How to Grow Garlic Easily

Garlic tastes great in many meals; and it can be really easy to grow. Garlic is delicious; it can be used in a variety of meals. This article will teach you how to grow garlic easily in your garden.

How to Choose the Cloves to Plant

Garlic is very easy to plant and grow, and you can start by looking right in your kitchen. To plant garlic you will need garlic bulbs. Start by picking out large cloves from each bulb. The larger the clove you start with, the larger the finished bulb will be when you harvest. You can use smaller cloves if you choose, but you are better off using the small cloves in your cooking and saving the large cloves for the garden.

Planting the Garlic Clove

Now that you have chosen the best cloves to plant you can get ready to plant your garlic. Garlic cloves should be planted with the point facing upward. If you examine the clove you will notice one rounded end and one pointy end. Planting the pointed end upward is appropriate. The garlic clove will grow is planted another way, but bulbs will form oddly and not produce as much. Garlic cloves should be planted about 6 inches apart. The bulb should be planted about 3 inches below the surface of the soil.

Ideal Growing Conditions

When planting your garlic there are ideal growing conditions to consider. Garlic likes well drained soil that has a pH of 6.0 to 7.0. Garlic also does not like to compete with weeds and organic matter is important to healthy growth. From May through July garlic will need to be watered frequently.

When to Plant Garlic in your Garden

Garlic is a lot of fun to plant because it can be planted in fall. This will allow you to work in your garden doing planting instead of harvesting or cleaning. Plant your garlic when the soil temperature in your garden is about 60 degrees. This will give the garlic clove time to grow roots. Mulch your garlic about 3 inches deep to prevent the clove from freezing and heaving out of the ground.

Caring for Your Garlic Plants

It is important to cut the topsets of the garlic when they begin to curl. This will allow the bulb to receive more energy. Some people believe that leaving the topsets until they become woody is important for stronger bulbs that preserve longer. If you choose to cut the topsets you can use them like chives while cooking.

Growing garlic in your garden can be easy if you follow these simple tips. These steps will provide you with a wonderful garlic harvest that will make your cooking especially delicious.