Whether you are new to gardening or a seasoned pro, garlic is a fairly easy crop to grow and now is the time to start planting your garlic for a harvest early next summer.

When wanting to plant some garlic, the first thing you will need to decide is what kind of garlic you want to grow. I just did a quick check of two mail order seed websites and one of them had 17 different varieties of garlic available and the other had already sold out of garlic for the season. So, while there are a lot of varieties to choose from, you need to get yours before they are gone. Also, check with your favorite garden center to see if they have garlic bulbs for planting. With all the different varieties to choose from, OSU recommends German Red, Spanish Roja, Inchelium Red and Silver Skin.

Garlic isn’t real picky about where it is planted but it will do best when planted in a location that gets full sun and in well-drained soil. Before planting you can work a little nitrogen into the soil.

Garlic for planting comes in bulbs just like the garlic you purchase at the grocery store. Before planting, break the bulbs apart with your hands and use the larger, outside cloves for planting.

Plant them like you would tulip bulbs, setting them in the ground about 4 inches apart and about 2 inches deep. Be sure to place the clove in the ground with the larger part at the bottom and the slender, pointed part facing up.

If you are used to planting vegetables alike cucumbers or tomatoes, you’ll love planting garlic because you can plant a lot in a small space. After planting the garlic bulbs, cover them with soil and add a couple of inches of mulch. Just remember, this garden space will be occupied until June next year, so there won’t be any re-planting of spring crops in this area.

Your garlic cloves may push up some small green shoots, but most of the action during the winter will be going on underground as it builds out its root system. Even though it will be winter, don’t forget to water these actively growing plants.

Garlic must be exposed to at least 30 days with temperatures of between 32 and 50 degrees to get them to develop bulbs which is one reason fall planting is best.

In late June or early July, you will begin to notice the lower third to one half of the leaves on your garlic plants turning brown while the uppermost leaves will still be green. This lets you know it’s harvest time.

When harvesting, just dig up your garlic bulbs using a garden fork, trowel, or shovel. Next, the harvested garlic will need to “cure” in a dry, shaded area for 4 to 6 weeks. Once cured, remove the stalks while trying to leave the “skin” intact. Garlic can be stored in the refrigerator for several months. Good luck.

You can get answers to all your gardening questions by calling the Tulsa Master Gardeners Help Line at 918-746-3701, dropping by our Diagnostic Center at 4116 E. 15th Street, or by emailing us at mg@tulsamastergardeners.org. Photo OSU Ag. Communications