Garlic, one of the close cousins of the onion has for the last 40 years become extremely popular in Britain as modern cuisines are becoming more and more cosmopolitan and taste are becoming more accustomed to the bold taste of garlic. What is even greater than this plant being an essential in our kitchen cupboards is that it is easy to grow and can be grown in either spring or autumn.
Autumn Growing
It is best to plant your garlic bulbs in autumn as the cloves will root a lot easier and will soon be established. However, land has to be well dug, well manured and well drained. To improve your soils drainage it is a brilliant idea to plant your cloves in a raised bed.
A good garlic bulb can produce up to 15 good sized cloves and it is essential before you plant it that you separate the bulb in its individual cloves. The garlic cloves can be planted directly into the soil from September to November or into pots and modules that have been filled with multi-purpose compost.
Spring Growing
Spring time is best to plant cloves if your land is on the heavy side, but it is always a great idea to pot the cloves as soon as they are available which is from September through to November (so you still have plenty of time) then place them in a well ventilated cold frame so the plants grow well. It is best to pot your garlic in 13cm pots as they should be able to root quite quickly, and will be ready to be planted out in March when the weather conditions are good.
When planting in spring it is ideal to dress the soil with high nitrogen fertiliser as this encourages healthy foliage, which will feed your garlic crop.
Planting and Growing Garlic
When planting garlic cloves make sure you plant them around 2.5cm deep in heavy soils and 5cm deep in light and sandy soils. It is best if you plant the cloves close together then later in their development, thin them out until they are left about 23cm apart.
When weather is windy make sure to cover the vegetable bed with a layer of bean netting, which is supported by canes to hold the leaves of the garlic upright.
Watering is a big aspect of growing garlic as it is important that through dry spells the plants are kept well watered to ensure they steady growth. Watering needs to cease two weeks before harvesting to encourage dormancy and to assist drying.
It is also extremely important to ensure the plot is kept weed free as this will prevent your garlic crop and weeds fighting for light and water.
Top Tip
Look out for onion white rot, in its a soil borne disease and can remain in the soil for many years. A good way of preventing this disease is crop rotation, but if you see any signs of onion white rot make sure you do not plant garlic in that plot.
Harvesting and Storing Garlic
Harvesting can happen throughout the year, depending on the type and the time you plant your garlic. If you have grown in autumn harvesting can take place from May to July, but with a spring grown garlic bulb expect to harvest it between July and August and even early September.
When you are harvesting your crop, treat the garlic like you would the onion. Lift the garlic with a folk to break the roots, but be careful not to damage the bulb, then lay it on a dry surface for up to a week when the weather is dry and warm. If the weather is wet, make sure to place your bulbs under cover and dry them on a wire rack.
It is important when storing your garlic to keep them in a dry and cool place, but always keep an eye on them in case any rotting begins to manifest. If this happens, remove the damage straight away.