Planting Garlic in the Fall
Garlic is one of the easiest & most rewarding plants to grow! This hardy, low-maintenance crop is a wonderful addition to any veggie patch, and it’s a lot of fun!
Here are some of our favorite reasons to plant garlic at home:
The Best Flavour: Homegrown garlic from your own soil is sweeter, more potent, flavourful, and as it adapts to your soil, it begins to take on its own distinct qualities from your garden.
Surprisingly Easy: Garlic is very forgiving and low-maintenance. Once you've planted the cloves in the fall, and laid down a layer of mulch, you can pretty much let nature do its thing.
Deterring Pests: Planting garlic in the garden is a great way to deter many common pests. Its strong scent naturally repels a variety of insects, including aphids, spider mites, and cabbage loopers, which helps to protect your other plants.
Scapes: With hardneck varieties, you'll get a bonus harvest! The edible flowering stalk (the scape) is a seasonal delicacy that can be used in pesto, stir-fries, and more. It's a treat you can't easily find anywhere else.
Space-Efficient: Garlic doesn't take up much room. You can plant all you'll need in a small garden bed, providing you with a fresh supply for months. If you really enjoy garlic, planting about five pounds each season will cover a family of four for the year.
Garlic forever! Once you start growing, and re-growing your own garlic, you’ll never need to buy it again. Every season you can save some of your bulbs for replanting the next season's harvest!
When should I plant garlic?
Plant garlic cloves in the fall, typically from late September to late October. This should be after your first hard frost but before the ground completely freezes. This timing is essential as it gives the cloves a chance to establish roots before winter sets in.
Planting
Where to Plant: Choose a spot that gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day. The soil should be loose and well-draining.
How to Plant: Loosen the soil to a depth of 8 inches and mix in some compost or manure to enrich it. Just before you plant, separate your garlic bulbs into individual cloves. Plant each clove with the pointed end facing up, about 6 inches deep and 8-12 inches apart. Larger spacing will increase the bulb size at harvest.
Mulching: Once you've planted your cloves, cover the bed with a 3-4 inch layer of straw or shredded leaves. This mulch insulates the soil and protects the cloves from freezing and thawing, which can push them out of the ground.
Growing (Spring & Summer)
After a long winter, your garlic will be some of the first plants to emerge in early spring, pushing right through the mulch.
Weeding & Watering: Keep the area around your plants free of weeds to prevent competition for nutrients and water. Be sure to water regularly, especially during dry spells, to help the bulbs grow large.
Scape Removal (critical for bulb growth): In late spring or early summer, your garlic plants will form a looping flower stalk, called a scape. When you see this stalk start to curl, snap it off. Removing the scape directs all of the plant's energy toward growing a bigger, healthier bulb instead of producing a flower. The good news is these scapes are edible and make a great addition to stir-fries or pesto!
Harvesting (Summer)
Harvesting at the right time is crucial for both bulb size and storage life.
When to Harvest: Your garlic is ready to be harvested in mid-summer (July/August) when about half of the leaves have turned yellow and brown. Don't wait until all the leaves have died back, as this can cause the bulbs to split apart.
How to Harvest: Carefully loosen the soil around the bulbs with a garden fork. Gently lift the bulbs out of the ground, taking care not to damage them. Brush off any excess dirt, but do not wash the bulbs! Washing them can cause rot during the curing process.
Drying & Curing
Curing is the final, essential step for long-term storage and flavor development. You'll hang the plants, slowly drying them; preparing them for storage.
Preparation: Do not wash the bulbs. Just gently brush off any excess dirt.
Curing Location: Hang the entire plants—leaves, roots, and all—in a dry, dark, and well-ventilated space. A garage, shed, or covered porch is perfect. Avoid direct sunlight, as it can damage the bulbs.
Duration: Curing typically takes 3 to 4 weeks. You'll know the garlic is ready when the outer wrappers are dry and papery, the neck is tight, and the roots are brittle.
Storage: Once cured, trim the roots, brush off the bulbs and cut the stems, leaving about an inch of stem attached. Store your cured garlic in a cool, dark, and dry place with good air circulation.
Once you start growing your own garlic, it will quickly become a yearly tradition. You'll find yourself looking forward to the crisp autumn days when you tuck the cloves into the soil, knowing you're setting the stage for next year's harvest. This simple and rewarding cycle is what homegrown garlic is all about.
Browse: Seed Garlic
Download our PDF: Guide to Planting Garlic in the Fall