Everything You Need to Know About Planting Garlic

[@patsternburg8737]

Planted garlic two yrs ago. Thought I killed them somehow since it was my first year planting. What a wonderful surprise that garlic was popping up all over. I hadn’t killed it, it just took a very long time to get the bulbs growing! Whoo hoo 🎉

[@firsttimemommy3735]

Same with me, maybe I didn’t let it grow long enough. Darn lol better luck next year!

[@curtdunlap6818]

Oh how I love hardneck garlics. Those scapes are wonderful in soups, stews, omelets and just sauteed in butter and bacon! The clove harvest is the second wave! It's like two harvests out of one crop!

[@ifeelfine72]

I came here to say the same thing. The scape is almost as good as the garlic bulbs themselves.

[@jordanyeager9220]

I'm always 6 beers in when in gardening lol 🌿

[@MIgardener]

Haha!!!😂

[@jsilverman8881]

And I thought I was the only one doing drunk gardening 😂🤣😅

[@geaves762]

Yep

[@KathySarich]

Audio is good now. 😊 I just planted all of the cloves last year, big and small, and little bulbs from the little cloves surprised me this year, most separated into two big cloves rather than lots of little cloves. Lol!

[@gregdoh]

I'm in south central Wisconsin and plant garlic the first week of November, mostly hardneck, planted 4" apart and 2" deep. I tried 6" spacing once and noticed no difference in bulb size so I went back to 4". I've never added sulfer but we don't get as much rain as Michigan, so I've never had any garlic rot. I haven't needed to buy garlic in 7 years now. So easy and fun to grow and save seed from for the next year! GL everyone!

[@debbieblood439]

I would like to see a video on growing garlic indoors, if it's possible to do.

[@matthewwarren6196]

It was loud enough for me, I heard him. I just planted 60 cloves of Leningrad garlic here in the thumb yesterday. Now I'm worried I went too deep or put too much back over it. I went about 4 inches or so deep, but maybe I'm ok because the cloves were fairly large. I did mix my mulch that contains chicken coop bedding of poo, straw, pine shavings n natural ash / charcoal and lawn clippings in with it so it was fairly loose. This is my first year with garlic so I'm paranoid. I did also plant 6 inches apart, but next year I will do the 3 or so. Trying to bulk produce for a roadside stand here in Applegate 😊

[@JamieE76]

Don't worry about it too much. Your best bet is to wait until spring/summer and see what happens. You'll know then if you did anything terribly wrong, and then just change it up the next planting. I'm on my 3rd year of planting garlic, and I still learned something new from this video. :)

[@Andrea-si2vs]

If you only just planted, try digging some up and replant higher and then compare the outcome next year.

[@grantjohnson5308]

You should be fine. I’ve done it for 4 years and done very well. I just pushed em down in I bought from store and added some farmers market garlic. Now I just replant from last season every year.

[@sueweathers3978]

We live close to the Canadian border. Last year we planted our first garlic in Nov 1st. It was actually spitting snow as we planted. It all went down over 2 inches deep . Maybe 3! We put a tablespoon of trifecta in each hole first and stirred it up. After planting, we covered with a chopped straw. Then prayed we hadn't messed it up! Ha our garlic was harvested in August and they were huge!!! This year we'll use sulphur. Our bed is very fluffy.. Tyo much so. Also didn't water after planting because it was snowing! Hoses already put away🥶

[@danarzechula3769]

Ooo lucky you I wish I had access to chicken poo😂

[@SimplerTimesHomestead]

Thank you, MI Gardener! We had decided that we were going to grow garlic this year for the first time and this helps greatly. Thank you for making the process easy to understand!

[@JCPDBRC]

Just planted some Music Garlic yesterday. Used my finger to poke holes for the cloves. Thanks for the video!

[@mellyg8872]

Always learning on this channel. Thanks Luke!

[@MIgardener]

Glad to hear it!

