How to Plant Garlic in Ohio

Spring Planting

• 1

  Plant garlic in March or April.

• 2

  Prepare the soil. Garlic likes a loose, fertile, crumbly soil, according to the Ohio State University Extension. Amend the soil with 3 to 4 inches of organic matter. Compost and chicken manure are good choices, according to Just This Farm, located in Franklin County, Ohio. Work in the amendment as deeply as you can.

• 3

  Break apart a head of garlic into multiple cloves, but don't remove the outer skin. Choose smooth, fresh cloves with no visible damages from rot or disease. Plant the large outer bulbs.

• 4

  Plant each clove in an upright position with the narrow end facing up. Set each clove ½ to 1 inch deep and 3 to 5 inches apart. If you plant rows of garlic, leave 18 to 30 inches between each row.

• 5

  Harvest the garlic in August, when the leaves start to dry and look brown. Dig up the bulbs and lift them from the ground. Allow the foliage to dry completely before removing it to within 1 inch of the bulb.

Fall Planting

• 6

  Plant garlic in the third week of October, as the farmers at Just This Farm recommend.

• 7

  Loosen the soil. Till deeply and break up any clods. Amend the soil with 3 to 4 inches of compost or dried chicken manure to provide additional nutrients, increase the soil's moisture retention and keep it friable (crumbly).

• 8

  Plant each clove 2 to 3 inches deep, 8 to 10 inches apart and in rows 8 to 12 inches apart.

• 9

  Lay a 3- to 4-inch layer of weed-free mulch such as straw, grass clippings or hay. Mulch will protect the cloves from harsh winter weather and freezing temperatures.

• 10

  Water the garlic consistently between March and June, if the soil dries out, to keep the soil moist. Otherwise, the mulch will keep the soil moist, and watering shouldn't be necessary. Keep the soil moist during the final weeks of June, and the first two weeks of July.

• 11

  Cut scapes when they appear. Use them in the kitchen in much the same way you would use garlic to season dishes, or use them to make a pesto.

• 12

  Harvest the garlic during the first or second week of July. Lift garlic from the soil with a gardening fork and let the foliage dry out before removing it from the garlic head.