In this guide, we'll explore the best types of garlic for spring planting, how to cold treat your cloves for optimal growth, and essential care tips to ensure your garlic plants thrive.
Selecting the Right Garlic for Spring Planting When planting garlic in the spring, it's essential to choose the right type of garlic. While most vendors primarily ship garlic for fall planting
Softneck varieties require less chilling but benefit from three to four weeks of cold treatment. On the other hand, hardneck garlic needs to be chilled for four to eight weeks in the refrigerator.
Cold Treating Spring GarlicGarlic, like other plants such as tulips and daffodils, requires a chilling period to grow and develop properly. Without this vernalization period, garlic cloves will grow
To cold treat your garlic cloves for spring planting, you can either chill them in the refrigerator or take advantage of a late winter thaw to plant them directly in the ground.
Planting Garlic in Spring in Containers If you live in a cold climate where the ground remains frozen well into spring, consider planting garlic in containers.
This method allows you to vernalize the garlic cloves in containers and then transplant them into the ground once the weather warms up.
Garlic Care Tips Once your garlic is planted, it's essential to provide proper care to ensure a successful harvest. Garlic needs regular watering
Additionally, garlic grows best in rich, loamy soil, so amend the soil with compost or aged manure before planting. After the garlic has sprouted, side-dress with organic fertilizer
Trimming Scapes Hardneck garlic varieties produce scapes, which are curly flower stalks that can divert energy from developing cloves
Harvesting Spring-Planted Garlic Spring-planted garlic is ready for harvest when some leaves have started to brown, and about five green leaves are left on the stalk.
Planting garlic in the spring is a viable option if you missed the fall planting window. With proper selection, cold treatment, and care, you can successfully grow garlic and enjoy a bountiful harvest.