COOPERATIVE FACT SHEET EXTENSION KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY
Garlic
Dr. Leigh Whittinghill, Assistant Professor of Urban Agriculture
Planting
Garlic should be planted in October or Early November for a harvest the following year.
Garlic can be planted in the spring, but it tends to be less productive.
Plant cloves root end down, 2-3 inches deep and 6 inches apart.
Planting larger cloves will ensure larger bulbs at harvest.
Cover the bed with mulch to help the bulbs overwinter.
Care and Harvest
Garlic needs 1 inch of water a week, including rain, but stop watering 2 weeks before harvesting, this is when the leaves start to die back.
Fertilizer can be applied next to the plants every two weeks until bulbs form.
Scapes, the stalks that form in early June that will develop flowers, can be harvested and eaten when young. These should be removed to improve bulb formation.
Garlic bulbs begin to form around the summer solstice.
Harvest bulbs when the leaves have yellowed by loosening the soil to pull the whole plant out.
Storage and Use
Garlic should be left to dry in a partly shaded storage area for about 2 weeks before removing the tops.
Dried garlic can last for 6-7 months.
Garlic is best stored in a cool, dark, dry place. Leaving the skins on will prevent cloves from drying out.