How to Grow Garlic

Garlic is an easy vegetable to grow even if you don't have a green thumb. How to grow garlic walks you through four simple steps, to teach you how to plant, grow, and harvest garlic. Garlic is an essential ingredient in most Asian, Indian, Mediterranean, and western European cuisines.http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/how-to-plant-and-store-garlic2.htm But besides garlic's myriad cooking uses, it carries a long history as a plant super-charged with health benefits. Garlic's organic compound---touts powerful antibiotic, antioxidant, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory propertieshttp://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20080606/health-perks-of-garlic-fresh-is-best http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20080606/health-perks-of-garlic-fresh-is-best allicin When using garlic, fresh packs the biggest punch, so learn how to easily grow garlic in your own backyard.http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20080606/health-perks-of-garlic-fresh-is-best

Garlic is an easy and economical crop to plant for it produces big yields for a minimal amount of gardening effort. Homegrown garlic boasts a more commanding, distinctive flavor than store-bought varieties, plus its strong odor safeguards your garden by repelling pests.http://www.garlic-central.com/garlic-growing.html http://www.garlic-central.com/garlic-health.html Use your homegrown garlic in your favorite recipeshttp://www.foodnetwork.com/search/Garlic/results.do?fnSearchType=recipe Garden stores and online and mail-order seed houses sell disease-resistant bulbs for planting. Some gardeners have had success planting bulbs bought from a grocery store, but since most are treated with pesticides and chemicals to prevent sprouting, it is not recommended.http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/how-to-plant-and-store-garlic2.htm

Knowing when to harvest garlic is easy--the leaves will dry and turn a yellowish-brown. Planting before winter is crucial to success in spring as the cold is what initiates growth of the plant to develop its roots and side buds, which eventually form cloves. Planted near other plants in your garden, garlic can act as a natural pesticide. If you have rose bushes, planting garlic nearby will keep Japanese beetles and aphids away from your blooms.

Garden stores and online and mail-order seed houses sell disease-resistant bulbs for planting. Some gardeners have had success planting bulbs bought from a grocery store, but since most are treated with pesticides and chemicals to prevent sprouting, it is not recommended.http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/how-to-plant-and-store-garlic2.htm

• Garlic bulbs

• Garden Trowel

• Garden Spade

• Fertilizer

• Compost

• Pruner

• Flower bed or pot

• There are three main varieties of garlic--Softneck (Common), Elephant, and Hardneck.http://www.gardenersnet.com/vegetable/garlic.htm Of course, different varieties are better suited to regional climates, so for best results, plant the regional variety recommended at your neighborhood garden shop.http://www.gardenersnet.com/vegetable/garlic.htm

1. Softneck: You are likely accustomed to the white-skinned 'artichoke' variety of softneck garlic found in grocery stores. Softneck is heartier and easier to grow for varied climates--especially warm weather--and boasts the most distinctive garlic flavor. Additionally, if you want to store bulbs attractively, braid a baker's dozen of softnecks and hang as an ornamental accent in your kitchen or pantry.http://www.garlicfarm.ca/growing-garlic.htm
2. Hardneck: Formed around a central, stiff stalk (hence the name), Hardneck garlic generally produces less cloves and does not store as well over a long period of time as Softneck.http://www.naturalhub.com/grow_vegetable_type_garlic.htm Many gardeners like to plant hardneck because of scapes it produces--the bonus crop.http://www.garliclady.com The curly, white-headed stalks are considered a gourmet delicacy and relished by many as a tasty preview of flavors to come with the harvest.http://www.garliclady.com
3. Elephant: Produces very large cloves but has a milder, more subdued flavor. It is really more akin to a leek.http://www.garlic-central.com/elephant-garlic.html

Planting garlic is a lazy gardener's dream. Simply plant in fall and forget about it over winter. In spring, follow up with minimal maintenance and harvest in July.http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/how-to-plant-and-store-garlic2.htm Garlic is also very cost and space efficient, leaving a tiny carbon footprint--a 3x3 flower bed is enough to yield 60 bulbs.http://www.garlic-central.com/garlic-health.html

Plant in fall, harvest in summer. It's ideal to plant four to six weeks before the season's first killing frost or ground freeze.http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/how-to-plant-and-store-garlic2.htm It's important for the plant to have time to establish roots that will sustain it during the dormancy of winter.http://www.naturalhub.com/grow_vegetable_type_garlic.htm

• It's not necessary to dedicate a section of your garden to garlic--you can plant it anywhere you have room within an existing bed. Here's what to look for when picking a location.

