To grow garlic successfully, follow these key steps:

Planting Time and Site

• Plant garlic in late autumn or early winter (September to November) to allow cloves to experience cold weather, which is essential for bulb development

• Choose a warm, sunny spot with fertile, well-drained soil that does not stay too wet in winter

• Raised beds or ridges can improve drainage and reduce bulb rot, especially in heavy or clay soils

Preparing the Soil

• Clear the soil of weeds and debris.
• Loosen the soil to a depth of 6 to 12 inches and incorporate plenty of organic matter such as compost or well-rotted manure to improve fertility and drainage

• Rake the soil smooth before planting

Planting Garlic Cloves

• Separate garlic bulbs into individual cloves just before planting, keeping the papery skin on each clove intact

• Plant cloves with the flat (root) end down and the pointed end up

• Plant cloves 2 to 4 inches deep (about 5 to 10 cm), depending on soil type-deeper in loose, free-draining soils and shallower in heavy soils

• Space cloves about 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) apart in rows spaced 12 to 30 inches (30 to 75 cm) apart

• Cover with soil and add a 4 to 6 inch layer of mulch such as leaves, straw, or grass clippings to protect cloves over winter and moderate soil temperature fluctuations

Care and Maintenance

• Keep soil evenly moist after planting until the ground freezes; water occasionally in spring if rainfall is insufficient

• Remove lower leaves during growth to reduce disease risk, but avoid cutting the central stalk

• Side-dress with nitrogen fertilizer in spring to promote healthy growth and bulb size

• Use bird netting or horticultural fleece to protect emerging shoots from birds pulling them out

Harvesting

• Garlic is ready to harvest when the tops turn yellow but before they dry out completely, typically in mid to late summer after about 8 months of growth

Additional Tips

• Avoid planting supermarket garlic as it may carry viruses; use certified seed garlic for best results

• In heavy or wet soils, start cloves in modules in a cold frame and transplant in spring to prevent rot

By following these guidelines, you can grow healthy garlic bulbs in your garden with good yields.