Planting Garlic

In the Pacific Northwest, garlic can be planted throughout October and into early November, so if you are in this area you still have time! The way I learned how to plant garlic is that you should soak the cloves in a solution of water, seaweed extract or fish emulsion, and baking soda for a couple of hours before planting. This is not only to promote the growth of the garlic, but also to help prevent fungal diseases. It’s a few extra steps that aren’t that hard, so this is the way I have always done it and I always end up with healthy, nice sized heads of garlic.

I save my biggest cloves for replanting from the previous year’s harvest, so I have been replanting the same variety of soft neck garlic for ten years now!

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon seaweed extract or fish fertilizer
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• Water

Directions

1. Separate, but do not peel the cloves and put in a one quart jar
2. Add water, seaweed extract or fish fertilizer, and baking soda
3. Cover jar and shake
4. Let sit for 2-4 hours

While the garlic is soaking, this is a good time to get your bed ready. Since the garlic will be in the bed through the winter and spring, until the summer, this is a good time to add compost and fertilizer to where you are going to plant your garlic.

Plant in rows 4-6 inches apart and 2 inches deep with root end down and mulch with straw. Starting in the spring, water with seaweed extract or fish emulsion every couple of weeks.

For tips on when and how to harvest and cure garlic and how to make a garlic braid, check out these posts next!

Harvesting Garlic

Braiding Garlic