To top it off, if you grow hardneck garlic, you also can eat the scapes.
The hardneck varieties grow best in cold climates while softneck garlic prefers a mild climate.
Hardneck garlic sends out flower stalks called scapes, which are edibleand deliciouswhile softneck garlic does not.
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It also creates bulbs filled with fewer, but larger, bulbs than softneck garlic.
Keeping the garlic well watered over all that time can become tedious.
To help with this problem, use a large pot.
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The moresoilthere is, the more moisture it will retain.
In most places, you might plant garlic anytime from September until November.
It can take anywhere from six to nine months after planting for harvesting.
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If your potting mix doesn’t already include it, mix in a slow-release fertilizer.
Prepare the Garlic Cloves
Take your head of garlic and gently separate the cloves.
you might leave the papery outer wrappings on each individual clove.
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Plant the Cloves
Place the cloves with their pointy end up in the soil.
You’ll want them at least 3 inches apart.
Cover the Cloves
Shovel soil onto the cloves.
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If you live in a warm climate, about an inch of soil is fine.
But in colder areas, cover the cloves with around 2 inches of soil.
Pat the soil gently to firm it up on top of the garlic cloves.
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Scapes have a fresh, mild garlic taste.
Harvest scapes when they are young and tender.
Once they have curled around in a circle, they are ready for picking.
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When to Harvest Garlic
When toharvest garlicis an inexact science.
You’ll want to harvest when the bulbs are mature and before they start to split apart and rot.
The rule of thumb is to harvest when the leaves begin to turn yellow.
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But you still might have to dig up a clove to see whether it is time to harvest.
Gently shake and brush off the dirt from the bulb.
You must cure your garlic in a well-ventilated, warm area out of the direct sun.
It will take two to four weeks for the neck to get dry and the skin to become papery.
At this point, cut off the tops and roots.
Once cured, store your garlic in a cool, dry place.
If you harvest hardneck garlic, it will keep for four to six months before shriveling and becoming unusable.
Softneck garlic, on the other hand, can last for up to 12 months.
Garlic Production for the Gardener.University of Georgia Extension