[@ivegottabeme1]

I’m going out to plant garlic right now, wanted some tips and I knew this channel would be my go to! Thank you!

[@joshuahoyer1279]

If you've ever broken a pitchfork or shovel off it's handle, that handle makes a great dibber! Might need a little sanding to get the end a little rounded off, but that's what I use to plant most of my transplants now!

[@MIgardener]

Cool idea!

[@scrapdog2844]

That is interesting about the seed size because the cloves that I bought from you were nowhere near the size you just said.

[@Tinyteacher1111]

I just pulled out my last raised bed plant. I had a bunch of rogue tomatoes, 2 heirloom tomatoes, about 3 picky cucumbers, and 1 butternut squash that was about 1 1/2” (Yes, inches!) tall! I wanted to have a garden this year and last year, but broke my arm falling off a ladder last summer that never healed right because I have Lyme, which restricts blood flow. How disappointing to move from a beautiful condo that had mold on the basement wall, and hence, throughout the entire 3 floors, so I got mold toxicity! I moved to a house that’s very nice with a privacy fence for my dog, here after having it tested, but my summers have consisted of chasing my dog out of the mud (slope in back) and trying to tend a garden, yard, and home alone with one arm. I’m 4’ 9”, and found out quickly who my friends were! Love your channel, even if I can hardly use the tips. 🥲

[@Tinyteacher1111]

WHAT?! No volunteers out there in KZbin land to come rushing to my aid, and replace the boyfriends and fiancée that I let go because they didn’t care for the fact that let family members move in even they had mold in their house? (They just happened to be my ex-husband and grown son, but I’m compassionate!) I’m so alone with my 1 1/2”…… squash! At least it wasn’t a picky cucumber! 😜

[@lidip8700]

Btw, I've decided to plant a few garlic cloves in my flower pots to discourage critters from eating my flowers!! (Deer & raccoons hate garlic!!)

[@cynthianorman935]

For hardness, I still plant the smaller cloves. I want the garlic scapes to eat them. I don't mind small heads I replant them for more garlic scapes!

[@SuperStruct]

There's soft neck, hard neck.... but what about the ruffneck (bass)?

[@PrettyAliceNight]

Yay! Your videos are always so helpful! It’s almost garlic planting time here in Texas so I’m brushing up so I don’t forget anything. Thanks as always Luke!

[@PrettyAliceNight]

I would love to see a video on how to source compost in your local area. I make my own but it’s never enough. I’ve tried finding compost near me and the bagged stuff is awful and mostly just sticks and clay mud. But it seems hard to find bulk compost around me too. I have found a couple places on Google but I’m always unsure how to know if it is good or not before driving an hour plus to go buy it. The couple places I’ve visited the compost looks okay- medium to dark in color and not a lot of big chunks of unfinished stuff- but it smells bad. Even the compost that is supposed to be made of only yard waste and food scraps and no manure still stinks badly of manure. The best thing I’ve found is the Fox Farms soil conditioner but it’s exspensive at $16 so very impractical to be able to get enough.

[@mneraasen224]

I love the German hardneck garlic I purchased at MI Gardener, they had crazy big cloves 💖When I save my own Hard-neck garlic I leave the stem at least 4 inches long, it helps break the garlic apart and you can bunch varieties together with a rubber band. It Just loosen the skin by rotating it in circles pull off the stem paper and loosen the glove paper rotate it again and the cloves should pop off, or at least gone enough room to get your thumb in there.

[@LorentzInvariance]

Thanks for sharing!

[@deborahcaldwell9775]

Oh yay because I just purchased a great glop of plantable GARLIC

[@lauriedavis4045]

I plant larher cloves first of course, then smaller if there's space--the resulting smaller heads can always be used for cooking.

[@flatlander2743]

I've been experimenting with straw bale gardening. As the main season winds down the bales are usually beginning to fall apart. I use the semi rotted straw as mulch.

