How to Grow Garlic

Posted by Rebecca D. Dillon | Sunday, April 1, 2012 |

Did you know that one clove or bulb of garlic, when planted, can produce up to an additional twenty cloves? So instead of tossing out your garlic that's started to sprout, plant it instead!
Simply plant garlic cloves individually. If they've started to sprout, even better! Otherwise plant them with the pointy end up. Make sure they are in a sunny location and soil isn't too damp. You can plant multiple cloves four inches apart either in your yard or in a pot. It will fair well even if planted among other flowers or vegetables.
Then just sit back and wait for your garlic to grow. If it's potted, water it occasionally but don't drown it. As your garlic grows, it will sprout leaves. Once the leaves turn brown and die, it's time to harvest your garlic. (Don't harvest any earlier or your cloves will be too small!)


Once you harvest your garlic, hang the bulbs in a cool, dry location to dry them and prevent rot. Your garlic should dry in about a week, at which time you can simply brush off the dirt and start cooking with the cloves or plant some more!

The handmade pottery pot photographed above that I used for planting my garlic bulb was purchased from Roanoke Pottery Works on the Roanoke City Market. These little pots are great for growing all kinds of things, especially if you're limited on space. Because these handmade pots have handles, they are great for tying to lattice work or a trellis and building an herb garden upward instead of outward. Or hang them from a porch ceiling!