Growing Garlic in the Spring

Did you wait to long to plant your garlic? How long does it truly take? Here are some things to consider.

When do you plant?

In the fall

This is the optimal time to plant, after the frost has killed of the vegetation but before the ground has frozen solid. This is typically October to November.

In the Spring

The first way to plant in the spring is as soon as soil is workable. This still allows a period of cold. But the cold needed is only 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit, for a minimal two months.

The second way plant

Is in the spring within the house. In order to do this you have to have less than optimal storage of your garlic. Has your garlic started to grow while storing, if so you have already started.

Considerations

When planting indoors you will want to keep space in mind. garlic are a quick to root and shoot.

Transplanting

You will want to transplant them about two weeks after starting them indoors they will be ahead of any planted out in the fall. because of the temperature difference. however, if you start too soon they may be hard to disentangle. I find that silicone trays work best for planting them out as there is a bit more flexibility.

Scapes

If you stagger your plantings, you will also stagger harvest. Now garlic may be easy to pick and dry to use, but sometimes you want a little longer season of the Scapes on your hard neck varieties.

Harvest

From the fall it is 8to 9 months usually harvest is in June and July. Just two months after Scapes have been cut off, you will have a multi cloved bulb. If you plant indoors your harvest can be as early as the end of May. The difference is the bulb though large will have only one large clove and will be slightly milder. However it can be much nicer to peel.

So if you have decided to plant some garlic on a whim I hope you have excellent results and remember you can never have to much garlic. its easy and fuss free.