Growing garlic is very easy and is a great thing to plant if you have big summer plans that are going to keep you out of the garden.
Pick bulbs with big cloves.
There are softneck and hardneck varieties of garlic; the softneck grow best in a colder climate and are easy to braid. I usually do some of both. You can plant large cloves from last summer’s crop or you can get untreated organic garlic at the supermarket or farmer’s market.
Pull cloves apart.
Once you have your garlic clear out a bed, rake the soil and amend with a light dressing of compost. Divide the bulb into individual cloves and lay them out on the soil about 6 to 8 inches apart.
Lay out 6 to 8 inches apart.
Dig a hole, (I usually use a large spoon), about 2 inches deep and plant with the pointy end up. Cover with soil then mulch with straw or shredded leaves. Be sure to pull the mulch away from around the growing garlic in the spring or the darned slugs will actually chew on the stems.
Label clearly where you have planted as it’s easy to overplant.
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