Grow your own garlic!
If you want to grow some garlic, this is the time of year to do it! Garlic started in the fall helps the bulbs grow to larger sizes. I just put mine in the ground this weekend and I’m sure they will sprout up a bit before winter fully arrives, but that’s ok! So, if you want to grow some garlic, here you go!
Step 1: get your bulbs from a reputable company. I save mine every year, so I already know that the variety that I grow does well here! (You could always buy some from your own farmer’s market!)
Step 2: separate out the individual cloves for planting. Leave the paper coating on them! I don’t plant the smaller sliver pieces, I save those to cook with!
Step 3: make sure the soil has plenty of compost mixed in, and dig a nice little trench. The garlic gets planted about 2 inches deep.
Step 4: place the garlic cloves 2 inches down with the flat end down and pointed end up!
Step 5: place the cloves 4 inches apart and the rows (I only did one row) should be about 12” apart.
Step 6: cover over all the cloves and make sure you leave a marker or something to remember where you planted it in the spring!
Step 7: cover the row with something! You could use straw, wood chips, or you could use leaves like I did. (They were right beside the raised bed and free!)
Come spring time, you will see little sprouts poking up through the soil and by around June, you will be harvesting some garlic!
You will know that it is ready to be harvested when about half of the leaves are dying back and turning yellowish-brown.
Then, you will need to dry it out. This year I learned to braid it and hung it in my basement to dry out!
So, get out there and plant that garlic! It really is that easy! If you have any questions, I’ll do my best to answer!