[@catherinemaxine2079]

The video I needed 🙌🏼 got my garlic from y’all!

[@judydwiggins3456]

Thank you! I planted garlic yesterday and did not plant smaller cloves. So happy to know I did it right. ❤

[@Karina4berger]

Wish I would have found your video last year. So helpful. Now I can correct my mistakes for the next garlic season.

[@pawsnclawsOG]

I came here for planting garlic, but the pine shaving mulch was so good to know! A million thanks!

[@darcy8195]

I planted garlic I got from the Amish. I’ll add the Trifecta I just bought from you and I need to get pine shaving added. Yay!!!! Thanks for the videos!

[@MIgardener]

Glad you enjoyed! Happy gardening!

[@mudpiemudpie785]

Thanks, Luke. This info was great, but I plant my garlic in grow bags and I'd love a video on that.

[@MBennett-gy6js]

Mulch. I gotta learn more about mulches. We use shredded leaves & grass clippings. Worked good last year. Sometimes, we use mowed weeds & grasses, that doesn't work too well, tons of foxtail pop up.

[@beckypeterson7522]

sulphur! THAT'S what I forgot! Just planted it today- can I top dress the soil with the sulphur?

[@janetroyal6009]

Hi, thank you for explaining this process. You mentioned that after you put the pine shavings on you water it well. After that initial watering, when do you begin to water it again? thanks.

[@namcyrunels9163]

Thankyou for a great tutorial! I will be planting garlic for the first time. I am an avid gardener but have not tried planting garlic before. I live in Michigan as well. Love you on youtube! you are so😃 helpful!!!

[@jeffreydawnbrown6419]

Do I have to water during the winter months? How often without snow/rain? Zone 5, average first frost date Oct 9, last frost date Apr 30. I’m attempting garlic in a 25 gallon livestock mineral tub. First time attempting garlic. Just finishing up my 3rd summer gardening. Thank you for your very helpful and informative videos!

[@roelven1282]

Greetings from the Netherlands... (8a-8b-9) ... last year i attempted hardneck Garlic ... and i got a huge harvest

[@MeFormore]

I lived in NL for the last 20 years and everything I grew in the earth grew great. Nl has great fertile soil..

[@karen0961]

Thanks for all the great information! I wondered about all the different varieties of garlic, I’m glad you covered that. Soft neck garlic for me! 😄

[@Tamara_1776]

Hi Luke! The garlic I ordered from you is going in today or tomorrow. I'm zone 6. Got soft and hard neck. This is my first time planting it. Thank you for the great tips, and especially, your integrity!!! I love your videos 😊

[@missourigirl4101]

Great garlic info Luke! Thx!

[@Wendy-ir6ww]

So as I plan on soon covering my chicken pen area with a new layer of pine, I can add some of that to a new batch of garlic plantings. Also good to know that my being in zone 6, I should be able to grow hardnecks and softnecks in my yard.

The first frost date is somewhat difficult to tell when the weather is crazy like these last years. Other sources advice to plant garlic when the soil temperature drops under 9 degrees of Celsius (48 F). I guess that might be little bit easier to get it right. Concerning the spacing - space the rows about 15 cm (6 inches) from each other but within the row you can plant the cloves as close as 8cm (3 inches) and it will be fine.

[@leedunne7726]

Very appreciative of the back stories behind your advice.

[@IamPerfectlyImperfect]

Your videos are very informative

[@soidog4615]

30 days before the first frost date? That would be August for us. I always thought you plant in November, that's what I've done but I've only planted one year. They got huge.

[@sherrydaugherty747]

When do you put the trifecta in? Do you just put some in each hole? Or spread it out?

[@lorib5323]

Just ordered my garlic on the restock! Yay!!!

[@FarmsteadForge]

Could you use wood ash or epsom salts as a source of sulfur? We have never had any rot, but just curious.

