A Guide to Selecting, Planting,

Harvesting, Curing, and Storing

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 Introduction

Growing garlic at home opens up a whole new world of colors, shapes, and flavors that
you just can't find in your grocery store.

Garlic is one of the oldest cultivated plants on earth. For thousands of years, it was
carried on horseback and camelback from one region to the next by nomadic people. It
has morphed, changed, evolved, and adapted to various climates during that time.
Growing garlic is easy, fun, and rewarding, and a great way to participate in the history
of this amazing culinary crop.

Unlike a regular seed, garlic is clonally propagated and passed on from one generation
to the next as bulbs. The individual cloves that make up those bulbs are what's planted.

Garlic bulbs can be saved and the cloves planted out each year in your garden. After
about 3-4 years, the garlic will adapt to the unique climate, soil, and moisture of your
area.

There are two main categories that all garlic varietals fall into - hardneck and softneck,
so named because of their stalks. While softneck garlic has pliable stalks that can be
braided for storage and an attractive display, hardneck garlic stalks are woody, stiff,
and not suitable for braiding. But the differences don’t end there.

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 Hardneck Garlic

Hardneck garlic (Allium sativum ophioscorodon) is more likely to have hues of pink and
purple. Hardneck garlic is also known to have a more intense flavor than softneck varieties.

As a general rule, hardneck varieties are more cold-hardy. This makes them more suitable
for growers in northern climates while softneck tend to do better in the south.

Hardneck garlic cloves have the benefit of being easier to peel, and hardneck heads are
typically bigger than softneck heads.

Most varieties of hardneck garlic fall into one of the following three categories:

Standard Purple Stripe

This group has bright purple streaks and blotches on both bulb wrappers and the clove
skins. These are the most attractive-looking garlics and are also very flavorful. There are
two subvarieties of this group - Glazed Purple Stripe and Marble Purple Stripe.

Glazed Purple Stripe: The bulb and clove colors are more of a royal purple with subtle shiny gold
and/or silver hues. Cloves are shorter & less elongated and there are fewer
cloves per bulb.

Marble Purple Stripe: Bulb wrappers may be mottled rather than striped. Most strains have only 4
to 7 cloves per bulb and storage is slightly longer than either Rocambloes or
standard Purple Stripes.

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Porcelain
Most Porcelains have satiny white bulb wrappers with only 4 to 6 symmetrical cloves
per bulb. Their cloves are often as large and mistaken for elephant garlic.
Their flavor rivals that of Rocamboles and because of their smooth, tight bulb
wrappers, they store longer. Their large cloves are large but yield fewer plants and
smaller yields than other garlic varieties.

Rocambole
These are the most widely known and grown of the hardnecks and boast a more full-
bodied flavor than softnecks. Rocamboles produce large cloves which are easily
peeled, but their loose skins result in a shorter storage life than most other varieties.
Longer storage is possible if bulbs are well grown and well cured before storage.
Cloves range from tan to brown. Spanish Roja is a popular Rocambole that has the
truest garlic flavor of all varieties - great spice with a sugary sweetness to it.

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 Scapes

Hardneck garlic grows a flower stem called a scape. Garlic scapes are like a bonus
crop. In spring, the curly garlic stem will bloom into a flower if left to grow, but
this is not what’s best for your garlic.

Instead of the plant putting that energy into flowering and setting seed (or
bulbils, in the case of garlic) it’s better to remove the scape so that energy goes
into bulb production rather than producing seed. Not doing so might reduce size.

Scapes are edible with a mild garlic flavor. Harvest before they're woody and after
they form one curl. To remove, cut the scape above the top leaf of the plant.

That fresh scape is a delicious treat that you can enjoy many weeks before the
garlic head is ready to cook with. Mince garlic scapes to make pesto, grill them,
saute them, mix them in with stir-fry — or even use them in soup.

And garlic scapes can be a substitute for green onions in almost any recipe that
calls for them. The texture is like asparagus, and the flavor is mild yet
unmistakably garlic.
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 Softneck Garlic

Softneck garlic is better suited to southern climates. Even though a softneck variety
may be rated for USDA hardiness zones 7-10, that doesn’t mean that it will perform
well in the northernmost reaches of zone 7. This is because day-length is another
consideration when growing alliums.

After the stalks have been cut off, it is a bit harder to tell softneck and hardneck
garlic heads apart. But once you break apart a head, you’ll notice that the stalk is
absent from a softneck garlic head and the cloves are packed in closer together.

Softneck garlic lasts longer in storage than hardneck, including the curing period.
Softneck can last for six months or even longer, while hardneck typically lasts from
three to four months.

Softneck garlic usually has all-white bulbs while hardneck varieties have more pink
and purple hues. There are two varieties of softneck garlic.

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Artichoke
Named for their overlapping layers of cloves similar of the true Artichoke. They are
large bulbed with plants that are shorter than hardneck varieties. When stressed,
Artichokes may produce hard necks and seed heads. At times, they may also
produce large bulbils from the lower part of the stem.

