Planting garlic in the fall is one of the simplest and most rewarding things you can do in your garden. No matter how much experience you have, garlic is a forgiving crop that rewards patience. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or a complete novice, garlic is a low-maintenance, excellent crop to grow at home. With a little space and the right timing, you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to enjoy your own fresh garlic next summer.
Why Fall is the Only Time to Plant Garlic
Garlic is a crop that loves the cold, and I often describe it as a "set and forget" crop. As you're clearing out your summer garden beds, it's the perfect opportunity to plant some cloves and begin next year's harvest. Planting in the fall allows the cloves to establish roots before winter, giving you a head start in spring. Here's why:
- Cold weather promotes root growth: The garlic clove spends the winter establishing a strong root system, which is important for large, healthy bulbs.
- Less stress on the plant: Garlic planted in fall faces fewer pests and diseases since many are dormant in the colder months.
- Natural cycle: Garlic follows a natural growing cycle—starting growth in the fall, pausing in winter, and finishing up in spring and early summer. I can't tell you how magical it is to see garlic popping up through the mulch on a cold winter day; it's hardy, and it knows exactly when spring is on its way.
How to Plant Garlic in the Fall
1. Choose Your Varieties of Garlic
There are two main types of garlic: hardneck and softneck. Each has its benefits:
- Hardneck garlic: This variety produces a stiff central stalk and tends to do well in colder climates. It also produces garlic scapes, which are an edible delicacy in their own right.
- Softneck garlic: These have a milder flavor and are better suited for warmer climates. They also store longer, making them a great option if you’re looking to keep garlic year-round.
When you source garlic, you'll notice that the heads of garlic are probably different sizes with different numbers of cloves. Take some photographs of the garlic heads and the individual cloves so you remember what to expect when you harvest them next summer.
I can no longer identify all eight varieties I grow. Some were seeds saved from our CSA via Fruition Seeds, and others were impressively-sized cloves purchased at local farm stands. Chesnok Red, Nootka Rose, German White are three well-known varieties that I know for certain are in my garden. I also grow Elephant Garlic too, but it's more of a novelty and not practical for everyday use (plus, it's biennial which means it takes two years to grow a scape and form the cloves).
Tip: If you’re new to garlic, I recommend trying both varieties to see which one you prefer, and which one thrives best in your environment!
2. Prepare the Soil
Garlic thrives in well-drained, loamy soil with plenty of organic matter.
- Loosen the soil to a depth of about 8-10 inches. You can use a tiller or a pitchfork to rotate and loosen it. This is especially important if you're planting in a bed where you just raised summer plants.
- Rotate in compost: Garlic plants loves nutrient-rich soil, so add plenty of compost or aged manure to give it a boost.
- Can you plant garlic in raised beds? Absolutely! Same logic for soil preparation applies to raised planter boxes. I'm not a huge fan of planting garlic in raised containers, though. I think they stay better protected underground in soil that's less apt to dry out during the winter.
3. Break Apart the Garlic Heads
Preparing your garlic for planting starts with breaking them into single cloves for planting. You don't need to remove all the thin papery skin around each clove like you would if you were cooking; in fact, it provides extra protection during the growing season.
Size matters. You're only going to want to plant the largest cloves from each head of garlic. You can eat the smaller ones with your next meal!
4. Plant the Cloves
This part is easy, but timing and spacing are important. In the month of October (or early November), plant the cloves six inches apart, six inches deep, pointy end up. That means it's easiest to work by planting in rows, and keep each row six inches apart from the neighboring row. If you have the real estate in your garden to separate rows by eight, 10, or 12 inches, do it to give larger cloves more room to grow.
When the garlic is in the soil, pointy ends up, move the soil to fill each hole containing a garlic clove.
5. Water the Garlic
Once planted, give your garlic bed a thorough watering. I'll be honest, this is often the only time I water the garden once it's planted, but we also tend to get a lot of rain in the fall. If you live in a dry, arid climate, give it a deep watering for three to four weeks.
6. Add a Thick Mulch Layer
Adding a six-inch layer of mulch over the top of the garlic is an important last step before winter. You don't have to go crazy with store-bought wood chip mulch; it's too heavy. Instead, I favor using shredded leaves (raked leaves from my own yard), more compost, or a layer of straw to help insulate the garden.
The thick mulch also helps with moisture retention and helps to keep the soil moist, but not waterlogged.
Caring for Your Garlic Through Winter and Spring
Once your garlic is in the ground, it’s pretty hands-off until spring. However, there are a few simple care tips that will ensure your garlic thrives.
- Water sparingly in fall: After planting, give your garlic a good watering. Then, keep an eye on the weather and water sparingly if needed. Garlic doesn’t like soggy soil.
- Wait for spring growth: In spring, you’ll notice the garlic shoots popping up. Water and fertilize the soil again at this point. We like to make compost tea or use a fish fertilizer to help the nutrients get into the soil.
Harvesting Garlic: What to Expect Next Summer
After months of watching your garlic grow, the payoff comes in summer when it’s time to harvest along with the rest of your vegetable garden. Here’s how to know when your garlic is ready:
- Look for the garlic scapes. By early June, you'll likely see scapes growing from the center of your leafy stalks. Break off the scape when it's about 10" long or curling back towards the plant. The scape is the flower stalk, but the flower uses all the energy from the bulb and must be trimmed off (or pulled out, see the below video). Once you remove the scape, the plant will transfer its energy back to the root and expand the clove into a head of garlic during the bulb formation phase of development.
- Watch the leaves: When about 50% of the leaves have turned yellow and died back, it’s time to harvest.
- Dig or pull? If the soil is compact, you may have to dig up the bulbs with a garden fork, being careful not to damage them. If the soil is still loose (and mine always is!) you can hold the garlic stalk at the base, and gently pull the entire clove upwards out of the soil.
- Cure your garlic: Lay the garlic bulbs out in a cool, dry place with good air circulation for 2-3 weeks to cure. This helps them store longer.
Once cured, your garlic is ready to store and enjoy. Hardneck varieties have a storage life up to 6 months, while softneck garlic can last up to a year. We also chop our garlic into small cubes and keep them on hand for recipes throughout the upcoming year.
