A Simple Guide to Growing Garlic in Cold Climates

Garlic is one of the easiest crops you can grow and it doesn't require much space to get a sizable harvest. It can easily be added to a raised bed or into your vegetable garden.

In my house, we can never have too much garlic and the flavor of homegrown vs grocery store bought is not comparable. During the summer months, bunches hang to dry from the eves of my front porch. I get some odd looks from neighborhood residents and I wonder if they suspect I have an unfounded need to ward off vampires.

"Hardiness" is a term often used in gardening to define a plants ability to withstand cold temperatures. The USDA outlines 13 plant hardiness zones within the United States. This information aids growers in choosing the right plants for their climate by defining the average minimum temperatures in each region. Much of New York state except for the Adirondacks is located in hardiness zone 5 along with areas in Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Colorado and several other localized regions throughout the United States. In hardiness zone 5, garlic cloves are planted into the soil in late October or early November. Depending on your plant hardiness zone, you'll want to plant garlic 3-4 weeks before the ground freezes. They are then harvested the following year in July.

The two main types of garlic are hardneck and softneck varieties. Both types of garlic can be planted in hardiness zone 5.

Hardneck garlic is the most cold-hardy garlic available. It struggles in warmer climates with short winters and does best in plant hardiness zones 2-6. It includes several different varieties offering a wide range of robust flavors and a strong garlicky taste. The bulb has a rigid stem that produces a garlic scape in early summer. It's shelf-life is relatively short compared to the softneck varieties.

Elephant garlic like it's name implies, produces a giant bulb that resembles a mild flavored hardneck variety but it is actually in the leek family. Like other hardneck varieties it will produce an edible garlic scape in early summer. This monster garlic look-alike is planted and prepared the same as regular garlic but unlike many hardneck varieties, elephant garlic can be grown in warmer climates. In culinary use, elephant garlic is not considered a substitute for traditional garlic because of it's slightly different taste.

If you ever wandered through a farmers' market and seen braids of garlic hanging from a display, you'd be looking at softenck garlic. Unlike hardneck garlic, softneck varieties do not have a rigid stem but leaves that make it easy to weave into braids. Once dried, softneck garlic can store up to six months or more. It is known for it's mild flavor and is often the type of garlic found in grocery stores. It is the preferred garlic choice for growers in warmer climates because it doesn't require extended periods of cold weather to be productive.

Some varieties can be grown in colder climates.

A quick reference guide: The difference between hardneck garlic and softneck garlic

​Softneck Garlic

• Does not produce a garlic scape

• Has leaves that can be braided

• Mild flavor

• ​Best suited for warmer climates

• Long shelf-life up to six months or more

Hardneck Garlic

• Produces a rigid stem

• Robust flavor

• ​Produces a garlic scape in early summer

• Best garlic plant for cold climates

• ​Shorter shelf-life averaging 3 months

A Step-By Step Guide on How to Plant Garlic

Garlic plants in June

Step 1. Purchase Seed Garlic

Garlic can be grown from a seed but it is not the preferred or easiest way to grow garlic. When you hear the term, "seed garlic" most people are referring to the cloves of one garlic bulb. Essentially any garlic bulb can be broken down into cloves and planted to make a new bulb. If you're planting garlic for the first time, buy a few good-sized bulbs from a local grower or at a farmers' market. Try to choose the the largest and healthiest bulbs available. If you are a garlic connoisseur in the culinary world, ask the grower what kind of garlic he/she is selling. Flavors and uses will vary significantly with varieties. I do not recommend planting grocery store garlic unless it is labeled with the grower's location. Grocery store garlic can be shipped in from anywhere and it may not be a variety suitable for your climate. Buying local is the best way to ensure that you have a garlic plant that will thrive in your area.

Step 2. Prepare Your Soil

Garlic prefers loose, fertile, well-drained soil. Before planting add a bag of compost to your garden beds. Build it up with a healthy mixture of loose soil and organic matter. I prefer raised bed mixes with worm castings. The healthier your soil, the better chance you have of growing garlic successfully.

Garlic prefers loose soil with plenty of organic matter.

Step 3. Break the Bulbs Down into Cloves

A garlic bulb is made up of several smaller sections called cloves. When planted, each clove will produce one new garlic bulb. Break each bulb down into induvial cloves.