[@cathycharron-folsom4504]

I am in northern ME and I plant 3rd and 4th week in October. I plant before the ground freezes not before frost which we can get as early as Labor Day weekend. I harvest around 3rd week in July. I am close to MI zone but maybe little colder and more snow depending on where Luke is located in state.

[@janicealderson4329]

I bought elephant garlic from Ireland to France, as can't seem to buy much here, just tiny things, for teeny garlic! I must get some sulphur then - my garlic went rotten last year and was a total waste of time. Nice video.

[@everydayliving1975]

Thanks

[@cwolgamot]

Love this. Third year planting garlic. First year almost complete bust. This year just harvested so excited to have a somewhat decent yield. Planting now maybe a little late in Ohio. Nov 8. Lots more this year so with this info hopefully will yield great results 🤩

[@lidip8700]

I bought 4 different varieties of garlic from MiGardener. I've planted 1/2of them. I'm glad I watched this video, because I didn't know about the sulfur & I have planted them too deep.

[@melindaroth5796]

Awesome info THANK YOU LUKE ❤😊

[@trishdowney176]

This was a great video, informative and concise! Thank you!

[@CJ-rb7li]

Awesome video, thank you!

[@AngelaAttaway]

Your awesome!!

[@dtharge4082]

Where do I buy seed garlic in Oct? I am starting my garlic journey!

[@stephaniegee227]

Ideal planting time here in middle Tennessee is a bit of a guess, every year. Our weather yo-yo's so much that 30 days before first anticipated frost means you'll see greens growing in about 45 days. Then again, we can only do hardneck varieties here, and we're in 7a.

[@Freestile74]

Hi Luke, I live near Lapeer Michigan so not too far from you. You said to plant 30 days before first frost date, which is October 1 in 2024. That means planting day around September 1. But later in your video, you mentioned “when you plant in October…” can you clarify when you actually planted your garlic as this was confusing. thanks Luke! Love your videos!

[@javiermuro7]

Google what your potential frost date could be. I’m planning to plant late September. I’m in zone 6a northwest Indiana. I do plan on layering a 2-3inch layer of mulch above them. My first frost date is anywhere from October 1-November 10. But on average it’s around October 22

[@amyschmelzer6445]

I am 6a in Ohio. I always plant AFTER my first frost which is typically somewhere around October 7-14. We get plenty of warm days after the first frost which means I often have green sprouts come up before it freezes hard. Sprouts aren’t the end of the world, but they’re not something you want in the fall either. I’ve planted in November without ill effect on my crop, but I prefer doing it on a nice sunny day in October because I don’t like to garden when it’s cold outside.

[@karen5311]

I am in 7a Zone and planted soft neck garlic, does this mean my garlic will rot 😢?

[@amyschmelzer6445]

@@karen5311 Not necessarily. I usually have near 100% emergence in the spring even when they sprout in the fall early. The exception was the year I planted them in a low spot that stays wet in late winter when the snow melts and we get a lot of spring rain. I have clay soil and have learned that good drainage is critical for overwintering crops. Garlic doesn’t like wet feet.

[@camerica7400]

What did you end up doing? I haven’t even ordered my garlic and I am expecting a chance of frost this week.

[@firequeen2194]

I planted 30 days before my first frost date but the weather has been so nutty that it’s started to have shoots break the surface. I hope they’re ok. Fingers crossed. First timer.

[@karenclement7903]

It will and it's fine.

[@yvencia1150]

Thank you for sharing 😊😊😊😊

[@KarenThomas-v5n]

your videos are very informative Thank you

[@carriebeard-R.I.T.S]

Very informative!

[@MIgardener]

Glad it was helpful!

[@karenbreslin2184]

this is my first yr growing garlic. I saw in another video that it can be planted in a strawberry bed. I have a large and medium raised beds. If the strawberry bed is NOT an option, if there any area from the passed growing season I should avoid because garlic "doesn't like that" thanks for your help with this

[@cityfeetB3]

Planted garlic for the first time this year watching your older videos. Is there any fertilizing or maintenance done in the spring to keep it going that you could do a video about?

