A Guide to Choosing and Planting Garlic Sets for Optimal Fall Growth

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If you want to plant garlic, fall is the best time. This is about three weeks before the ground freezes, giving the roots time to grow but not enough time to break through the surface before winter. If I garden in raised beds, I choose a new spot every fall after getting rid of all the summer garden waste and adding compost to the soil for the winter. Garlic is a species in the onion genus–Allium—and is closely related to onions, shallots, leeks, and chives. It’s important to wait at least two years between planting these plants again so that the soil can heal. Garlic plants are usually hardy and not affected by many pests or diseases. They do require full sun and loamy soil.

Select cloves for planting based on your preference for flavor and use. Cloves purchased from grocery stores are not a good choice. There may be types that don’t grow well in your area, and most of them have been treated to make them last longer, which makes them harder to grow. Find a reputable dealer and choose only clean, sound cloves. Local farmers who grow garlic are an excellent seed source. You need to break up your bulbs, but not more than one day before planting. This way, the root nodules don’t get dry and can quickly grow roots. Sort the cloves and reserve the largest for planting, smaller cloves can be used in recipes. Larger cloves will yield larger bulbs at harvest time.

With your soil amended, plant your cloves, root side down and upright. You can plant one row or several rows, leaving four to eight inches of space between each plant. Make sure the plants are at least two inches below the ground. Mulch with a good four inches of straw or shredded leaves. If you want to plant something in a windy place, put branches over the bed to keep the straw in place.

Garlic requires fairly even watering during the growing season to insure full development of the bulb. Dying back of the leaves indicates that harvest time is nigh. At this time scale back watering. Loosen the soil around a few cloves with a flat shovel and lift them by hand because they are fragile to see if they are fully grown. You want to harvest before the wrappers deteriorate or split open. To harvest, carefully lift the bulbs with a spade or garden fork. Take the plants out of the ground and pat them dry for two weeks in a cool, shady place.

Once the paper wrappers are dry and the roots are dry, the bulbs are ready to be stored. The root crown should be hard, and the cloves can be cracked apart easily. Once the garlic bulbs are dry, you can store them. Remove any dirt and trim off any roots or leaves. Keep the wrappers on but remove the dirtiest wrappers. The best place to keep bulbs is somewhere cool, dark, and dry. They will stay fresh longer that way. The flavor will increase as the bulbs are dried.

Save some of your biggest, best-formed garlic bulbs to plant again in the fall if you want to grow garlic again next year.

Garlic is a popular crop for home gardeners and small market growers alike. For most regions, garlic is planted in the fall for harvest the following summer. Choosing the right garlic sets or bulbs suited to your climate and correctly planting them in the fall is key to growing a bountiful crop. Here is a complete guide to selecting and planting garlic sets for optimal results from your fall crop.

When to Plant Garlic in the Fall

Garlic is planted in the fall in order to allow the bulbs time to establish roots before winter dormancy. The best time to plant is 4-6 weeks before the ground freezes in your area This allows the roots to develop while the soil is still warm

Some general planting guidelines based on region:

  • Northern States/Canada: mid September to late October
  • Midwestern States: October
  • Southern States: November to early December
  • West Coast: October to November

Selecting the Best Garlic for Fall Planting

Choosing a type of garlic suited to your climate is key for good results. Consider these factors:

Growing Zone

  • Hardneck garlics grow best in zones 3-7.
  • Softneck garlics prefer warmer zones 4-9.

Day Length Needs

  • Long-day garlics require 14+ hours of sun for bulbing. Good for northern regions.

  • Short-day garlics need 12 hours or less sun for bulbing. Better match for southern regions.

Flavor Profiles

  • Rocamboles have robust, spicy flavor. Great for cooking.

  • Purple stripes have milder, more complex flavor. Good for roasting.

  • Porcelains have strong garlicky taste. Versatile for any use.

  • Softneck artichoke types have moderate bite with subtle flavors.

Buying Quality Garlic Bulbs for Planting

Look for:

  • Firm, plump bulbs free of mold, damage or shriveling

  • Minimum bulb size of 1.5 to 2 inches diameter

  • Reputable garlic grower for best reliability

  • Organically grown for healthier plants

  • Seed garlic from within your same planting zone

Avoid supermarket garlic, which may not form viable bulbs. Purchase sets from specialty growers for planting.

