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Cornell University : Cornell Cooperative Extension
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| Yates Association |
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It Is Time to Plant Garlic |
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October 10, 2001 What is this thing called garlic anyway?…. a maligned herb?.. a stinking rose?.. a vegetable?.. a healthful food?.. The debate goes on… Garlic is an ancient plant probably with origins in the Middle East. From there it has been spread around the world by humans and cultivated in all types of climates and soils. It has subsequently evolved into hundreds of varieties. To most people "garlic is garlic", and in my opinion, when it is cooked it is very difficult to determine one variety from another. Taste comparisons of uncooked raw garlic is the best way to distinguish flavor differences. Within the United States, most garlic is grown in and around Gilroy, California. The garlic you buy in our supermarkets, in all probability, came from California. It is pure white. You have seen it sold in small boxes, or in bulk, with the white wrappers flaking off. However, great garlic (maybe even better than California) can be grown right here in the Finger Lakes and October is the time to get started. Although most any type of garlic can be grown in this region, it is my recommendation that a "hardneck" variety be planted (California's is "softneck"). I have grown several varieties over the years and "hardnecks" always seem to do the best. I like a variety called German White. When left to mature, hardneck garlic produces a three to four foot "woody" stalk topped by a capsule that contains small cloves. When this stalk first emerges from the plant, it grows in a circle, which disappears over time as the plant matures. The immature stalks that circle or curl are called scapes when they are cut from the plant.. For years I discarded the scapes. However, we now use them in salads, soups, stir fry's and even replace half of the basil in our pesto recipe with ground up garlic scapes. Try it! Garlic must be planted in the fall in order to produce large bulbs the following year. I recommend Columbus Day October 12. This gives the plant time to develop a strong root system before the ground freezes. The plant quickly emerges when weather warms in spring,. The more foliage, and the larger plant, the larger the bulb that is formed. This is why spring planted garlic usually does not produce large bulbs. The cloves from any garlic may be planted. Separate each clove from the bulb and plant it two to three inches deep. Within a row use a six inch spacing between cloves. It is best to have at least two feet between rows as garlic thrives in full sun. If rows are too close the plants will shade each other. I fertilize with 10-10-10 before planting. A covering of straw mulch applied after planting will help prevent continuous freezing and thawing of the ground in early winter and spring, thus keeping the newly established root system stable. The straw will also help control weeds and preserve moisture the next year. Sometimes, depending on the weather, the newly planted garlic will sprout before winter. Don't worry. This will not hurt the plant. In the spring, as soon as the soil is dry enough to cultivate, I fertilize again with 10-10-10. This spring application is usually a little less than that used in the fall. Keep the garlic as weed free as possible as it does not like competition. Constant moisture will significantly increase the size of the plant. When the scapes emerge in early June, break them off. This will result in larger bulbs. The bulbs will begin forming underground at this time. Watering should be withheld after mid-July. Garlic is harvested when there are two or three green leaves left on the plant (or the equivalent of two or three green leaves). Each of the leaves on the plant is a wrapper on the garlic bulb. The leaves begin growing at the base of the bulb. They wrap around the bulb and the stalk and then emerge as the foliage above ground. If the bulb is left in the ground too long after the leaves have turned brown, the wrappers on the bulb will begin to disintegrate. The garlic will be fine but it will not look as nice without the wrapper. After
harvesting, I recommend tying the plants in a bunch of 10 and hanging
them upside down for two to three weeks to let the bulbs dry. The
wrappers on the bulbs and the covering on each clove will be soft
and easily damaged before they are dried. It is OK to eat it at this
time if you cannot wait any longer! I select out the largest cloves
and set them aside for planting the next year. The largest cloves
produce the largest bulbs. Since garlic is "in the ground"
for nine months, the period just after harvest is the time to begin
refreshing the soil for the next season. So what is garlic??? Usually I say "garlic is life", but in light of recent events, it's really just one of life's small pleasures. For those who may want to know a lot more about growing garlic, I recommend a book titled "Growing Great Garlic" written by Ron Engeland, published by Filaree Productions, (ISBN 0-9630850-1-8). For more
information about your lawn and garden questions, call the Master
Gardeners at Cornell Cooperative Extension 315-536-5123. Please leave
your name, phone number, and a time to return your call along with
your question. Cornell
Cooperative Extension Yates Association |
