For thousands of years and across the globe, garlic has been celebrated as a fixture in cuisine, medicine, and even religion! In ancient Rome and China, it was an especially common ingredient among soldiers and laborers as it was considered both a flavor enhancer and a cure for heat exhaustion. In ancient Greece and Egypt it was a common gift to the Gods. As late as World War I, soldiers used garlic’s antiseptic quality to ward off infection.
French Chef Marcel Boulestin believed garlic to be responsible for so much more. He claimed, "It is not really an exaggeration to say that peace and happiness begin, geographically, where garlic is used in cooking." While we will let you decide for yourself whether garlic is the key to world peace, it is undeniable that garlic has been an important crop in our history.
Right now, in Maryland and our neighboring states, it is time to get garlic in the ground. Even today planting garlic has a ritualistic feel as it is the last crop we plant before putting the garden to sleep. The garlic will establish roots in the Fall, go dormant in the Winter, and send up a shoot in early Spring. Garlic is a low maintenance crop, only needing attention once during its long growing season - we snap off the garlic scapes (the flower shoots) in early Summer to encourage bulb growth rather than flower growth. (Read more about garlic scapes in our post from June.) Bulbs will be ready for harvest in mid-Summer.
So how do you plant garlic?
First, select your variety. There are two main types of garlic:
Hardneck: Good for colder regions as these are the most hardy. They will develop firm stalks that produce scapes. Heads will develop a single row of large cloves.
Softneck: Ideal for warmer regions as these are less hardy. Soft-neck varieties will not produce scapes. Heads will develop multiple rows of cloves in a variety of sizes.
Whichever you choose, ordering from a nursery or specialty garlic supplier is ideal. Grocery store garlic might sprout, but may not be the best variety for your climate and is often treated to discourage growth.
Separate cloves from one another keeping them in their papery coating. Choose the biggest, healthiest cloves to plant.
Identify a planting area with soil that drains well and is full of organic matter (or add a bag of compost before planting).
Plant cloves root side down about four inches apart and two inches deep. Cover garlic bed with a deep layer of straw mulch.
Need more guidance? Get in touch (as soon as you can!) to schedule a garlic planting in your garden!