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Cornell University : Cornell Cooperative Extension
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Growing and Harvesting Garlic |
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Garlic produces a group of cloves that are encased in a sheath, rather than a single bulb. The group should be separated into single cloves for planting. The larger outer cloves produce the best garlic. These are planted 1 to 2 inches deep in rows 12 to 24 inches apart. The cloves should be spaced 5 to 6 inches apart in the row. Like onions, garlic requires well-drained soil. Poorly drained soils are likely to cause excessive rots. Garlic cloves should be set from September 10th to October 15th. On average soils, 3 pounds of 5-10-5 fertilizer or equivalent per 50 feet of row should be adequate. Either band the fertilizer to the side of the row or broadcast out and plow or till under. As the garlic begins to grow faster, sidedress with about one cup of ammonium nitrate per 50 feet of row. Fall planted garlic is ready for harvest around mid-July. There are only about ten days to 2 weeks for optimum harvest. When a few tops fall over, push all of them down and pull a sample. Try to harvest when the cloves are fully segmented, but with the outer sheath still intact. If harvested sooner than this, the garlic will be unsegmented like an onion, and later harvest will allow the sheath to split open and expose the cloves. Pull the sheath of cloves and allow them to dry in the garden or in a windrow for several days with the tops upward to protect the bulbs from the sun. After drying, remove the outer loose portions of the sheath and trim the roots. Then, either braid (bunch) the tops or trim them close to the bulb for storage. Store in a well ventilated place. A two year rotation will usually prevent disease problems on garlic. Be sure to include a non-garlic or non-onion crop in the overall rotation. Insects generally are not a problem on garlic. Thrips may be found feeding on the foliage, but can be controlled with malathion. The onion maggot is sometimes a problem, but rarely attacks any crop other than onions. Always follow label instructions when using insecticides. Cornell
Cooperative Extension Yates Association |
