silly to import something that far when its so easy to grow.

[barkingcat]

09:57 AM on 10/01/2010

Garlic is very, very easy to grow -- and there are so many different varieties (some VERY hot/spicy) available than the generic ones in most grocery stores.

Once the stuff starts growing, it doesn't require much care, just an occasional weeding/watering.

Regarding the instructions listed above, I wouldn't worry about step Nos. 1 and 2 -- but adding the mulch, as advocated in No. 3, is a good idea.

[kozmo2000pa]

08:03 PM on 10/01/2010

Absolutely agree. 3 is the most important. I throw my raked up leaves on top, before the first snowfall. Tough winters here and it helps protect/feed them through winter