How to Grow Garlic

There are two types of garlic cloves:

• Softneck garlic varieties (above, left) are more commonly available in supermarkets because they're easier to grow in a variety of climates.
• Hardneck garlic varieties (above, right) are larger and easier to peel and are popular with chefs for their variety of complex flavors. These are typically found at natural food stores or farmers’ markets.

• Choose a sunny, very well-drained spot in your garden bed to grow garlic, and add balanced organic fertilizer in the bottom of the furrows.
• Use a digging fork to mix in 1-inch layer of compost with fertilizer and soil.
• Garlic is a moderately heavy feeder and placing fertilizer at the roots ensures the nutrients will still be there in spring, when the plants need them most.

• Pull apart the garlic bulb, leaving the paper coat on the cloves.
• The cloves should be white, not brown, and there should be between 4 to 7 cloves per bulb.
• Do not be concerned if you have green garlic tops, that is common.

• Shape 4-inch deep planting furrows with a hoe.
• Garlic works well when grown in double or triple rows, with rows spaced at least 8 inches apart.

• Plant the cloves’ roots about 3 inches deep, with the head of the garlic pointed end up.
• Depending on the size of the cloves, space them anywhere from 4 to 8 inches apart.

Small space gardeners can grow garlic in planters. Here are tips for growing garlic in containers:

• Select a planter at least 18 inches in diameter. Containers can be plastic, glazed ceramic or metal. Unglazed terra cotta is not usually frost-hardy and is not recommended for growing garlic. Make sure your container has drainage holes.
• Use a good quality, well-draining potting mix amended with organic compost in a 3:1 ratio.
• You can add a slow-release organic fertilizer to the soil before planting. Remember to reapply in early spring.
• Plant garlic cloves pointy end up, 3 inches deep and 3 inches apart.
• Blanket the planter with a 2-inch layer of mulch or straw.
• Place the garlic planter where it will get 6 to 8 hours of sunlight each day. Don't let it dry out. If you have a long dry spell without rain, be sure to water.
• When temperatures warm up in spring, move the container to the sunniest part of your yard and top with more fertilizer or compost.

Tip: To yield large bulbs when planting garlic, plant the largest cloves.

• Mulch the planting and cover the cloves up to 6 inches deep with soil, preferably with plenty of organic matter like chopped leaves, leaves mixed with grass clippings, pine needles or straw.
  These lofty mulches will pack down over time, and insulate the plants from weather extremes like a snug blanket.
• Mulching over your garlic bed after planting suppresses weeds, slows evaporation and keeps the garden tidy.

• Garlic is low maintenance while growing. Keep it watered and mulched and wait for the scapes in spring.
• During the growing season, give it about an inch of water per week.
• Garlic scapes should emerge in early spring. Scapes are the tender stem and flower bud of the plant.

Fertilize garlic in spring when the plants are about 8 inches tall and show steady, new growth. Just before a rain is expected, add a heavy dusting of balanced organic fertilizer between plants.

Tip: Label your seed garlic so each variety can be easily identified.

Grilled Garlic Bread with Oregano Recipe provided by Weber:

Select your favorite loaf of bread, cut it into thick slices and smear it with butter for a deeply flavored, grilled garlic bread. It is a great companion to any meal, and the possibilities for adding toppings, such as grilled onions and peppers or grilled mushrooms with crumbled cheese, make it an option for an appetizer.

Serves: 4 to 6 (makes 8 slices)

Prep time: 10 minutes

Grilling time: 2 to 3 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
• 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano leaves
• 8 slices Italian-style or other coarse country bread, each about 1/2-inch thick and 4 to 6 inches wide

Instructions:

1. In a small saucepan on the stove, melt the butter. Transfer 1/4 cup of the butter to a small bowl. Add the cheese, garlic and oregano to the butter in the saucepan. Stir to combine. Keep warm.

2. Prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium heat (350 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit).

3. Brush the cooking grates clean. Brush the bread slices on both sides with the melted butter in the small bowl. Grill the bread slices over direct medium heat, with the lid closed, until toasted and lightly marked on both sides, about 2 minutes, turning once. Generously brush the top side of each slice with the garlic butter in the saucepan, and continue grilling with the lid closed, until the garlic butter bubbles, 30 seconds to 1 minute more.
   

4. Remove from the grill. Serve warm.