Days to Harvest: About 9 months.
Light: Sunny.
Temperature: Roots start growing in fall and winter, with little top growth. Should be mulched with straw to prevent heaving in freezing temperatures.
Companions: Fruit trees, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, cabbage, broccoli, kohlrabi, carrots.
Avoid Planting Near: Beans, peas, parsley.
Preparation: Break apart bulbs just before planting.
Planting: Insert individual cloves, root side down, about 2 inches deep.
Spacing: 4 to 6 inches between cloves, 2 feet between rows.
Water: 1 inch a week, but best to withhold water two weeks prior to harvest, if possible.
Before Harvest: About 4 to 6 weeks before harvest, hardneck garlic produces a “scape” or flower stalk that coils. This should be snapped off so the bulb increases in size.
Harvest: Summer, when 2/3 of plant’s leaves have yellowed. Loosen soil with garden fork and lift. Hang and cure in dark, ventilated place for one month.
Tips: Largest cloves produce largest bulbs. Small cloves can be harvested as garlic greens.