1. Full sunhttp://recipes.howstuffworks.com/how-to-plant-and-store-garlic2.htm
2. Good drainage -without proper drainage, the bulbs are susceptible to rot.http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/how-to-plant-and-store-garlic2.htm
3. If your soil has too much clay or nitrogen, you can plant in a raised bed.http://www.naturalhub.com/grow_vegetable_type_garlic.htm
4. If you do not have a yard, try your hand at container gardening and plant cloves in a pot.http://www.naturalhub.com/grow_vegetable_type_garlic.htm

Garlic requires lots of organic matter, so make sure to plant in rich soil.http://www.bhg.com/gardening/vegetable/vegetables/grow-your-own-garlic

1. Augment soil composition with a garden fertilizer, potting soil, or compost before you sow cloves. Aim for a pH between 6.5 and 7.0.http://www.garlic-central.com/garlic-growing.html
2. For proper drainage, amend your soil with sand, compost, peat moss, and potting soil.http://www.garliclady.com This lightens the soil and adds air, which assists in drainage. Ideally, perform this step 2 or 3 days before planting to give the nutrients time to set up in the new soil.

• Now that you've prepared the soil it's time to plant the garlic cloves.

1. Pull individual cloves from the bulbs, separating out the largest ones. (A bigger clove will in turn produce a bigger bulb.)
2. Space the cloves at least 3 to 6 inches apart, in rows 15 inches apart.http://www.bhg.com/gardening/vegetable/vegetables/grow-your-own-garlic
3. Set the plants 2-3 inches deep in the soil with the pointed end of the clove facing upward and the broader root side down.http://www.bhg.com/gardening/vegetable/vegetables/grow-your-own-garlic

The most important first step is to plant your cloves in good soil. Garlic doesn't require a lot of maintenance, but you do need to be vigilant about watering and weeding. In summer, watch for the leaves to die and turn yellow and brown for a sign of when to harvest.http://www.garlic-central.com/garlic-growing.html

1. Mulching: Covering with a few inches of hay, leaves, or grass clippings help to protect the garlic through winter.http://www.garlicfarm.ca/growing-garlic.htm
2. Watering: Too much moisture in the soil can actually rot the cloves, therefore, water sparingly.http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/how-to-plant-and-store-garlic2.htm
3. Weeding: In spring, make sure to remove all the weeds in the bed so the garlic can thrive without competition.http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/how-to-plant-and-store-garlic2.htm
4. Fertilizing: Add a couple applications of all-purpose fertilizer once in the winter and a couple more times in the spring.http://www.garlic-central.com/garlic-health.html
5. Pruning: If garlic begins to bloom, prune off the scapes. This will only apply if you have planted hardneck garlic. Scapes are edible and can be eaten in a variety of delicious ways, the simplest of which is eaten whole--simply sauteed in butter or olive oil, steamed, or uncooked.http://www.bhg.com/gardening/vegetable/vegetables/grow-your-own-garlic

• Harvest time will be mid-summer.

1. Wait for leaves to change. Knowing exactly when to harvest is something that comes with experience. Look for the top leaves to turn shades of brown and yellow.http://www.gardenersnet.com/vegetable/garlic.htm Harvesting too early will produce undersized bulbs; too late will cause the bulbs to dry out and split.
2. Stop watering. A week or two before uprooting, refrain from watering. Allowing the soil to dry out will make extracting the bulbs easier, as well as develop the signature garlic flavor.http://www.garlicfarm.ca/growing-garlic.htm
3. Extract. When extracting the bulb from the soil, it's best not to use a shovel to dig them up--instead use a garden fork and carefully dig out the bulbs.http://www.garlic-central.com/garlic-growing.html
4. Cure. After removing from the soil, wash the bulbs and stalks under running water. Store away from direct sunlight in a cool, dry place for one to two weeks.http://www.garlic-central.com/garlic-growing.html
5. Use and Store. Cut the roots and stalks off. Store bulbs in your pantry, or braid the stalks together and hang as a rustic accent in your kitchen.http://www.bloomingfieldsfarm.com/garbrdhow.html Garlic has a storage life of up to six months.