How to Grow Garlic – The Easy Way

This easy guide for how to grow garlic will provide you with all the tips for growing a bounteous garlic harvest that could last you a year!

Garlic Facts

How long does garlic take to grow? Garlic is planted in October – November. It will overwinter and then be harvested June – July.

Can you grow garlic from a clove? Yes, the clove is the “seed” per se. I will talk more later about how to prepare the garlic for planting.

Does garlic come back every year? No, it doesn’t come back. This is because when you harvest the garlic, you pull out the entire bulb from the ground. Thus making it so there is nothing left to grow another bulb of garlic.

Is garlic hard to grow? No! In fact, garlic is one of the easier things to grow in the garden. It seems intimidating because it doesn’t follow the normal plant in the spring and harvest all summer pattern like most fruits and veggies. This easy guide to growing garlic will give you all that you need to know!

Can you grow garlic in pots? Yes you can! As long as you allow the garlic to have enough space and can plant deep enough. I discuss the planting depth and spacing below.

What are the two types of garlic? There are two types of garlic. Hardneck and softneck. Within those two types there are also many varieties that have differing flavors.

Hardneck Garlic

This variety has a stiffer stem, hence the name “hard neck”. It also creates larger bulbs that are easier to peel. This is my favorite variety to grow because I prefer to peel larger cloves as compared to the smaller softneck cloves. Hardneck garlic creates scapes that can be harvested and made into garlic scape pesto or diced and added to salads or pizza. This variety cannot be braided.

Softneck Garlic

The softer neck in this garlic type allows it to be braided and stored as a braid. If you are going for the beauty and aesthetic of braided garlic you will want to choose softneck. This type is what you typically find in the grocery store. I will mention more in my easy guide to growing garlic down below on how to store both soft neck and hard neck garlic.

How do you prepare the garlic for planting?

You will receive a full bulb of garlic when you order one from a seed store or local nursery. Make sure your bulb looks healthy and is free from mold or disease (I have received moldy bulbs before and you don’t want to plant that!). Carefully separate each clove, leaving on the papery covering. Sometimes I will try to do this a few days before planting, but I have also skipped that and it’s been totally fine.

How do you prepare the garden soil for planting?

Prep your soil by adding compost and using a spading fork or broad fork to loosen up the soil. Create a ditch about 6-8 inches deep. If you are going to do multiple rows, space the ditches about 6 inches apart. Place the cloves in the bottom of the ditch about 6 inches apart. ALWAYS plant the clove with the pointy tip pointed up.

How often to water your garlic

I will usually water the garlic the day I plant it and then every three to four days for a few weeks. If you live somewhere that rains a lot, you won’t need to water as much. After the first few weeks after planting, you won’t really need to water it until it until it starts popping out in the spring. Again, if you have lots of snow on the ground or receive plenty of rain, you will not need to water the garlic. Garlic does not like to get soggy and may die if it is over watered.

When to harvest garlic?

Garlic will let you know when it is done growing. You will start to see parts of the stems go yellow and start to die a bit. The leaves will also start to fall completely over. If you are growing a hardneck variety they you will see the scapes form. In the picture above our garlic has the yellow stems and is starting to droop. It probably could have gone a few more weeks, but we were moving in a few days and I wanted to bring my garlic with us!

How to braid softneck garlic

• You will need to know how to do a standard braid for this process
• This will work best with softneck garlic
• Gather three strands of garlic. Make an “X” with two and lay the third on top in the middle of the “X”.
• Take the right strand and cross over the middle, then take the left strand and cross it over the middle strand (Like you would in a standard braid).
• Add another strand of garlic with the bulb slightly lower than the first three bulbs and its stems going down the middle to join the middle strand.
• Cross the right strand over the middle strand.
• Add another strand of garlic to join the middle strand again.
• Now cross the left strand over.
• Repeat this process until you have a decently long braid. I use twine or a zip tie to tie off the top.

How to preserve garlic

If you have created a garlic braid, hang it in a dark warm place to cure. Once it has cured (after about 1-4 weeks) then you will want to hang it somewhere cool and dark. This garlic can last 6-12 months if properly cured and stored in a dark, cool place. Just clip off a bulb when you need one.

For hardneck garlic, cut off the leaves about 1-2 inches above the bulb. Allow to cure in a warm, dry place. Curing for the softneck or hardneck garlic could take anywhere from 1-4 weeks depending on how humid it is where you live. Once the garlic is cured, store in a cool, dark place for 6-12 months.

Pro tip: Save some of your garlic for planting the fall after your harvest. That way you won’t have buy new bulbs each year!

Make a plan to plant garlic in your garden this year! Pin this post to refer back to for growing perfect garlic!