Garlic Planting Guide

Soil Requirements

• Like other bulb vegetables, garlic requires fertile, loose soil and full sunlight. Enrich soil with manure, compost and fertilizer often and keep soil evenly moist with weekly watering to a depth of 18 inches, according to the Utah State University Cooperative Extension web site.

Planting Season

• Plant garlic in early spring, after the danger of frost passes. Each clove of garlic from a garlic bulb can be planted, but the outer cloves produce the best garlic, according to the Ohio State University Extension's web site. Cloves should be planted at least 3 inches apart in rows 18 inches apart. Cloves should be planted upright about 1 inch under the soil.

Harvest

• Garlic bulbs are ready to harvest when the shoots wither and start to become dry, usually in late summer. Dig bulbs from the planter or garden as opposed to pulling them up by the shoots. After harvesting, hang bulbs in a cool location to dry for one week before using.