[@earthisflat]

I got inchelium red garlic and nootka rose garlic undergoing vernalization right now, ive been gardening for years and this is the first year im trying to grow garlic, can't wait to see which variety taste best 😁

[@lindakemer4950]

We’re in 4b . Had our first frost last week but back to warm temps. I already have a leaf coming up. Hope it doesn’t ruin it but the others are still underground. I will search your video to see what I should or shouldn’t do for this early riser. Hope the other soft and hard necks stay below my mulch layer.🤞

[@nancyswan7585]

Thank you so much for your reply. Very useful

[@JulieR207]

Just planted my soft neck a week ago, but I didn’t know about the sulfur. I’ll rake the mulch back & add it. Thanks Luke!

[@spottedsparrowgardens9999]

Alot of good info i wasnt aware of! Thanks!

[@MIgardener]

Wooo! That’s awesome!

[@slyborgl]

Another great video! Thanks for sharing! I wish I could have you come plant me a garden, lol 😂😁

[@MIgardener]

Maybe one day! 😜 happy gardening!

[@MorroccoM13]

Good video as always. Picking the proper planting time for garlic is never easy. I'm in zone 6A, 16 miles west of Boston. Our average first frost is Oct 6th. Last year our first frost didn't come until early Nov and this year its looking like next Tuesday BUT warm days remain ahead. Now I go by either the native Indians rule of around the last full moon of October of AFTER the first frost. Both those will be a few days apart this year. I will let you know how it works out. Some mighty BIG heads of garlic there ! So much fun to grow.

[@gregdoh]

I always wait to plant until warm weather is done so the garlic doesn't sprout. We usually get a few light frosts in October here in Wisconsin, but not enough to freeze the ground. Been growing garlic for about 8 years now and there was 1 year where I planted in mid-october and the garlic sprouted. It still did well enough though.

[@MorroccoM13]

@@gregdoh EXACTLY! Last year I planted on Oct 29th and it stayed warm all winter and it grew all winter. Miserable (small) heads of garlic.

[@gregdoh]

@@MorroccoM13 We start by following advice from others to maximize results then experiment on our own and do what works best for our individual needs! And sometimes we still have failures that we might have little to no control over (such as a very late frost in spring that could kill fruit tree buds and prevent fruit from growing). My middle row of garlic didn't do great last year, most likely due to the drought we had in my area and uneven watering as I watered by hand (I'm setting up drip irrigation next year). Cheers!

[@MorroccoM13]

@@gregdoh We had zero rain last summer and nothing but rain all summer this year. Garden on !

[@bwayne40004]

I am ready to plant my garlic. I am waiting another week or so to do so. I learned about pelleted sulfur today. Usually I just give a light dose of the sulfur powder.

[@dtharge4082]

So the animal bedding goes over the plantings?

[@JamieE76]

I always learn something new from your videos! I didn't know about the sulfur, so I will have to do that from now on. Thanks! :)

[@sarahbee27]

How do you stop the mulch blowing away in the wind?

[@FosterChicken]

The mulch you use is called "animal bedding"? I need to find this. Thanks.

[@outwest100az]

Nice job but how often do you water the garlic?

[@RC-goddess]

How often do I water the garlic after I planted it?

[@daadams3]

Can you use the same raised bed Year after year for growing garlic?

[@DonnaMM6361]

I think that Luke said thar he did. I want to know how much to plant in an area.

[@nancyswan7585]

Does it matter if the protective leaf around the garlic clove is broken before you plant the clove.

[@douglaslinemanful]

I’ve had several that inadvertently became partially peeled while separating cloves and they grew just fine as far as I could tell. I think there is a chance it could become susceptible but not a certainty. I’ve talked to others that purposely peel them before planting and say it doesn’t matter. Which I respond with why do it then? Some people just want to be different I think.

