Garlic planting season begins in October, and you could easily grow your own garlic and save yourself quite a few last-minute trips to the grocery store. Don’t worry if you’re not a seasoned gardener: garlic is a very low-maintenance crop that rarely needs water or fertilizing. Below you’ll find a few tips on choosing your garlic variety and planting it.
Which Garlic Should I Purchase?
Firstly, look out for garlic that is organic and is specifically sold as seeds for planting. Reaching out to a local organic farmer is a great option. There are several garlic varieties that are broken up into two categories: Hardneck and Softneck.
The “neck” refers to the stock that grows upward from the garlic bulb. Hardnecks are hardy, as their name suggests, making them suitable for regions with colder winters. Softnecks thrive in mild winters and it is the type of garlic you’ll find in most supermarkets. Out of the two, hardnecks have a sharper and more complex flavor.
Planting Tips
Make sure to plant the garlic 10 to 14 days before the ground freezes, and choose a sunny spot. Before planting, break up garlic heads into individual cloves, leave the paper wrapper on each clove. Plant the cloves four-inch deep, wide side down, and pointy tip-up. Come spring, you will see green tips budding from the ground.
