What Do Garlic Plants Look Like?
Hi there! This is my first time growing garlic! This blog post will give you some insights into what I have been up to—what’s worked, and what hasn’t. . Hopefully, you will learn something new and get some ideas on how to cultivate garlic now or during the next season.
Also, I hope you will learn from my mistakes, haha! That’s what we are here for—learning from each other! Otherwise, I hope you enjoy reading this blog as much as I am enjoying growing fresh garlic and writing this informative post for you. I hope you get inspired and feel ready to grow your own garlic plants this or next year. Happy gardening, dear friend!
Thoughts About the Quality of the Soil
One important thing I have learned while cultivating over the last couple of years is that the soil should be of good quality when you grow food. In fact, this is extremely important! The better the soil, the more nutrition the plants will have, which in turn gives bigger, stronger plants.
The results will reflect what you have done during the plant’s growth and how well you have taken care of it. So, if I could give you only one tip for successful gardening with the best results—it would be to focus on the soil! Most plants need nutrient-rich and fresh soil to get all the nutrients they need to grow big and sturdy.
Different Plants, Different Needs
On the other hand, not all plants have the same needs. You have to check each plant’s requirements and how they thrive, because some plants can actually do well even with less nutrition.
Therefore, do not let this stop you from growing food! But keep in mind that you can improve nutrient-poor soil.
How to Increase Nutrient Content in the Soil
Here are some tips on how to increase the nutrient content in the soil:
- Mix in some composted soil
- Add fresh grass clippings
- Use fertilizer from the store
- Mix in fresh soil from the plant market
Plants Are Like Little Individuals
It’s a bit funny how our plants resemble little individuals—if you compare them to people or children, for example. All of them have their own individual needs, just as our children do!
Our task as parents and cultivators is to make sure that each plant gets its needs met. I like to compare growing food to raising children, because the process can look quite similar. Plants and children thrive when you work a little here and there, adjust to their needs, watch and care for them all the time, and make sure they are thriving and growing just right.
When and How to Plant Garlic Plants
One way to grow garlic is to plant it during autumn—typically between September and October, before the frost arrives. I say before the frost because you need to dig the cloves into the soil, which becomes very difficult once it hardens. That’s why timing is so important!
Alternatively, you can plant garlic in early spring, after the cold winter has passed and the soil is soft and ready to work with.
I planted mine in October last year, so I can’t really compare it to planting in early spring. But since garlic takes such a long time to grow, I would guess that autumn is the best time to plant it.
How to Plant Garlic Cloves
Planting and growing garlic might be simpler than you think! When you plant garlic, you start with garlic bulbs and separate the cloves from each other. Then, plant the individual cloves in the ground with the pointed tip facing upward. There’s no need to remove the papery skin from the cloves—leave that on.
Be sure to leave space between each clove so the new garlic plants have enough room to grow. I like to imagine how a full-grown plant will look and how much space it will need, and then plant accordingly. And there you have it—a garlic bed! It’s that simple.
Watching Your Garlic Grow
Next spring, you’ll notice the garlic starting to grow as soon as the frost is over and the temperatures are right. Roots begin to form, and a green shoot grows taller and taller.
I did a little experiment by planting a few garlic bulbs both inside and outside the greenhouse. The results were as expected: the garlic inside the greenhouse grew more steadily, taller, and earlier than the ones planted outdoors—until it started to rain. After many rainy days, the outdoor plants began to grow much better!
If you’re like me and love experimenting, it’s a good idea to try different methods yourself and watch the results. You’ll gain a deeper understanding and learn to trust yourself throughout the process.
Garlic in Different Conditions
It’s clear that warmer climates make it easier for garlic to grow, but garlic can still thrive in less stable weather conditions.For example, the garlic I planted outside in my vegetable garden received almost no attention. After the frost, the bulbs were pressed toward the surface and had little or no soil covering them. This happened because the ground first froze and then, as it thawed in spring, the shifting soil pushed the bulbs upward.
To my surprise, the garlic plants still did very well, even though I didn’t water either the outdoor or greenhouse plants during the winter months—exactly, they survived even in a dry place! That showed me garlic can grow even in dry conditions! Amazing. That said, they do grow faster and stronger when you care for them more intentionally.
