Growing Garlic: An Autumnal Task

By Caroline Carrico

As the season finally shifts towards cooler daytime temperatures and longer nights, you would be forgiven for thinking that it’s not the time for planting vegetables that need months to mature. And while you would be mostly correct, late October to early November is exactly the time to plant garlic in the Mid-South for harvest early next summer.

Garlic (Allium sativum) is a perennial plant that most gardeners grow as an annual. This member of the onion family likely originated in south-central Asia and is now cultivated around the world. There are hundreds of named cultivars (varieties propagated through human intervention) that fall broadly into two subspecies: hardneck (ssp. ophioscorodon) and softneck (ssp. sativum)

Hardneck garlic produces a flowering stalk called a scape that is surrounded underground by cloves. While hardneck varieties are flavorful and easy to peel, they do not store well and grow best in colder climates. Softneck varieties produce more, smaller cloves, do not have scapes, store well, and are better suited to mild climates, making them excellent candidates for Mid-South gardens.

Pick a sunny location with good drainage for your garlic bed and separate bulbs into individual cloves. Plant them 6-8 inches apart 1-1.5 inches deep with the flat side (basal plate) down. Garlic does not compete well with weeds, so be sure to cover the planting area with mulch to keep unwanted plants out. Garlic needs about a month to establish roots before the ground freezes and will likely put up shoots before winter sets in.

This crop needs a period of chilling in the winter – when it is putting down roots – as well as a period of longer daylight in the spring – when the bulbs are growing. Softneck garlic is typically ready to harvest in late May or June when half of the leaves have fallen over and begun turning brown. Gently use a hand trowel or garden fork to unearth the bulbs. If you’re planning on storing your harvest, you’ll need to cure the bulbs by hanging them out of the sun for about six weeks.

For more details about growing garlic – including soil pH, common pest and disease issues, and fertilizing, check out the educational resource guide on the University of Tennessee Horticulture site.