Twelve Steps

Twelve Steps to Growing Great Garlic

12. Always start with quality planting stock. Plant the biggest cloves - they yield the biggest bulbs. Eat the smaller ones!

11. Planting in fall is best, though many have good luck with early spring planting. Full sun preferred.

10. Garlic likes friable soil, near neutral pH, with some composted manure. Incorporate a little bone meal at planting.

9. Plant cloves about 5-6 inches apart and 2-3 inches deep.

8. Mulch your garlic with straw, alfalfa, leaves, etc. Don't worry if shoots emerge during winter.

7. Keep the soil moist. Don't let it dry out, even during the winter.

6. Garlic hates weeds!

5. Garlic likes a few foliar feedings in spring, but do not fertilize after early June.

4. If growing hardnecks or elephants, cutting the scapes just as they start to curl will increase bulb size.

3. Harvest when the leaves on the lower third to half of the plant have largely turned brown.

2. Be sure to cure your garlic by hanging in shady, well ventilated place for 3-4 weeks.

1. Then, Enjoy Garlic and Enjoy Life!