A helpful tip is to check the soil surface around your garlic plants and, if needed, add a single layer of soil over them to help the plants grow more stable and taller.
My Garlic Growing Experience
As I mentioned earlier, this is my first year planting and growing garlic, and it’s been super exciting! It’s also really interesting to see how the plants respond to different conditions and areas.
At the time of writing this post, I still haven’t seen any garlic scapes, but I’m looking forward to discovering what they’ll look like – if they appear at all!
Simple Steps to Plant Garlic Bulbs
- Use nutrient-rich, free-draining soil.
- Buy garlic bulbs from a plant store (grocery store garlic is not recommended).
- Separate the cloves and plant each one with the tip facing upward.
- Cover with soil and water it.
- For best results, plant in late fall when the soil is still workable. The garlic will then be ready to harvest the following summer!
Where to Place the Garlic Plant
As I mentioned earlier, some of the garlic bulbs have been placed in the greenhouse, while others are growing outside in the vegetable garden. The ones outside are exposed to full sun and rain to a much greater extent than those inside the greenhouse. On the other hand, the garlic growing inside the greenhouse has had less wind and a warmer temperature. As a result, the garlic growing inside the greenhouse has grown faster and more steadily.
The question remains: which place is better? I guess the answer depends on what resources you have and what you expect from your harvest.
It seems garlic plants are very durable and easy to grow, but they naturally thrive better in:
- Full sun
- Warmer climates
- Regular watering
- Well-drained soil
A good tip is to choose a spot where the conditions are right for garlic to thrive, but also keep in mind that the plant needs to stay in that spot for many months. So, it’s important to place it where it won’t interfere with other plants you may want to grow later—especially during early summer. I had this in mind when I planted some garlic bulbs in my greenhouse. Since my greenhouse is the best place for growing plants, I think carefully and prioritize which ones can be placed there.
Different Varieties of Garlic Plants
When growing garlic, you’ll need to choose the type of garlic you want to plant. The two main categories are hardneck garlic and softneck garlic. Your choice can depend on the flavor you prefer or whether you’re planting in a colder environment.
As for me, I’m not entirely sure what type I’ve grown, since I got my garlic from a friend. I’m really curious to see whether they’ll develop flower stems or not. As you might know by now, I’m still new to cultivating garlic—and I’m learning right alongside you!
My best tip for learning? Just try it and see how it goes!
Hardneck vs. Softneck Garlic
During harvest time, I’ll find out more about my garlic variety. If it develops a flower stem (called a scape), it’s likely a hardneck variety. If it doesn’t, then it’s probably a softneck.
(Please correct me if I’m wrong, haha!). It’s really fun that there are so many garlic varieties to explore—and you can learn a lot simply by growing them yourself!
When to Harvest Garlic Plants
It takes a long time for a single garlic clove to grow into a mature garlic plant with fully developed bulbs. The simple trick? Be patient! Garlic needs time—almost a full year—to develop and give you a rewarding harvest.
During the summer months, keep an eye on the green leaves rising above the soil. As soon as they start to change color, that’s your sign to check whether the garlic might be ready.
How to Know When Garlic Is Ready
The best way to evaluate this is by looking at the entire plant—consider:
- The size of the plant
- The color of the leaves
- How long the plant has been in the soil
If you suspect it might be time, carefully pick one plant and gently remove the soil around the bulb to check if it’s fully grown.
If the garlic head still looks small, it probably needs more time. You can simply wait a bit longer before checking another one. But if the bulb looks full and mature—go ahead and harvest the rest!
You did it—now it’s time to celebrate and enjoy your homegrown garlic!
BONUS – What Does the Bible Say About Garlic?
In Numbers chapter 11, there’s an interesting passage where the Israelites complain about eating manna in the wilderness. What’s funny is that it’s the children who are craving garlic!
I’m not so sure my kids would miss garlic if we were in a similar situation… but apparently, the Israelite kids did!
Numbers 11:5
“We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!”
It’s a fascinating detail—and a reminder of how even something simple like garlic was missed and remembered.
Do you know of any other Bible verses that mention garlic? Or do you have thoughts about this blog post?
Leave a comment below—I’d love to hear from you!
