When to Plant Garlic Seeds

Seed Cloves

• Garlic plants flower but do not produce true seeds. To propagate garlic effectively, gardeners plant garlic cloves. The "seed" cloves are small, immature cloves. When planted, the seed cloves grow and multiply into a large head of garlic. Home and garden centers and mail order companies sell garlic seed, also called seed cloves. Taking a few small cloves from the kitchen is another way to start a garlic patch in the garden.

Growing Conditions

• Plant garlic late in the fall before the first hard freeze but after the first light frosts. In many areas, planting garlic between October and late November is ideal. The seed cloves have the required period of chilling during the winter. To plant garlic in the spring, first treat the seed clove to a one- or two-month period of chilling. In southern climates, treat the garlic seed to the required chilling period and plant in midwinter or early spring.

Mulching

• Mulch the garlic seed to protect it from sudden freezing periods. A thick layer of mulch keeps the ground temperature warmer and, most importantly, it regulates sudden thawing and freezing. Garlic tolerates cold temperatures, but the sudden shifts can damage seed cloves. Use straw and spread it 4 inches deep over the garlic crop one to two weeks after planting. Look for seed-free straw or you will make a full-time weeding job for the summer.

The Growing Season

• Clear off the straw mulch layer in the spring as the ground is beginning to thaw. Mulch insulates against cold, but it also keeps the ground from thawing in the spring. Removing the mulch also makes room for the tender garlic shoots to emerge. Garlic is ready to harvest when the green tops start to turn brown and dry out. In most areas, this occurs in late summer and early fall.