This fairly low maintenance crop, which takes up little space, can even be grown in a patio containers. There is still just about time to get garlic in the ground this year as it needs a period of 3-4 weeks below 7℃, and in Scotland, we can still manage that!
To successfully grow garlic, you need to know a few key things:
Most varieties of garlic are best planted in late autumn or early winter, as the cloves need that period of cold weather to make each one split into more cloves. This is one crop which loves a good frost.
Spring planted garlic such as ‘Solent Wight’, ‘Picardy Wight’ and ‘Carcassonne Wight’ can be planted before the end of February, or even into March if the weather is still chilly, to allow it to benefit from at least a month of cold.
Although the crop may not be as big as cloves planted in autumn, one benefit from a spring planting is that the bulbs are not sitting for months in water-logged soil which can lead to rotting.
Garlic requires a long growing season so bear that in mind when choosing your planting spot. Choose a warm, sunny location, in fertile, well-drained soil. Do not plant in soil that has recently been used for other plants from the Allium family, including garlic.
Before planting, dig in some home-made compost or well-rotted manure.
Simply break up the bulbs into separate cloves and plant with the fat end downwards and the pointy end 2.5cm (1”) below the soil surface. Garlic should not be planted deeply. Push cloves in, or use a dibber to make holes 10cm (4”) apart, leaving 30cm (12”) between rows.
Birds can often pull the cloves out of the soil if they spot them, so lay bird netting or horticultural fleece over new plants until the shoots are 5cm (2”) tall.
Top Tip: note down the date sown next to the variety sown in order to learn how long garlic takes to mature in your local growing conditions.
If you have no available space, or your plot has previously been affected by onion white rot, then you can grow garlic in containers. Your planter should be at least 15cm (6”) deep and wide. Fill it with peat-free multipurpose compost, sowing three cloves in a 15cm (6”) wide pot. Feed from April when you see strong growth for around six weeks, using a high nitrogen feed such as dried chicken manure pellets.
Garlic, luckily, needs very little care. Water regularly in spring and early summer if the weather is very dry but take care not to over-water or you will increase the chance of the bulbs rotting. Reduce watering once you see the foliage turning yellow, a sign that the bulbs are reaching maturity.
Weed carefully between plants to reduce competition for water and nutrients. This is best done by hand, as hoeing can damage the developing bulbs.
Garlic will often produce a curling, edible, flower stalk or scape while it is growing, which straightens out as it matures, to carry a head of tiny, clove-like bulbils. It is best to remove the scape as soon as it appears so that the plant will divert its energy into producing a larger bulb. You can use the scape in salads and stir fries for a mild garlic taste.
Garlic is generally pest free and is only affected by two main problems:
This is a fungal infection that is more common in wet weather, appearing as rusty-coloured spots on the leaves which then begin to die back. The bulbs are perfectly safe to eat but harvest affected plants immediately to prevent the disease spreading and eat them straightaway. Do not add to the compost heap and avoid growing garlic, leeks or onions in the same place for three years.
This is a soil-borne disease, which can decay the roots and eventually the bulb, presenting as yellowing, wilting foliage, usually around harvest time, when the leaves would be dying back anyway. When you dig up the plant, the base of the bulb can host a white fluffy fungus, along with tiny black growths. In severe cases, the bulb will be black and rotten. Dig up all of the affected plants and bin or burn them, do not add them to the compost heap. The crop, if any can be saved, will be fine to eat but will not store well. Rotate crops in the Allium family away from that growing space for the next three years.
While autumn-planted garlic will be ready to harvest in June and July, spring-planted garlic will be ready by late summer, early autumn. When the leaves start to wither and yellow, it is time to harvest garlic. Gently lift out the bulbs with a fork, taking care not to damage them and leave to dry in the sun for a few days before storing.
Once the bulbs are dry and feel papery to touch, you can either store them loose or plait their foliage to make a traditional string of bulbs. Store in a cool, dry place. Take care not to bruise the bulbs, as any damage can make them deteriorate in storage. In good condition, garlic bulbs can be stored for up to three months.
While it is possible to grow garlic from supermarket bulbs, it is not recommended as there is a risk of virus infection and bulbs bought in to supermarkets can often be imported from warmer climates so would get the shock of their life if planted out in our winter.
For the best crop of pungent garlic bulbs, buying certified garlic sets from a garden centre or online plant specialist ensures it will be virus free and often bred especially for our cooler climate.
Good luck with growing garlic!