How to Plant Garlic Sets in the Fall

Follow these steps for proper fall garlic planting:

  • Choose a sunny spot with well-drained, nutrient rich soil.

  • Separate bulbs into individual cloves. Leave the papery skins on.

  • Push cloves into soil root-side down, 2-3 inches deep and 6 inches apart.

  • Space rows 12-18 inches apart.

  • Cover with 4 inches of mulch like straw after first frost.

  • Water once a week until ground freezes if rainfall is low.

Caring for Garlic Over Winter

Proper overwintering care is vital:

  • Use floating row covers if temperatures drop below zero degrees F.

  • Check mulch levels after heavy rains or wind and re-apply if needed.

  • Avoid excess nitrogen fertilizers in fall and winter.

  • In spring, gently remove mulch when green shoots start emerging.

With the right selection of garlic types and attentive planting and winter care, your fall planted garlic will be off to a vigorous start! Next season you can enjoy harvesting abundant bulbs, full of flavor for culinary treats all year long. Follow these tips for your best fall garlic crop ever!

Frequency of Entities:
garlic: 58
planting: 17
fall: 16
bulbs: 15
water: 8
rows: 7
mulch: 6
cloves: 6
soil: 5
regions: 4
ground: 4
zones: 4
need: 3
grow: 3
frost: 3
Flavor: 3
rapid: 2
shade: 2
seedlings: 2
fertilizers: 2
shoots: 2
reputable: 1
sprout: 1
breeders: 1
shriveled: 1
mold: 1
viable: 1
specialty: 1
skin: 1
nutrients: 1
bountiful: 1
attentive: 1
abundance: 1
flavorful: 1
treats: 1

Planting Fall Garlic Made Quick & Easy: All the Steps From Soil Preparation to Planting Cloves

FAQ

What is the best garlic to plant in the fall?

Plant hardneck garlic right around the first fall frost to ensure that it gets a full 4-8 weeks of cold exposure below 40°F. Softneck garlic is best for mild or warm climates. It only needs mild cold exposure (vernalization) to grow a bulb.

When should garlic be planted in the fall?

Fall is traditionally the best time to plant garlic in most regions. A good rule of thumb is to not plant garlic until after the autumnal equinox in late September. Just like onions and other plants in the Allium family, garlic is sensitive to day length and matures during the longest days of summer.

How do you prepare soil for fall garlic planting?

Prepare the soil Loosen the soil with a digging fork, spread a 2- to 3-inch-deep layer of organic matter over the area, and dig it in. For organic matter, I use a well-aged mixture of compost, leaf mold, and aged rabbit manure. To avoid disease problems, don’t plant garlic in the same spot two years running.

When to buy garlic bulbs for planting?

I know that mid – September seems a long way off, but we sell out of many varieties early, so please order soon. Garlic should be planted in September – October for zones 1 – 3, in October – early November in zones 4 – 5, in late October – early December for zones 6 -7, and in late November-December for zones 8 – 9.

What is the best garlic to plant?

California White Garlic, for Planting (3 Large Heirloom Bulbs)untreated, Organic! Only 20 left in stock – order soon. Chesnok Red Garlic, 2 Nice Bulbs. Great for Fall Planting! Non GMO Elephant Garlic, 2 Huge Bulbs! Great for Planting, Eating or Cooking! Non GMO, Organic. Milder Tasting Garlic Chesnok Red Garlic, 2 Nice Bulbs.

Can you plant softneck garlic in the fall?

Softneck varieties grow best in warm, mild climates. You can plant softneck in the spring or fall, but it is far less hardy than hardneck. Therefore, if you have any kind of a winter – softneck garlic is not a good option for fall planting. Hardneck garlic on the other hand is perfect for fall planting in climates with cold winters.

What is a fall garlic variety?

Another massive fall garlic variety (that is actually garlic) is ‘ Music .’ This unique name stems from Canadian garlic grower Al Music, who brought the variety home from Italy in the 1980s, explaining why it is one of the most widely grown varieties in Canada today.

What are the best garlic bulbs for planting?

California White Garlic,For planting (3 Large Heirloom Bulbs)Untreated,Organic! Elephant Garlic 2 Huge Bulbs! Great for Fall Planting! Non GMO Milder Tasting Garlic California White Garlic, for Planting (3 Large Heirloom Bulbs)untreated, Organic! Only 20 left in stock – order soon. Chesnok Red Garlic, 2 Nice Bulbs. Great for Fall Planting! Non GMO

Robby
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