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How to Grow Garlic
Grow your garlic in full sun - garlic needs to grow quickly in order to produce good sized bulbs. Pick a site that is not prone to water-logging, this will ensure the bulbs do not rot over winter. Garlic can be planted in raised beds and they will grow very well. Click here to go to our page on raised beds.
Know Plant Garlic before knowing how to grow garlic
The secret to growing garlic is to plant it in mid October - spring planting is possible in warmer areas, but even then, better sized bulbs will result from an autumn sowing. Dig the soil well to a spade\'s depth before planting, incorporating as much organic matter as possible to assist with drainage - garlic will rot in water-logged conditions. If you can purchase and dig in some sand (from your garden centre) at this stage, the drainage will be improved even further. A couple of handfuls of bonemeal should also be incorporated every square metre (yard).
garlic picture, the garlic bulb and a cloveGarlic bulbs for planting in Spring need not be bought from a nursery - simply choose the largest ones possible from your greengrocer or supermarket. If planting in mid October, choose a hardier variety such as \'White Pearl\', these need to bought from your local garden centre. Each bulb will consist of up to 20 individual cloves, and it is these cloves which are to be individually planted. Gently remove the outer skin from the bulb (not the cloves) and separate into individual cloves - see the picture on the left. On the right is a garlic clove and on the left is the bulb. Select the largest eight or so of the cloves which will be on the outside of the bulb.
Steps for how to grow garlic
Buy fresh garlic from the store or even better a farm stand. Alternately, if you have some garlic at home that has sprouted, use this.
Break the head apart into cloves.
Push the cloves into the ground pointed upward about 2 inches deep in the fall.
Fertilize the cloves.
Mulch the cloves with hay, dry leaves or grass clippings.
Fertilize again in the spring but not after May.
Pull off scapes and eat if you so desire.
Pull out and dry in a well ventilated space
How to Grow Garlic >
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