Plant Garlic Now: A Simple Guide for Sunshine Coast Gardens
Some of the most rewarding crops go in just as everything else is winding down, and garlic is one of them. Tuck a few cloves in now and next July you'll be digging up plump, flavourful bulbs that beat anything from the store. On the Sunshine Coast, mid-October to mid-November is the sweet spot. Running late? You can still plant through December, and even into January or February if the ground isn't frozen or waterlogged. Bulbs may just be a little smaller. Here's how we do it.
Why plant garlic in the fall?
Garlic needs a stretch of cool weather to form proper bulbs. Planting in fall lets each clove grow roots before winter, rest through our mild, wet months, then take off when the soil warms in spring.
Choosing your garlic
Hardneck: big, easy-to-peel cloves with rich flavour, plus a bonus crop of scapes in early summer. Very cold hardy and a great fit for our climate. Keeps for about 4 to 6 months.
Softneck: more (but smaller) cloves, a milder flavour and a longer storage life, often 6 to 9 months. These are the ones with soft stems you can braid.
Whichever you choose, start with seed garlic, not grocery store bulbs. Store garlic is often grown far away, may be treated to stop sprouting and can bring disease into your beds. We have seed garlic in stock now at B&K, 629 Pratt Road in Gibsons, so pop in and pick some up while the selection is good.
Prep the bed
Garlic loves full sun and loose, rich soil that drains well. Drainage is the big one on the Coast, since cloves sitting in soggy soil all winter can rot.
Pick your sunniest spot, ideally with 6 or more hours of sun.
Raised beds or mounded rows are your best friend in our rainy winters.
Work in 2 to 3 inches of compost. Our Compost Blend or Garden Mix (75% compost, 25% sand) both do a lovely job.
Mix in a little bone meal or an organic granular fertilizer to help the roots get going.
Skip spots where you grew garlic or onions last year to help keep disease away.
Building or topping up a raised bed? We sell bulk soil by the yard, half yard and pail, and we deliver soil and mulch anywhere on the Sunshine Coast. Have a look at our soils and mulch or our delivery details.
Planting
Separate the cloves just before planting. Leave the papery skins on and plant the biggest ones, since big cloves grow big bulbs.
Set each clove pointy end up, flat root end down.
Plant about 2 inches deep, measured to the tip of the clove.
Space cloves about 6 inches apart, with rows about 12 inches apart.
Water in if the soil is dry (not usually a problem here in late October!).
Mulch it well
Cover the bed with 3 to 4 inches of clean straw or shredded leaves. Mulch protects cloves from freeze and thaw cycles, keeps heavy rain from crusting the soil and smothers spring weeds. Shred your leaves first so they don't mat down, and skip hay, which is full of weed seeds.
Winter and spring care
Green shoots may poke up over winter. Don't worry, garlic is tough. In early spring, feed with an organic fertilizer and keep the bed weeded, since garlic hates competition. Water during dry spells, then ease off a few weeks before harvest so bulbs can firm up.
Planted hardneck? Watch for scapes in June. Snip these curly flower stalks so the plant puts its energy into the bulb. Don't toss them! Scapes are delicious in pesto or on the barbecue.
Harvest time
Garlic is usually ready here in July. Dig when the lower leaves have turned brown but five or six on top are still green. Wait too long and bulbs can split and won't keep as well. Loosen the soil with a garden fork rather than pulling, then cure the bulbs, stalks on, somewhere dry, shady and airy for 2 to 3 weeks. Save a few of your best for next fall!
Ready to get planting? Come see us at 629 Pratt Road in Gibsons, Monday to Saturday from 9 to 5, or give us a call at 604-886-0924. We'd love to help you get your garlic in the ground. Happy planting!
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