Spacing for garlic - plus when to plant

[PunkRotten]

Hi,


What is the recommended spacing for garlic?? I hear about 6-8 inches. But I also seen a YouTube vid where this person just toss several cloves into one spot. I really want to get some garlic started. I am a first time grower and want to make sure I do it right. I am also looking to just buy some garlic from the store. I was thinking of Elephant garlic. Anyone know the time I am suppose to plant garlic in zone 9/10?


Thanks

[soil]

6"-8" is about right, the bigger the bulb you got it from. give it more on the side of 8. if you plant them in a hexagonal pattern you can fit more into a given area, compared to just rows. heres an example

[img]https://www.growbiointensive.org/images/Self-Teaching%20Pics/new%20plant%20space%20sm.jpg[/img]

a tip for next year for knowing when to plant garlic, when you harvest the crop, break open one of them and plant a few cloves off to the side somewhere right away, somewhere where you will notice. in the fall when it comes up naturally own its own its time to plant. around here everyone says "don't plant until mid to late october!" yet my indicator cloves tell me to plant in early to mid September. ever since I started doing this the quality of the crop has gone up by far. and its effortless to do even for beginners.

[stella1751]

We're in zone 8b, and plant in mid-October. I space my garlic at 6", but it's regular garlic, not Elephant. I find that planting it closer ends up making the bulbs smaller, but they still taste good.
Garlic is a heavy feeder, and needs some fertilizer to start out with, and then again when the green tops start to really grow in the spring. I use composted cow manure, but there are lots of good organic fertilizers you could use.
Mulch to keep weeds down--garlic really hates to compete with weeds.
If there is a Master Gardener group near you, or if you can contact your county agricultural extension agent, either one can give you advice as to when to plant in your area. Failing that, I'd think October would be safe.

I have been wondering about this (garlic being a heavy feeder). Thanks for starting this thread, Punkrotten, and for including this response, Marlingardener!

[DoubleDogFarm]

Garlic post that started last April.

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=34075&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

Eric

[DoubleDogFarm]

a tip for next year for knowing when to plant garlic, when you harvest the crop, break open one of them and plant a few cloves off to the side somewhere right away, somewhere where you will notice. in the fall when it comes up naturally own its own its time to plant. around here everyone says "don't plant until mid to late October!" yet my indicator cloves tell me to plant in early to mid September. ever since I started doing this the quality of the crop has gone up by far. and its effortless to do even for beginners.

I find this interesting. You plant your indicator garlic and it emerges mid September. When it shows, you plant your main crop. So you are sowing the main crop about mid September. So the main crop should break grown early October. Not sure but I'm thinking the garlic in the ground all summer probably sprouts quicker then the September planting.


Eric

[PunkRotten]

Actually looking at Elephant garlic online I am gonna do another variety. Elephant garlic doesn't seem like something I want since it is a milder than other garlic.

I heard a good time to plant garlic here was mid November. But I will give the local extension office a call and see what they say. Maybe they have it on their site which I will go find. I also have a bag of organic fertilizer with 4-6-3 NPK values. Should I fertilize with something with a higher potassium value?


Soil - Yeah I plant most my stuff like that. I like to tuck in smaller plants or herbs near bigger plants.

[soil]

I find this interesting. You plant your indicator garlic and it emerges mid September. When it shows, you plant your main crop. So you are sowing the main crop about mid September. So the main crop should break grown early October. Not sure but I'm thinking the garlic in the ground all summer probably sprouts quicker then the September planting. I find this interesting. You plant your indicator garlic and it emerges mid September. When it shows, you plant your main crop. So you are sowing the main crop about mid September. So the main crop should break grown early October. Not sure but I'm thinking the garlic in the ground all summer probably sprouts quicker then the September planting.

well first off. every year it emerges at a different time. some years it may be a week apart, might be a month. before I used to just plant garlic when everyone else planted garlic. which is in october. so basically, I put some cloves here and there when I harvest last years planted crop. then I forget about them.

the moment I notice garlic popping up, I plant my main crop. it is about a week off of the indicator ones yea, but its much better than planting a month later. also my garlic comes up within a week after planting, so its not that far behind.

ive been doing this for about 4-5 years now, garlic that gets established well before going dormant for the winter gives better harvests next summer, at least here where I am.

I am wondering if there is a way where I never have to plant garlic again. that would be sweet.