Garlic is one of my favorite things to harvest. Probably because it takes 10 months to grow so the harvest is much anticipated. Garlic is also the first ingredient in most of the things I cook so why not grow it myself?! 

Don’t let the growth time of 10 months scare you away. 98% of that time is not hands-on work. 

Types of garlic

The first thing you need to know about growing garlic is that there are two main types: hardneck garlic and softneck garlic. 

Hardneck garlic

Hardneck garlic has a center stalk that hardens after it’s been harvested. It also has thicker skin compared to softneck. Hardneck garlic has a more complex flavor as well. It grows best in cooler climates. It is extremely cold hardy!

Hardneck garlic sends up a garlic scape (what would become the flower) toward the end of its growth. The scapes should be removed once they have curled around once. This allows the plant to send more energy to the bulb instead of flowering. 

Hardneck varieties

There are a few different hardneck varieties or categories that you will see when you start shopping for seed garlic. 

• Rocamboles are the most popular common type. They have large cloves, are easy to peel, and have a strong flavor. These varieties will store around 4-6 months. 
• Purple Stripes are mild and as the name suggests, have purple skins. This may be the oldest variety of garlic. It will store for about 6 months. 
• Porcelain varieties have thick skin and are great for storing. This garlic will store for at least 8 months. 

There are hundreds of varieties of garlic, but in addition to the above, these are the most common hardneck varieties: 

• Chesnok Red
• German White
• Polish Hardneck

Softneck garlic

Softneck garlic has a more subtle flavor and grows best in warmer climates. If you are in the southern US, you will want to grow a softneck variety. 

Elephant garlic

Elephant garlic is not actually garlic! It’s part of the onion family and is a variant of a leek. With that said, it can still be grown and used as garlic. 

Sources for seed garlic (not affiliated)

Here are some sources I would trust for ordering seed garlic for your first year of growing. In subsequent years you can use your own garlic to grow more! 

• Filaree Garlic Farm – I’ve ordered from them 3 times and have always had received a great product.
• Territorial Seed – I’ve heard great things about this company and wouldn’t be afraid to order from them. 
• Baker Creek I’ve ordered other garden seeds from them and have been impressed with the quality. I would not hesitate to try their garlic. 
• High Mowing Seeds – I’ve ordered other garden seeds from them and have been impressed with the quality. I would not hesitate to try their garlic. 

Buying tip

If you are overwhelmed with what to buy, most sellers usually have a bundle of varieties you can try. The thing with gardening is it’s always an experiment. You just have to start with something and observe how it does and make adjustments. 

I have tried Music, Russian Red, Chesnok Red, Klamath Wild, & Khabar. So far Klamath Wild, Music, and Khabar have produced the largest bulbs. 

Pay special attention to:

• Shipping date: If you are in a northern climate, it won’t work for you to receive the garlic in November (I explain the best planting time below). 
• Harvest time: there are varieties that you can harvest in the spring, these can work for southern climates, but not if you have a cold winter. 
• Storage: some varieties do not store well. If you want to harvest in the summer and have enough garlic for the year, make sure you choose a variety that stores well. 

I would advise NOT planting garlic you get from the store. You won’t know what variety it is and there’s a possibility to introduce foreign things to your soil. Grocery store garlic is most often softneck garlic, which won’t work in all climates. I would stick to a reputable seller above. 

Let’s grow garlic! 

From here on out, I’m going to speak from a northern gardener perspective. I am in zone 4 and grow hardneck garlic. If you are somewhere in the south where you can grow softneck, I will not be a great source of knowledge for you. 

When to plant garlic

Garlic should be planted about 4-6 weeks before your soil freezes solid (not your first frost). This date might be hard to guess, but there are a few weeks of flexibility in choosing when to plant. 

Another advisable date is 2 weeks after your killing frost. Our killing frost is usually the 2nd or 3rd week of September. Historically I’ve lost track of time and have not planted my garlic until October 11-18. So I would say I have anywhere from September 30 to October 10 to plant. 

The goal of planting garlic is to allow it some time to establish roots, but not allow any top growth. 

Preparing to grow garlic

Garlic loves full sun and well drained soil. Before planting, prepare your soil. Garlic needs nitrogen (compost, manure, fish fertilizer). I prefer to mix in some bone meal and worm castings before planting. 

How to plant garlic

1. Separate the cloves a day a couple days before planting. DO NOT PEEL THE CLOVES.
2. Plant the cloves root side down 2” into the soil. Space the cloves 6” apart and space rows 9” apart. 
3. Water in your garlic (if necessary). I find that this usually isn’t necessary for me as the soil is generally very damp or we are getting rain. 
4. Mulch: tuck your garlic in with 3-6 inches of mulch. Straw, leaves, or grass clippings will all work. 
5. Wait until spring!

Spring maintenance

Some people may remove the mulch in the spring, but I actually leave mine. It helps with moisture retention and keeping weeds down. If it’s an overly wet year or there is concern for disease, you certainly can remove it once the soil has warmed. 

I generally haven’t historically fertilized my garlic again in the spring. I rotate my garden so I don’t plant the garlic in the same place every year. If you do plant in the same place, you likely will want to add additional nitrogen in the spring as garlic is a heavy feeder. It can be helpful to add a feeding when the soil is workable. But once the bulbs form, you don’t want to add any additional fertilizer. 

When to harvest 

Garlic scapes

About 4-6 weeks before hardneck garlic is ready to be harvested, the center stem will shoot up and curl around. This is called a garlic scape. If allowed to continue to grow, this would become the flower. When that center stem curls around once, the scape is ready to be harvested. By removing the scape, the bulb will grow larger. 

Bulb harvest

A few weeks after the scape is removed the foliage of the plant will start to brown. Once the bottom 2-3 leaves are brown and shriveled, you can harvest the bulb!

It’s ideal to harvest after there have been some dry days. Simply use a metal pitchfork to loosen the soil a few inches away from the bulb and then pull the bulb up. Knock any large clumps of soil off but don’t be too aggressive. 

Curing garlic 

Once harvested garlic must cure before it’s stored. Curing is simply drying it so it won’t mold or mildew while in storage. I typically cure mine for about 4 weeks. You will know it’s done curing when there is no more green in the stem. 

My husband built me a large wood frame with some 1” wire stapled to it for me to cure my garlic, onions, and potatoes. You can also hang them in bunches. My first couple years I used a dog crate!

You want to hang them in a place that has good airflow and is out of direct sunlight. If you are in a hot or humid area, you may want to place a fan on the garlic for a week or two. 

Storing Garlic

Once you’ve grown your garlic and cured it, it’s ready to go into storage. Garlic prefers to be in a cool dark place. I keep mine in our garage which is about 55* all winter. Ideal storage is somewhere between 35-55*. Do not store garlic in the refrigerator! The cool temperature and humidity will cause the cloves to become soft and sprout. 

You can store your garlic in a garlic braid or cut the center stem down and place it in a mesh produce bag or a basket. 

Enjoy! 

Last but certainly not least ENJOY your garlic! This is the best part about the whole process!