[@ypsrudy1]

Thank you

[@MIgardener]

You're welcome

[@megandaw5605]

Will the sulfur harm the tomatoes and basil they’re cross planted with?

[@helenli982]

Where does everyone get their garlic from to plant? I would love to try growing it in containers myself.

[@bubbiemarie30]

If start early spring how long would take grow

[@Diane-m1u1q]

Can you plant garlic in a container garden?

[@alftan01801]

What should I purchase for the Sulfur?

[@Happy2Run4Me]

Do you water the garlic over the winter and spring while it’s dormant or do you leave it along until you see growth?

[@mikecox3659]

I don't think the Link worked but I hope you get credit ... all the best from Arkansas!!!

[@jeannamcgregor9967]

We can plant 2 months before our first frost in CA since we don't always get an actual frost and the garlic just plows on (slowly) through the winter. I'm only about 40 miles from Gilroy, the "garlic capital of the world" and can reliably use the local farmer's market garlic for seed and get big healthy heads. What's weird is that some of it is hard-neck and that's unexpected, but it grows well here in Zone 10a.

[@lsherylc2524]

Hey garlic expert, if I’m up the road in Vacaville, when should I plant? Was going to do next week First time! Have both hard and soft.

[@jeannamcgregor9967]

@@lsherylc2524 I got mine in the ground this past week, so do it now! It should be ready to harvest around the summer equinox next year...long time but worth it.

[@808quake]

Do you water them right away or not need water??

[@hemalsgolwala]

Could you please let me know where did you buy the sulfur from? Thank you

[@Taoss123KeyholeJourney]

When will you have more seed garlic available? Obviously, I am running late...

[@djcendrowski8587]

How do you "save" garlic from the winter planting to be able to use for fall planting again. Seems like it would go bad from a July harvest to a fall planting.

[@bubbiemarie30]

When do u plant harlic

[@raizelschectman932]

Are you supposed to fertilize the garlic in the spring with liquid fertilizer

[@LindaBunch-f1o]

I wanted to tell you that your videos are so informative and helpful. I just bought my garlic for the first time this year. Of course it's MI Gardner garlic. I live in zone 9 in a desert and I have a real problem with ground squirrels and pocket Gophers. I decided to try growing my garlic in my garden tower. Since I don't normally get rain here in the high desert of California very often, I wasn't sure how much to water my garden tower. I'm glad I watched today for two reasons; amending the soil and mulching with pine shavings. I'm hoping this will truly help my garlic to grow this year if you have any advice on how often to water my garden tower it would be deeply appreciated. Thanks again for all the gardening help you've provided since I found your channel. Open.

[@MIgardener]

Happy garlic growing! Thanks for your support :)

[@cortneyhandlin6006]

Im in zone 6a (southern pa) its January 8th , first time plantinr garlic. Can i plant it now so it can over winter? Will it grow in spring?

[@SylviaJonathan]

The sulfur at our farm coop comes in VERY FINE powder, like talc, with warning about personal protection gear etc. Where did you buy your granules??

[@apriln2108]

I buy mine off Amazon, because I use to create acidity for the blueberries, etc.

[@ypsrudy1]

My wife and I watch your very informative video's. I'm not picking on you because most of the youtube channels we view Do Not say where they live before you start your episode. At least please let us know what state your in. Thank you,,,

[@debbiemusgrove676]

Michigan

[@marcidevries5515]

MI is Michigan. 😊

[@ross-smithfamily6317]

MI Gardener - Michigan Gardener

[@lauramehlenbacher457]

How many bulbs come in one head of garlic? I'm trying to figure how much I will need this fall. Tia

[@lesleyrutz50]

Greetings! I live in zone 7b in eastern WA. I ordered garlic from the San Juan area and I missed our first frost. I do have calendulas still blooming. Is it too late to plant them?