Silverskin

This softneck variety is what you generally see sold in stores due to its long shelf life.
Silverskins have a wonderful flavor and are the highest-yielding variety. They also do
well in a wide range of climates. They have smooth, all-white bulb wrappers with
three clove layers. Outer cloves are usually flat and wide while inner cloves are tall,
narrow, and concave. Silverskins are the most popular variety for braiding.

Varieties that Can be Hardneck or Softneck

Creoles
Creole, sometimes called “Mexican Purple” garlic in the southwest is a heat-loving
garlic with solid purple cloves that performs best in mild winter climates and
southern locations. Genetically they’re considered a softneck Silverskin, but they can
bolt and make a weak flower stalk and behave like a hardneck. Creoles often have a
sweet taste and are long storing.

Asiatic
Asiatics are classified as hardnecks that are genetically closest to Rocambole, Purple
Stripe, and Porcelain. Bulbs grow to a decent size without removing the flower stalk.
Bulbs are typically striped with fine lines and cloves are firm and plump with thick
skins. Harvest this variety just as soon as leaves begin to brown to prevent bulb
wrappers from splitting open. These can be stored for about 4 months.

Turban
Turbans are weak bolting, early maturing garlics that may be softneck in mild winter
climates. Like Asiatics, they should be harvested a week or so after the emergence of
their seed heads. The heavily striped bulbs are a great early season producer before
other garlics appear. Cloves are normally plump, with a light, glossy pink to brown
color. Turbans store for approximately 4 months.

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 Sourcing The Best Garlic

Before ordering garlic to grow at home, think about your geographic area and
determine what varietals do best in your climate. Some do well in the heat of the south
while others prefer a colder climate.

The garlic that you find at your local grocery store is usually from China and may not be
suited to grow in your region.

Order seed garlic from a trusted source. A reputable farm will practice crop rotation
and will inspect for disease, viruses, and insect pressure.

Organic garlic seed that is grown in rich alive soils will result in more vitality.
Additionally, organic garlic is not treated with sprout inhibitors like what you buy in the
grocery store.

A lot of time, energy, and money is put into good soil when grown organically, and
garlic is better adapted to compete with weeds, pest pressure, and to grow without
synthetic fertilizer.

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 When and How to Plant

Plant in fall in Northern climates and later for southern climates. About 2-3 weeks
before the first hard freeze or the coldest part of your winter is ideal. For most
people, planting in mid-October will work out just fine.

The risk with planting too early is that you may get a lot of top growth while it's
warm and then when cold weather arrives, it can freeze top growth down to the
bulb and damage the crop. The key is to achieve good root growth with minimal
or no top growth. The downside to planting too late is not enough time for the
crop to mature.

Garlic grows best and produces the biggest heads when planted in soil that drains
readily and is rich in organic matter. It does not love to be waterlogged. A
mineral-rich sandy loam with a lot of compost or composted manure is ideal.

Garlic also performs best in soil with a pH in the range of 6.5-6.7.

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At planting time, break up a head of garlic and separate the cloves taking care not to
damage individual cloves. Leave the paper wrappers on the cloves, and compost any
cloves that have holes in them or other signs of damage. Choose the biggest cloves
to plant, as they will produce the biggest heads.

Cloves should always be planted with the pointed side up and the root-end down,
just like when planting flower bulbs. Take a trowel and dig parallel furrows 2 inches
deep and 1 foot apart. Space garlic cloves in the furrows 4 inches apart and cover
them with soil so the surface is level once again, and then water in.

If you are working in an irregularly shaped space, don’t worry about creating neat
furrows. Instead, while being conscious of the spacing requirements between cloves,
make 2-inch-deep holes with your fingers in any pattern you choose.

Either immediately upon planting or soon before frost is expected, protect the garlic
with a generous application of mulch.

Loose straw makes for a great insulating mulch. Apply in a 6-inch layer. Alternatively,
4 inches of shredded leaves are just as effective. In warmer climates where the
ground doesn’t freeze, all that’s needed is 2 inches of organic mulch to block weeds
and retain moisture.

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 Feeding & Fertilizing

Resist the urge to add fertilizer at planting time, as it may stimulate vigorous
growth early on that will be damaged in the event of a hard winter freeze.

While the natural inclination may be to add phosphorous which is best suited for
bulb growth and development it's often already present in the soil at sufficient
levels. In such cases, adding more doesn’t help.

Nitrogen is an important nutrient for garlic, especially in spring for foliage health,
which is the main lifeline to bulb development below ground. If you do fertilize, do
so only in the spring during rapid growth.

Starting in early spring with the first sprouts apply a foliar spray of fish/seaweed
emulsion and organic calcium source. Spray every week to 10 days throughout
the growth. The bulbing stage is in May for most of the U.S, so hold off on
nitrogen fertilizer so energy can be diverted into bulbs.

If you have good soil, it's likely that no amendments are necessary. So first find
out the nutrient makeup of your soil. A soil test will provide that information.

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 Watering Garlic

To achieve optimal bulb formation and reduce plant stress, avoid overwatering or
underwatering garlic plants. Too little water can stress plants, and too much water
can cause bulb rot.

