How to: Grow garlic

My grandfather grew his own garlic for as long as I can remember, probably for as long as he had lived in his own home, and it probably came from his father’s stock of garlic, which he in turn, probably grew for his whole life. It’s just one of those things that Italians do.

If you had to pick the easiest thing you could possibly grow, garlic may very well be it. Here’s the short version:

1. In late October, plant garlic cloves.

2. In early July, dig up garlic heads.

3. Enjoy.

As with everything, there are some particulars and gotchas along the way, so here’s a bit more detail based on what my grandfather always told me, and my own experience.

1. When you plant garlic cloves, bury them about 2 inches in fairly loose soil with the pointy tip up. I have no idea what will happen if you buy them upside-down, sideways, etc. Garlic is pretty hardy stuff, so it will probably grow anyway. If your soil is dense clay, your resulting garlic heads will probably be much smaller than they would if your soil is nicer.

2. Remove the husk before planting the cloves. If you don’t, they’ll probably grow anyway. It’s pretty tough to prevent garlic from growing.

3. In late winter, you should see the garlic plant’s stalk sprout up out of the ground. It will continue to grow until you dig up the head in July. Sometimes the stalk gets quite large—I can remember my grandfather’s being 4 ft. or more.

4. When the plant matures sufficiently, the end of the stalk will start to grow a flower. These can actually be quite nice, but you should pinch them off as soon as you notice them. You want the plant’s growing energy to go into the garlic head, not into producing beautiful flowers.

5. When you dig up the heads, be careful not to puncture them.

6. After you dig them up, you need to let them dry in a cool, shaded place. Their scent will be super-strong initially, so you definitely don’t want to hang them in your house! A back porch, etc. is a good spot.

7. After they have dried for several days, they are ready to use!

You may notice on the bottom of some of the heads what appear to be smaller garlic cloves. These are actually garlic seeds. You can plant them as well, but they will take 2 growing seasons to mature. Plant them just as you would a clove (the seeds have a pointy end, although very small), and dig them up the 2nd following July (aproximately 22 months).

Happy garlic-ing!

Tags: cooking, do-it-yourself, family, garden