Garlic can boost your immunity, work as an anti-inflammatory, improve your heart health and add that special something into your dish you can't find anywhere else. Great news.. you can grow garlic at home to reap the benefits you sow.
Garlic is planted late in the growing season. In fact, you have to plant garlic two weeks after the first fall frost! This is done because the roots develop during the fall and winter seasons which means they'll be ready for harvest mid summer, early spring!
To grow your own garlic, keep these points in mind:
Garlic needs full sun: meaning it will need at least 6 hours of sun a day,
it will grow best in fertile, well-drained soil,
when planting cloves, choose large cloves and place each one 2-4 inches a part and 2 inches deep facing upright,
you'll want to space your rows 12 inches a part,
its recommended you get your cloves from a nursery and don't use the cloves you'd find in a store - those cloves have been modified and will take longer to grow,
When the ground freezes, mulch the garlic with hay about 6 inches high to protect the plants,
after the threat of frost has passed in the spring, remove the hay,
once the flower shoots appear, be sure to cut them off so the plant can focus on growing the bulb instead of flowers,
make sure to weed frequently, garlic wont compete well with other plants,
water garlic every 3-5 days during bulbing,
garlic will be ready to harvest when the tops start to turn yellow and fall over,
be sure to sample a crop before you dig them all up, and lastly
when harvesting, dig the bulbs, don't pull!
After you've harvested your garlic, they're going to need to cure. Put your garlic in an airy, shady, dry spot for two weeks. Hang the garlic upside down during it's curing stages. Your garlic will be ready to store once the wrap has dried.
Make sure to store your garlic in a dry dark place and it will keep for seven months!
Set the date in your calendar to make sure you're ready to plant your garlic! Don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss any posts on garden care!
Happy planting!
Comments