Description
Garlic is one of the most popular herbs in all forms of cooking, and there are dozens of varieties available. Garlic falls into two broad categories: hardneck (also known as "stiffneck") and softneck. This differentiation is based on whether or not the particular variety of garlic creates a flower stalk.
Planting requirements
Planting season: Late May through early July
Planting conditions:
| Propagation | Pick off individual cloves from the garlic bulbs and plant them |
|---|---|
| Planting method | Plant each garlic clove in a hole deep enough to leave the top just covered with soil. Plant them 4 inches apart in rows close together or 4 inches in all directions in a deep bed |
| Soil | Requires a good rich soil. Prefers a soil with plenty of manure and compost. Remove the weeds when preparing the soil. Also can add organic potting mix to your existing garden soil until it is friable and loose; pH should be between 6.0 and 7.5 |
| Water | Do not require much water. However, provide the plants with a good soak after planting to accelerate growth |
| Light | Requires plenty of sunshine |
Growing conditions:
| Temperatures | Requires soil temperatures around 10°C |
|---|---|
| Soil | Mulching is important for garlic plants as mulching acts as an insulator while conserving moisture. Mulching helps prevent weed growth. Use organic materials like straw, well-rotted grass clippings, or leaves |
| Water | Better to water every day during the growing season but the best practice is to check the soil under the mulch before watering. Water deeply once a week, allowing the top inch of soil to dry out between waterings |
| Pruning | Prune flower stalks (scape) when they appear to encourage bulb growth. Remove any flowering heads that form on the scape |
| Weed control | Keep weeds at bay by regular hoeing and hand-pulling. Use organic herbicides if necessary |
Harvesting
Fork the garlic out of the ground when the stems dry up and dry them out for a few days in the sun. Harvest when the tops turn brown and fall over, usually after 17 -25 weeks.
Curing
Cure garlic by hanging it in a well-ventilated area with low humidity for about two weeks to prevent sprouting and improve storage life. Curing is complete when the outer skins are dry and crispy, the neck is constricted, and the center of the cut stem is hard.
Storage
Store cured garlic bulbs in a cool, dry place at temperatures between 20-30°C (68-86°F). However, under these conditions, bulbs will eventually become soft, spongy, and shriveled due to water loss.
To store for a longer time keep in -1-0°C (30-32°F) with low relative humidity. Good airflow throughout the storage containers is necessary to prevent any moisture accumulation. Under these conditions, well-cured garlic can be stored for 6-7 months.
Protecting your plants
Pest control
Pest type:
- Thrips
- Nematodes (Stem and Bulb Nematode)
- Dry Bulb Mites
- Leek Moth
Symptoms:
- Thrips: Silvery streaks and speckling on leaves; wilting and stunted growth can occur with severe infestations.
- Nematodes: Twisted leaves, bulb deformation, and split wrappers.
- Dry Bulb Mites: Twisted, stunted leaves; galls on bulbs.
- Leek Moth: Tunneling damage in leaves and bulbs.
Control method:
- Thrips: Monitor populations, use pheromone traps, maintain crop rotation, and use overhead watering to keep plants moist.
- Nematodes: Hot water treatment of cloves before planting (at 55°C for 10-20 minutes).
- Dry Bulb Mites: Hot water treatment of bulbs before planting; maintain clean gardening practices.
- Leek Moth: Use pheromone traps to monitor and control populations.
Disease Control
Disease type:
- White Rot
- Rust (Puccinia allii)
- Botrytis Neck Rot
- Fusarium Basal Rot
Symptoms:
- White Rot: White, fluffy mycelial growth around the bulb base; rapid decay.
- Rust: Orange lesions on leaves that can lead to wilting and reduced bulb size.
- Botrytis Neck Rot: Water-soaked neck rot near the soil line; purplish discoloration of outer wrappers after curing.
- Fusarium Basal Rot: Brown or blackened inner wrappers; clove decay starting from the basal plate.
Management:
- White Rot: Crop rotation and planting disease-free bulbs.
- Rust: Timely planting and maintaining good air circulation.
- Botrytis Neck Rot: Ensure good drainage and air circulation; remove infected plants promptly.
- Fusarium Basal Rot: Crop rotation and using hot water treatments for cloves before planting.
Sources
In addition to our General List of Sources (link), we used these specific references:
- https://tasmaniangourmetgarlic.com.au/garlic-guides/growing-garlic-in-warmer-climates/
- https://wikifarmer.com/garlic-pests-and-diseases/
- https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/farming-natural-resources-and-industry/agriculture-and-seafood/
- animal-and-crops/plant-health/phu-garlic-insect-pests.pdf
- https://plantvillage.psu.edu/topics/garlic/infos
