Now's the time to plant garlic

Garlic is a member of the allium family, which includes leeks, shallots and onions. There are many different varieties of garlic, all of which fall into three general categories: Softneck, Hardneck and Elephant garlic.

Softneck garlic is the kind you will generally find in the grocery store. The two common types of softneck garlic are artichoke and silverskin. Artichoke garlic generally stores well and has a mild flavor, such as Inchelium Red and Early Italian Purple. Silverskin includes Italian Late (very aromatic with robust flavor) and Nootka Rose (very strong flavor). Softneck garlics have a flexible stalk which can be braided.

Hardneck garlics also have a stalk –called a scape- which coils at the top. Hardneck garlic  will produce a flower consisting of a number of small edible bubils or tiny bulbs. Hardnecks dry to a hard stem, hence the name.  As a group, they have a deeper, richer flavor than softnecks do, but they don’t store as well as softnecks. Select German Red or Spanish Roja for long lasting, strong flavor. Elephant garlic is the largest garlic. It is easy to peel, has a long shelf life and a mild, sweet flavor.

Garlic is best planted in October. Start with a good, quality bulb.

Break the bulb, called “cracking” into individual cloves. Each clove will produce its own plant, containing 6-8 cloves per bulb.

Garlic likes sun and well-drained soils, so incorporate a good soil amendment such as Sheep, Peat and Compost into your planting. This organic soil is produced locally.

Add some Bone Meal to the planting site, to encourage rooting. Garlic is a very friendly plant and grows well planted with other flowers and vegetables in the garden as well as in the perennial bed. Plant each clove about 2” deep, pointy end up and spaced about 6” apart. Like other spring flowering bulbs, garlic planted now will set roots and start to grow. As the soil temperature cools down, growth stops and the bulb remains dormant until it's warm enough in the spring. Garlic can be mulched in early winter, after the ground freezes. Adding mulch will hold in moisture and keep the ground stable. Garlic planted in October is usually ready for harvest the next July or August. 

When the leaves are one-third to one-half brown, it's time to dig your garlic, using a garden fork to lift each bulb.  Growing garlic in your own garden is easy and it gives you the opportunity to try varieties you might not find in the store.