Water garlic like you would any plant early in the season giving it about an inch of
water per week if you haven't had any rain.

Once foliage starts to turn brown, continue to water deeply but not as frequently -
about once every 2 weeks and for longer at a time.

Within 3 weeks of harvest, cut off water to garlic. A lot of excess moisture while the
garlic is bulbing up for harvest causes too much water to surround the bulb which
creates issues with fungus, splitting of wrappers, and discoloration of wrappers.

In the winter, when the ground is frozen or when the outdoor temperature is below
freezing, cease supplemental watering until the ground thaws and temperatures rise
again.

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When & How to Harvest Garlic

In Southern climates, fall-planted garlic may be ready to be pulled up as soon as May

or June. In the North, harvest time will likely be around the middle of July or as last as
mid-August.

When garlic is approaching maturity, the leaves running up the stalk turn yellow then
brown, starting at the bottom of the plant and moving up. The leaves begin to lose
their vigor and start to flop over. This is a good sign that your garlic is almost ready.

When the first four leaves, counting from the bottom, have browned, it's ready to
harvest. Each drying leaf becomes a clove's storage wrapper. This is about a third of
the stalk’s height.

When at least half of your garlic plants reach this stage, cease watering for a week,
then perform a test by digging up one bulb or dig down around the bulb to see if it
curves without a whole lot of shoulder. That means it's not ready. If the shoulders
create a shelf with a distinction between the stem and the bulb then it's ready to
harvest.

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Before trying to pull up garlic, carefully loosen the soil around it with a trowel or a
garden fork. Then the bulb should come out of the ground with ease. Yanking it out
of the soil will often break the stalk from the bulb.

If the first bulb appears much smaller than the variety was expected to grow to, give
the bulbs another week to grow, and then try another. Be mindful that the smallest
cloves planted will not catch up to the size of the bulbs produced by the biggest
cloves.

Beware of leaving bulbs in the ground for too long. The cloves will begin to separate
and the protective skin may crack.

When garlic is harvested, do not remove the stalk or roots. Garlic needs to be cured
for storage first, or it will have a very short shelf-life. Just shake off the loose dirt, but
do not rinse or scrub the garlic.

Keep the entire plant intact and don’t let it get wet. If it is a warm, dry day, the garlic
will benefit from a few hours outdoors to dry out, but it’s best to avoid high
temperatures over 90 F, and direct sunlight. And if it’s wet out, it’s best to get the
garlic indoors straightaway.

Be sure to set aside your largest bulbs to plant the largest cloves. You can repeat the
cycle indefinitely and your garlic will continue to improve and adapt to your area.

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 Curing & Storing Garlic

Curing is an essential process that will toughen up the bulb and get it ready for
storage. Curing also improves the flavor.

After harvest, garlic needs 3 weeks of warm weather out of the sun in a well-
ventilated area such as a shed, barn, or garage. Leave garlic plant intact and cure on
racks or bundle and hang to dry.

When it's ready, the outer skin of each head of garlic should be dry and papery. To
check progress, cut off a stem just above the bulb and check for any moisture. The
bulb side of the cut stem should be bone dry.

At this point, the stalks and roots can be cut off and composted. In the case of
softneck garlic, the stalks may be left on for braiding.

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Temperatures of around 50-60 degrees are ideal for storage. At room temperature in
a dry room garlic will last one or two months, if not longer. At cooler temperatures,
down to 40° Fahrenheit, garlic will last its longest. How long garlic will store depends
on the group.

A basement or garage is a great place for a home grower to store garlic as long as
it's cool and dry.

Storing at a relative humidity of 60 to 70% with good airflow helps prevent the
accumulation of moisture. Cool, dark, dry-ish conditions are optimal. If too dry, the
garlic bulbs will dehydrate.

Garlic deteriorates faster once a clove has been broken off from the head, so it’s best
to keep heads whole until cloves are needed. While it's best to store in a dry, dark
place to discourage sprouting, refrigeration is not recommended.

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Links & Resources
Podcast Episode 228 - Growing Great Garlic

The joe gardener Show Podcast

The joegardener Online Gardening Academy
joegardener Blog

joegardenerTV YouTube Channel

Growing a Greener World
Growing a Greener World TV
Filaree Farm

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 About Joe Lamp'l
Joe is the founder and "Joe" behind
joegardener.com—a website and digital media
platform devoted to environmentally
responsible gardening and sustainable
outdoor living.

Joe's weekly podcast, The joe gardener Show,

is full of practical gardening tips and
information and is the #1 rated podcast in the
Gardening category on Apple Podcasts.

Joe is deeply committed to “growing a greener world” through his television series,
podcasts and books including, The Green Gardener’s Guide, and more.

When not talking, podcasting, or writing about gardening and living green, Joe can
likely be found in and around his organic garden and spending time with his family
on their north Atlanta, GA farm.

Special Thanks
Alley Swiss, Owner of Filaree Farm
Garlic Growing Knowledge & Expertise

Brendan O'Reilly
Copywriting & Research

Amy Prentice
Design & Copywriting
Photography: Cover & Pages 1-3, 5-8, 9, 10, & 12

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