Planting Garlic - When and How to Plant

Planting Garlic - When and How to Plant

Executive summary about Planting Garlic by  Dominika Styczynska

There are two times a year when you can plant garlic.

Autumn after the first frost, mid-October through November. If the winter temperatures are very low with minimal snow layer, cloves can get damaged by frost. To avoid that, cover the planted area with straw to protect it.

Spring from mid-February through March. If you plant at this time, there is no risk of freezing. The cloves planted in the spring often develop smaller bulbs than those planted in the fall. They need a temperature of 41-45 degrees to sprout and grow correctly. Most gardeners choose an autumn planting for better results. Cloves sprout more frequently and bulbs grow larger then. How to plant garlic?

Choose a sunny spot with rich, well drained soil. Mix in some compost or phosphate fertilizer to provide a lot of nutrients for the growing plants. Separate the cloves from bulbs and gently peel off covers. Plant the cloves an inch deep, with pointed tips facing up. The cloves in the row should be 4 inches apart, while the rows 15-18 inches apart from each other.

Companion plants for garlic

Thanks to the insect repelling and fungicidal properties, garlic has a positive influence when growing close to many other plants. I advise planting it next to apple and pear trees, lettuce, cabbage and raspberries. Flowers such as roses, marigold, nasturtium, geranium and petunias also benefit from the company of garlic.

Avoid planting garlic near beans, peas and other legumes.

The herbs such as rue, yarrow, summer savory and chamomile improve condition and flavor of the bulbs when growing close to them.

Planting garlic is very easy and inexpensive. Good design will improve the condition of your garden and you will be rewarded by aromatic, healthy bulbs in the summer.

Garlic - THE Plant To Grow in November

Executive summary about Planting Garlic by  Graema Toyne
Now November is here and we're in the mid-Autumn, the leaves have fallen, temperatures have dropped & the garden is settling down waiting for Winter to arrive.

I sometimes get asked by my gardening clients if there is any vegetables they can plant outside at this time of year. Unfortunately, with a very few exceptions, the answer is "not a lot". However, there is one thing for which November is the perfect planting time - Garlic. So if you've been buying your sets already, now is the time to plant them. If you haven't got round to buying them yet, get down to the garden centre quickly to see if they still have stocks remaining.

Garlic is a great plant - obviously the culinary benefits from garlic adding flavour to a multitude of dishes is well known, however, garlic is also very good for your health and has been proven to lower blood pressure & cholesterol levels. It is also an insect repellent and is often used to repel aphids by being either sprayed in solution form or by used as a companion plant & being planted alongside plants susceptible to aphids infestation.

Another great positive for gardeners is that garlic is easy to grow & is ideal for beginners. So get out in your garden now & plant your garlic & you'll be harvesting in mid-Summer onwards next year.