Q&A for How to Plant Garlic

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I live in a very hot country. When is it best to plant?

Andrew Carberry, MPH
Food Systems Expert
Andrew Carberry is a Food Systems Expert and the Senior Program Associate at the Wallace Center at Winrock International in Little Rock, Arkansas. He has worked in food systems since 2008 and has experience working on farm-to-school projects, food safety programs, and working with local and state coalitions in Arkansas. He is a graduate of the College of William and Mary and holds a Masters degree in public health and nutrition from the University of Tennessee.

Andrew Carberry, MPH

Food Systems Expert

Expert Answer

If you live in a tropical climate, store your cloves in a cool place, like a refrigerator, for 4-6 weeks before planting. This will simulate winter and trigger them to sprout, and you can then plant them outside.

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Question

I planted garlic in late October. We had a very mild November and the garlic shot up 6 inches in early December. Do I need to replant?

Andrew Carberry, MPH
Food Systems Expert
Andrew Carberry is a Food Systems Expert and the Senior Program Associate at the Wallace Center at Winrock International in Little Rock, Arkansas. He has worked in food systems since 2008 and has experience working on farm-to-school projects, food safety programs, and working with local and state coalitions in Arkansas. He is a graduate of the College of William and Mary and holds a Masters degree in public health and nutrition from the University of Tennessee.

Andrew Carberry, MPH

Food Systems Expert

Expert Answer

No, replanting the shoots is not necessary. However, be sure to cover the shoots with 6 inches of straw.

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Question

When do I plant garlic if I live in the southern hemisphere, and how long does it take before harvest?

Community Answer

In the southern hemisphere, garlic should be planted around mid-June, and harvested around late-July.

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Question

How long does it take for garlic to sprout?

Community Answer

It takes one to two weeks. You can make it sprout faster by taking a plastic cup and adding the cloves with the root side facing down. Add a little water (just enough to cover the bottom) and place it on a windowsill with lots of sunlight.

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Question

Can I use garlic once it has sprouted?

Community Answer

Sure. I just cut the sprouted part off and use the garlic. You can also plant it.

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Question

Can the entire garlic bulb be planted?

Mahesh S Peshwani

Community Answer

No, you should remove small cloves from the garlic bulb and plant them instead.

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Question

My soil is heavy sticky clay. I have amended it, but the cloves are always covered with the clay when I harvest them. Can I swish them around in water to remove the clay before hanging them to dry?

Community Answer

Treat garlic like a chicken egg,gently spray the dirt off then hang to dry (out of the sun).

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Question

What is the best month to plant garlic?

Community Answer

For the biggest bulbs in the northern hemisphere, plant mid-March to early April. Planting after April will reduce bulb size substantially.

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Question

What do I do if my garlic never develops into a big bulb and only looks like grass when it comes up, rather than a single shoot?

Community Answer

After 9 months of planting, your bulb should be ready. It is supposed to look the way you described. The bulb will be under the soil in which you planted it. Remember, only dig it up 8 to 9 months after planting but no later than that!

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