Garlic Growing Information

 

Planting

How much garlic should I Buy? 
Our Hardneck garlic averages 45-55 seeds per pound.  Softnecks average 60 seeds per pound.

Plant in the fall 2-3 weeks after the first frost or about a month before the ground freezes.  Garlic needs this time to establish roots.

Break bulbs into individual cloves and plant each clove with the pointy end up, the basal root plate to the bottom. 

Plant garlic 5-9 inches apart, 2-3 inches deep in rich, well-drained soil.  In general,  large cloves will produce large bulbs and small cloves will produce small bulbs.

Water in the newly planted cloves and mulch.

 
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Growing

Garlic shoots will emerge in the spring.  During their vegetative growth water and weed regularly

Hardneck Varieties will produce a flower stalk at the end of their vegetative growing period.  These stalks, called scapes are delicious edible gourmet Treats.  Most growers cut the scapes about 1/2 inch above the top plant leaf after it has coiled.  This directs energy down to the bulb and often produces larger bulbs.

Taper off watering after the scapes appear.  Garlic should receive no water during the two weeks prior to harvest.

 
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Harvesting and Storing

Harvest Garlic when the bottom leaves have turned brown and there are 4-5 green leaves remaining

Bundle in group of 7-10 and hang to dry, out of direct sunlight.  Do not expose freshly dug bulbs to sunlight or they will burn.

Garlic will dry and cure completely in about 4-6 weeks.  Use fans to aid in drying if conditions are not favorable

Once completely cured, cut neck and roots to 1/2 inch length and store in netted bags.

Store in a dark, cool area.  Remember that softnecks store longer than hardnecks

 
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Due to restrictions on shipping seed garlic, we cannot ship garlic to Hawaii or the following counties in Washington and Idaho

Washington- Adams, Benton, Franklin, and Grant County.

Idaho - Ada, Bingham, Blaine, Boise, Bonneville, Canyon, Cassia, Elmore, Gem, Gooding, Jefferson, Jerome, Lincoln, Madison, Minidoka, Owyhee, Payette, Power, Twin Falls, and Washington.