How to Grow Garlic

Helpful gardening guides

• How to Start a Garden

When to plant

Match these relative steps to your local seasons. Where frost applies, use the last freezing night in spring and the first in fall. In frost-free climates, follow trusted local seasonal guidance.

• Sow outdoors 0 to 8 weeks after the start of your growing seasonPlant during your local fall window. In cold-winter regions, Minnesota Extension uses one or two weeks after the first killing frost. Ask a local extension office if winters are mild.

What you need

• 
  How to start itFrom seedYou can sow it straight into the ground.
• 
  How deep to plant2 to 3 in

• 
  How far apart3 to 4 inLeave 6 to 10 in between rows.

Step by step

1. 1Choose healthy seed garlicBuy firm cloves from a reputable seed source. Grocery-store garlic may not suit your climate and can carry disease.
2. 2Prepare a sunny, draining bedLoosen the soil and add finished compost if needed. Garlic needs moisture, but not standing water.
3. 3Plant each clove pointed side upSeparate the bulb shortly before planting. Set cloves 2 to 3 inches deep and 3 to 4 inches apart.
4. 4Mulch for winterAdd 3 to 4 inches of clean leaves or straw to protect the bed and slow early weeds.
5. 5Keep weeds from taking overYoung garlic grows slowly. Weed shallowly so you do not damage the bulbs or roots.
6. 6Water during active growthKeep the soil evenly moist in spring, then stop watering as the leaves begin to mature.
7. 7Cut hardneck scapes if you wishSnip the curly stalk and eat it. Removing it can direct more growth toward the bulb.
8. 8Lift when the leaves give the signalHarvest while roughly half the upper leaves are still green, then cure the whole plants with good airflow.

Common mistakes

• Planting cloves upside downThe pointed end belongs at the top. An upside-down clove wastes energy bending its shoot toward the surface.
• Letting weeds crowd young garlicGarlic grows slowly at first and does not compete well. Keep the bed clear without digging deeply.
• Watering too close to harvestWet soil delays curing and makes storage problems more likely. Stop as the leaves begin to mature.
• Waiting for every leaf to turn brownVery late bulbs can split open and store poorly. Harvest while about half the upper leaves remain green.

Water

Average thirst

Water deeply enough to moisten the root zone during active growth. Stop watering when the leaves begin to mature, about two weeks before harvest.

• Too dry
• About right
• Too wet

• If it goes drySuffers quickly when dryBulbs stay smaller, especially when the plant is actively filling them.
• If it stays wetRots quickly in wet groundWet soil near harvest delays curing and raises the risk of bulb and storage problems.

Harvest

You will know it is ready when: The lower leaves have turned yellow or brown while about half of the upper leaves remain green. A sample bulb has cloves that fill their skins.

Loosen the soil and lift each bulb carefully with its leaves attached. Do not pull hard on the tops or bruise the bulb.

• Keeping itCure whole plants in a warm, dry, airy place out of direct sun until the skins are papery and the roots are dry. Then trim and store the bulbs dry in an open mesh bag.

Common problems

• Grey mould

  Cosmetic, the crop is still fine

  Botrytis can occasionally affect garlic. Start with healthy cloves and cure harvested bulbs with good airflow.

  What to look for: Grey fuzz on ripening fruit, often starting where two berries touch.

  What to do & prevention

  Prevention: Pick ripe fruit promptly, keep fruit off the soil, and give plants room.

  What to do: Remove affected fruit and leaves and put them in the bin, not the compost heap.

Questions people ask