Cloves from a garlic bulb

Step 4. Plant Cloves into the Soil

Garlic plants do best in an area with full sun. With the pointy side up, place the cloves 4-6 inches apart in rows. Plant the the cloves 3 inches deep and cover with soil. Many people will add straw mulch over the top of their garlic. I do not. I find this retains too much moisture and increases the chance of the clove rotting. Every garden bed is different and its a good idea to experiment with what works best in your area. If you're planting several different varieties of garlic, you may want to label each one so you can separate them at harvest time.

Keep the pointy side up.

Step 5. Watch and Wait

You may see green leaves poking through the cold soil. This is typical if we have a mild winter or a few warm days. When the temperatures dip back down, the plants will look a bit haggard. This is normal and they will recover in early spring when temperatures warm the soil.

Spring garden in March with young garlic, spinach, and lettuce.

Step 6. Fertilize and Water

Garlic cloves shouldn't need watering during the winter months especially if they are layered under snow. Dry spells during the springtime and early summer can stress young garlic plants if they are not adequately hydrated, adversely, too much water can cause garlic to rot. The soil around your plants should be damp but not muddy. A good way to check for dampness is to stick your finger into the soil at least 2-3 inches below the surface.

Because garlic takes so long to mature, it will consume a lot of nutrients from your original amended soil and will deplete it of any viability rather quickly. It's important to replenish these nutrients in the springtime, usually late March, with a high nitrogen fertilizer or compost. Chicken manure compost is a common fertilizer/compost used to feed garlic in the springtime. In May and again in early June before the scapes appear, I'll fertilize again with a low nitrogen water soluble fertilizer. I usually use Fish Emulsion or Neptune's Harvest. I add a few tablespoons to my one gallon watering can and water in.

Step 7. Remove Garlic Scapes

Hardneck garlic varieties will produce a garlic scape in late June. This is a rigid stem that emerges from the center of the plant and eventually curls into a thing that resembles a pig's tail. This stem is actually a flower stalk. Garlic plants will put a lot of energy into flower production. By removing the scape, you're redirecting the plant's energy into making a larger bulb and not a flower. The scape can be removed when it begins to curl. Simply cut it off with a pair of garden snips at the base of the stem. The entire scape is edible and is a favorite ingredient in pesto recipes. Chopped garlic scapes can be substituted in recipes that call for garlic and are a great way to jump start the fresh garlic season. Garlic scapes will store for a week or so in the refrigerator. I chop mine up and freeze them immediately so they don't loose flavor. The chopped pieces can easily be sauteed right from the freezer.

Fresh garlic scapes

Step 8. Harvest Garlic Bulbs

In plant hardiness zone 5, garlic bulbs are usually harvested in mid to late July. How do you know when garlic is ready to be harvested? The lower leaves on the garlic plant will start to turn brown and crispy. Once this happens, the bulb is done growing and your garlic is ready to be dug up. Mature garlic is well rooted and doesn't pull out easy. It's advised not to pull the bulbs out by the stem as this risks breaking the stem off, leaving you with no way to hang the bulbs to dry. Dig around the bulbs carefully with a garden fork or trowel. Once loosened, bulbs can easily be pulled out. Shake soil off from the roots.

The dirt will dry and peel off

Step 9. Drying Garlic

Garlic bulbs can be enjoyed in your favorite dishes as soon as they are harvested but if you plan on storing them long term, they must be cured or dried properly. Bunches of the bulbs attached to their stalks can be hung with garden twine from a rafter of a porch, garage, barn, or any location with good air circulation that is out of direct sunlight and protected from rain. Some folks even lay the bulbs on a wire rack. Regardless of where you put them, proper air circulation is a must and a fan may be needed to achieve more air flow. Drying usually takes about 6-8 weeks but this could vary if you live in a humid area. A good way to test for dryness is to pop a clove out of a bulb. If its properly dried, the outer skin will contain very little moisture and feel like thin paper.

Step 10. Storage

Once bulbs are dried, remove the stalks and roots. This can easily be done with a pair of garden shears or snips. Garlic stores best in cool dark places with low humidity.

I typically grow hardneck varieties with a shorter shelf-life. To avoid losing them, I'll chop up most of my cloves in a food processor and add olive oil. I then transfer it to ice cube trays where they are placed in the freezer and used as needed. This is a convenient way to enjoy fresh garlic year-round.

Step 10. Save Bulbs for Planting

Choose the largest bulbs to plant for next year's harvest. Put them aside so they don't get eaten.

Congratulations! You're now a garlic grower.