11 Great Tips for Growing and Harvesting Garlic on National Garlic Day

Happy National Garlic Day! Where would we be without garlic in our lives? These delicious bulbs make food taste better and keep the vampires away, according to lore.

Are you a garlic lover? Well, if you are, you will be happy to know that it’s fairly simple to grow. Below I’ll give you some tips on growing and harvesting this very popular seasoning.

Planting Garlic & Growing It

garlic

It’s easy to plant garlic. Begin with a planting site that is well-prepared. This way you’ll get the most out of it. Well-drained, nutrient-rich soil is great for a good-sized garlic harvest. Therefore, if you have sandy and porous soil or soil that’s heavy and full of clay, make sure that you use organic matter. This will add nutrients and distribute the water more adequately. If your soil is too heavy and dense, your bulbs might become misshapen.

Tips for Growing:

  • Dig your holes 4-6” apart.
  • Space the rows a minimum of 6” apart.
  • Separate your bulbs so you have cloves
  • Plant your cloves 2” deep with their pointed end facing up and their flat side facing down.
  • Water them thoroughly after they’ve been planted.
  • Use balanced fertilizer if needed.

Notes:

For spring planting, make sure that you’re using mulch. This will protect against any cold snaps. It also will help with keeping your just planted bulbs from becoming dry.

For fall planting, make sure that you use mulch to protect them from cold around 4-6” in depth.

Whether you plant them in the fall or the spring, you will harvest them during the summer.

Harvesting Your Garlic

garlic

Here are some tips for harvesting garlic.

  • Harvest when the lower leaves are brown. There may still be some upper leaves that are green.
  • The whole plant should be lifted up, including the leaves.
  • Shake soil loose carefully.
  • Plants should be dried in a place that is dry and shaded for around 1-2 weeks. This will cure them. If critters and weather permit, leave your garlic in the garden to dry.
  • Once curing is done, remove the leaves and roots. Then store them inside in a spot that’s free of moisture. It’s now ready to use and store once it’s cured!

You can use garlic right after it’s harvested. However, it’s going to store longer if you let it cure first.

I hope that this helped you with planting your garlic. Now, to finish out our blog, here’s a link to some recipes for garlic lovers.

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