Ultimate Guide to Growing Garlic

Here it is, folks! For those of you who want to learn everything you possibly can about growing garlic, we've compiled all we know about successful garlic cultivation into this ultimate guide to growing garlic.

Hardneck vs. Softneck Garlic

Check out our mini-guide on Hardneck vs. Softneck Garlic.

How to Vernalize Garlic

Check out our mini-guide on How to Vernalize Garlic.

Garlic Varieties

Most folks have had one type of garlic all their lives: bland grocery store garlic. Boo!

Yes the world of garlic is a vast and diverse one - with an absolutely astounding array of garlic varieties, colors, sizes, and flavors out there for you to explore.

Say bye-bye to those grocery store junk-cloves, make way for the full kaleidoscope of culinary allium options.

If you're just getting into growing garlic at home - you've embarked on a very special flavor journey.

From the rich and pungent Rocambole, to the milder and sweeter Artichoke garlic - each variety brings its own unique characteristics to your dinner table.

Seriously, great garlic will send any meal right over the top. It's the difference between bland / ordinary cooking, and something that'll make everyone swear that you're the finest chef in all the land.

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Heads of garlic also make for a great home-grown gift once your garlic is cured.

Grow some real garlic, I implore you, it's MORE than worth it! Read on to learn how to grow and cure it so it's in your holster and ready to go year-round...

Planting Garlic

Planting garlic is an investment that easily multiplies tenfold. Think it — each clove you plant can yield a whole bulb with numerous cloves.

Assuming your garlic variety happens to yield 10 cloves per head, you can 10x your investment each year! You just need to add soil and water.

Where else can you 10x your investment in just 1 year!? That's almost unheard of. Listen to the garlic, it won't steer you wrong.

Harvesting Garlic

After most of a year of waiting patiently, nothing beats that buzz of excitement when you carefully harvest the results of all your hard work.

Timing is crucial to ensure that your garlic is at its peak for curing and storage.

In the Sonoran Desert where I live, May is the ideal time to harvest garlic.

Your region might be different, but a sure sign that yaur garlic is ready for harvest is when about half of the leaves turn brown. That means it's time to dig up those bulbs and prep for the next phase.

Don't get impatient and pull your heads too soon. They put on a lot of size in the last couple months!

The hot and dry conditions in May provide the perfect environment for curing your fresh harvest, too.

Curing and Storing Garlic

Check out our mini-guide on Curing and Storing Garlic.

Growing Garlic in Arizona

For those gardeners here who call the Sonoran Desert home, we've got some AZ-specific garlic infor for you here our mini-guide on Growing Garlic in Arizona.