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How to Grow and Care for Garlic

garlic Picture
Garlic provides the spicy kick in fresh salsa and enhances the flavor of Italian dishes, but garlic isn't valued for  its flavor alone.  According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, garlic is rich in antioxidants to fight free radicals that contribute to aging, heart disease, and cancer. Garlic may also lower cholesterol and help ward off the common cold, This little powerhouse packs a punch by bringing flavor up a notch while it helps improve your health, too.

How to Grow Garlic

Garlic plants
Garlic can be grown in raised beds.


Location: Garlic prefers a sunny location and does best in 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight a day. The hours of sunlight do not need to be consecutive. Some shade during the hottest part of the day may actually be preferred.

Soil: Garlic prefers rich, organic soil that drains well. Till the soil to a depth of 8 to 10 inches and amend with generous amounts of organic matter, such as manure or compost.

Fertilizer: Garlic benefits from starter fertilizer applied to the soil before planting. Add one to two pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer per 100 square feet and mix it into the top six inches of the soil. Repeat with one pound of fertilizer one month after planting or the in early spring when the ground thaws.

Planting: Plant individual garlic cloves in the fall four to six weeks before the ground freezes. Position the cloves in the soil  with the pointed end up to a depth of one inch. Space them three to five inches apart in rows. Water deeply to encourage good root formation.

Mulching: Mulch garlic with straw or other organic mulch to conserve water and prevent weeds.

Watering: Water garlic deeply once or twice a week during periods of active growth, but avoid over-watering, as garlic prefers slightly dry soil. Stop providing supplemental water by mid- to late-summer when the tops begin to yellow.

Harvesting: Harvest garlic when tops have yellowed and died back. Dig or pull the bulbs from the soil and allow them to dry in a shaded area for 24 hours to "cure."

Storing: Store garlic in a cool, dry place. Some prefer to braid the stalks so that garlic can be hung for easy access. Check the bulbs often for any signs of mold.

Garlic purchased in the grocery store may not grow, or may be the wrong variety for your area. Always purchase healthy bulbs known to produce well in your area.
Copyright © 2014 Nannette Richford



  • Home
  • Garden Thyme Blog
  • Themes
    • Butterfly Gardens
    • Moon Gardens
    • Sensory Gardens
    • All About Fairies
  • Flowers
    • Annual Flowers >
      • Alyssum
      • Cosmos
      • Geraniums
      • Marigolds
      • Morning Glories
      • Nasturtiums
      • Petunias >
        • Reviving Petunias
      • Snapdragons
      • Sunflowers
      • Sweet Peas
      • Zinnias
    • Perennial Flowers >
      • Golden Glow (Rudbeckia laciniata ‘Hortensia’)
      • Lupines
      • Purple Coneflower (Echinacea Purpurea)
    • Maine Wildflowers
  • Veggies
    • Warm Season Vegetables >
      • About Beans >
        • Growing Beans
        • Growing Pole Beans
        • How to Make a Teepee Trellis
      • About Corn >
        • Growing Corn
        • What is Baby Corn, anyway?
        • Can you grow corn in containers?
      • Cucumbers >
        • Grow a cucumber in a bottle
        • Growing Pickling Cucumbers
        • Growing cucamelons (Mexican Gherkin)
        • Why do cucumbers blossom but fail to set fruit?
        • Trellising Cucumbers
        • Making Cucumber Relish
        • Powdery Mildew on Cucumbers
      • Melons
      • Peppers >
        • Growing Peppers
      • Squash >
        • Growing Zucchini
        • Spaghetti Squash
      • Tomatoes >
        • How to Harden Off Tomato Plants
        • How (and when) to Prune Tomatoes
        • Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt) for Tomatoes
        • Blossom End Rot in Tomatoes
        • Growing Cherry Tomatoes in Hanging Baskets
        • 4 Best Tomatoes for Short Seasons - Early Tomatoes
        • 5 Early Maturing Tomatoes for Short Season Gardening
        • How to Ripen Green Tomatoes
        • How to Make Sun-Dried Tomatoes at Home
        • How to Grow a Pomato Plant
    • Cool Season Vegetables >
      • Cole Crops
      • Greens >
        • How to Grow Spinach
        • How to Grow Malabar Spinach
        • How to Grow Swiss Chard
        • Harvesting and Cooking Beet Greens
        • How to Grow Microgreens
      • Onions & Garlic >
        • How to Grow Garlic
        • How to Grow Onions
      • Peas >
        • Growing Garden (shelling) Peas
        • Growing Sugar Snap Peas
      • Potatoes >
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Containers
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Hay Bales
      • Root Crops >
        • Growing Beets
        • How to Grow Carrots
        • Turnips vs Rutabagas
  • Herbs
    • Growing Basil
    • Growing Chives
    • Growing Lavender
    • Herbal Tea Garden
    • How to Grow a Culinary Herb Garden
    • How to Grow Herbs in Sponges
    • Colonial Herb Garden - Classroom Project
    • Herbed Butter
    • Making Herbed Oils
  • Gardening Basics
    • Seed Starting Basics
    • Grafting Basics
    • Soil >
      • Starting a New Garden
      • How to Prepare Soil
      • How to Test Soil Drainage
      • What Type of Soil Do You Have
      • Soil Mix Recipe for Containers
      • How to Make Compost Tea
      • How to Use Mulch
  • Garden Pests
    • How to Control Japanese Beetles
    • How to Control Blister Beetles
    • How to Get Rid of Colorado Potato Beetles
  • Birds
    • Hummingbirds >
      • DIY Hummingbird Feeders from Recycled Bottles
      • Annuals for Hummingbird Gardens
      • Perennials for Hummingbird Gardens
    • About Birdseed
    • Choosing a Birdfeeder
  • Fiddleheads and Fairies
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • How to Marinate Roasted Vegetables