Cool weather means garlic planting time

While most folks hang up their gardening tools at the end of September, garlic lovers are just breaking out the organic matter and getting ready to plant next year’s crop of the pungent bulbs.

The Inland Northwest is perfect for growing garlic; we have cool to cold winters with snow for insulation, fall and spring rains, followed by drier June and July weather.

Garlic has four simple growing requirements: Being planted at the right time; reasonably fertile soil; adequate water; and full sun. In our area, garlic needs to be planted between late September and the end of October. Like tulips, daffodils and other spring bulbs, it will grow roots until the ground freezes and then go dormant until spring. It can be planted in the spring, but without time to grow roots, the bulbs will be small.

Garlic does best in a loose, loamy soil that drains quickly and is high in organic matter. In a home garden, garlic thrives in raised beds filled with soil blended with well-aged manure, shredded leaves or compost.

There are two main types of garlic: softneck and hardneck. Softneck garlics have larger heads, keep for several months and are often used in garlic braids because of their soft, pliable stems. Hardneck garlics have stiff stems, are generally smaller, have a stronger flavor and don’t keep more than two to three months in storage. Both types can be purchased at good garden centers or online. Grocery store garlic can be planted but may not be reliably hardy here.

Select heads with the largest cloves you can. Store the entire bulb in a cool, dry place until you are ready to plant. Gently break the heads apart, leaving the papery wrappers in place. Plant only the largest cloves and keep the rest for the kitchen.

Plant them in furrows about two inches deep, pointed end up and four inches apart. The rows should be about six inches apart. Firm the soil over the cloves and water well to settle them in. The root system will begin developing within a few days of planting. Be sure to mark where you plant different varieties.

Once the ground starts to freeze permanently, mulch the bed with four to six inches of shredded leaves, pine needles or clean straw (no hay – too many grass seeds). This keeps the soil temperature even through the winter, especially in areas where the ground freezes and thaws often.

Once the danger of hard freezes is past in the spring, the mulch can be removed and a vegetable fertilizer applied. Organic growers often use blood and bone meal to get the plants started. Fertilize again in late May when the heads start forming.