How to Start Garlic With Bulbs

One of the most rewarding vegetables for the home gardener, garlic (Allium sativum) has been valued as both a culinary and medicinal herb for thousands of years. Its pungent flavor and zesty aroma have made garlic a staple of cuisines worldwide. It's also one of the easiest herbs to grow. A member of the onion family, garlic produces strap-like leaves above ground and bulbs below. New plants are propagated from edible garlic cloves, which are the individual segments that form the bulb.

• 1

  Purchase your bulbs carefully. Several varieties of seed garlic are available. If you're purchasing your bulbs from a gardening store, select large, healthy-looking bulbs from varieties that are well adapted to your climate. If you're buying online or through a catalog, choose a reputable grower that offers only top quality bulbs.

• 2

  Time your planting according to the optimal period recommended for your climate. Garlic is typically planted in the fall, early enough for the plant to start growing and forming roots but not so early that shoots emerge far above the soil before winter. Garlic can be planted in early spring but bulbs will need a cold treatment for proper growth. Store them in the refrigerator for eight weeks before spring planting. Then plant as early as possible in the spring so your garlic can grow ample foliage before summer's long days promote the formation of bulbs.

• 3

  Prepare your site. Garlic prefers full sun and well-drained, loamy soil high in organic matter. Remove all lumps to allow garlic bulbs to form without obstacles. If you have clay soil, add compost or other organic matter annually to keep the soil loose and crumbly.

• 4

  Break apart your dried garlic bulbs and separate them into individual cloves. Select the largest outer cloves for planting because large cloves typically produce larger garlic bulbs.

• 5

  Plant the cloves with the pointed tip up about 1 inch below the soil surface. Firm soil over the cloves with a trowel. Shoots will emerge from the pointed end of the clove, and roots will form from the blunt end. Allow at least 5 or 6 inches between plants. This gives them room to form generously sized bulbs. Allow 18 inches between rows to allow access for weeding and to allow ample light for all the plants.

• 6

  Water your garlic regularly. If you plant it in the fall, water as needed until the ground freezes. Apply organic fertilizer or use 10-10-10 fertilizer at a rate of 3 lbs. per 100 square feet.