How to Plant Garlic at Home

Prepare the soil for planting by adding organic matter. Garlic does not grow well in heavy or compacted soil and will produce misshapen bulbs. The University of Ohio Extension recommends adding seasoned manure or compost to the garlic bed annually to keep the soil loose enough for garlic to thrive.

Apply fertilizer according to soil test recommendations. Garlic prefers heavily fertilized soil. In the absence of soil test recommendations, the Clemson Cooperative Extension recommends applying 3 to 4 lb. of 10-10-10 fertilizer per 100 square feet of garden space. Always follow instructions on the fertilizer packaging.

Separate the garlic into cloves just before planting. Cloves separated in advance of planting will not produce as large of bulbs as cloves separated when you're ready to plant. Selecting large, outer cloves will also result in larger bulbs at harvest.

Plant the cloves upright and about 1 inch deep. The bottom of the garlic clove should point downward. Separate cloves 3 to 5 inches when planting, and space rows about 12 to 24 inches apart. Garlic should be planted in early autumn to allow maximum time for clove development.

Mulch plants with 4 to 6 inches of straw in the late fall.

Side dress plants with 2 lb. of 10-10-10 fertilizer per 100 square feet of garden space once bulbs begin to form. You will know that bulbs are growing because the plant will cease producing new leaves.

Water plants evenly. Uneven access to water causes misshapen bulbs to form.

Snip the tops off of stiff-necked garlic varieties in early summer, once a topset begins to form at the top of the plant. Failure to trim the stems--called garlic scapes--will reduce the size of the bulb. Garlic scapes have a mild garlic flavor and can be used in cooking.

Harvest when leaves begin to turn yellow during the summer. Gently lift bulbs out of the ground with a spade. Do not pull by hand, as this can damage the stem.