Growing Garlic

Linda Moll, Anoka County Master Gardener

Garlic, as you may guess, is closely related to chives, onions, and shallots. It does, however, have its own unique place in folklore - and in our kitchens.

Garlic bulbs planted last fall will start to send up long green shoots in early spring, looking a bit like their onion cousins, except garlic’s leaves are flat. This is a good time to top dress your garlic with nitrogen, but avoid adding nitrogen after the first week or so of May.

Here are some further tips for growing and harvesting garlic successfully.

Mulch around your young plants with clean straw to help hold moisture in and prevent weeds. Garlic has a shallow root system, which means it can dry out more quickly than plants with deeper roots. Aim for one inch of water a week. Inadequate or inconsistent watering can lead to smaller, and sometimes deformed, bulbs. Overwatering can cause bulb rot.

Weeds can also interfere with bulb growth so remove them early. Keep any cultivation shallow as injury to the bulb can lead to disease. Some garlic varieties will develop scapes, a flowering stalk with a tiny garlic bulb (the seed) on the end. Removing scapes can increase the size of the bulbs by sending energy to the garlic head instead of the seed.

Bonus! You have several options for using scapes, which you will want to remove when the green stems have one or two curls. Try steaming or sautéing them. As they are garlic seeds, keep some of the larger ones to plant in the fall. Any remaining scapes can be composted. To promote drying of the papery wrap around the bulbs, stop watering about two weeks before harvest, which will start in late June or July in Minnesota. This depends on the variety of garlic and growing conditions. The rule of thumb is to harvest when 30-40% of the lower leaves have turned brown and the garlic fills its whole skin. You can see if it’s ready by pulling a bulb and cutting it in half. As with carrots, you’ll dig/pull up the whole plant, bulb and shoot, and shake off the excess dirt.

Garlic you plan to eat now can be trimmed and cleaned, being careful to leave the skin on until used. The rest of your harvested garlic can be cured and stored, so leave both roots and green shoots on the bulb. Curing is the process of drying the outer wrapper on the bulb without drying the cloves within. To do this, hang your garlic or lay it out on drying racks for a few weeks. Either way, good air circulation and indirect light are important. The shoots, roots, and cover on the bulb will turn brown and dry. Properly stored and cured garlic can last for several months. Store garlic in a cool, dark place, as light can cause it to sprout. Choose a few of the larger, firm bulbs (or scapes) to plant in the Fall for next year’s harvest!

For more information on this and other plant topics, go to https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-garlic