Planting garlic doesn’t require a green thumb or much space. You can easily plant garlic in the ground, raised beds, or containers. With just a little bit of effort, you’ll have an abundant harvest of flavorful cloves for cooking!

Growing Garlic in the Ground or Raised Beds

Since garlic doesn’t like to be soggy, it’s best to grow garlic directly in the ground or in raised beds. To ensure optimal growth, garlic cloves require 6 inches of separation between them when planted. We grant an additional 2-inch buffer due to the competitive nature of plants above and below ground. In this way, we are providing plenty of space for each clove to thrive without creating unnecessary competition in our garden beds.

In southern regions, plant cloves at a depth of about 2 inches deep. In northern regions, plant cloves about 4 inches deep and mulch on top. Garlic is a hardy plant, but planting cloves a bit deeper protects them from harsh northern winters.

Growing Garlic in Containers

If you’re looking for an easy way to grow garlic but don’t have a plot of land to grow it, planting it in containers is a great option. This method is especially useful if you live in an apartment or have limited outdoor space. To get started, select a large planter or container with plenty of drainage holes. Choose a pot that is at least 18 inches deep and 12 inches wide so the garlic roots have the room they need to spread out.

Fill the pot with soil that has been amended with well-rotted manure or compost, and plant multiple cloves of garlic in a row. Make sure to leave plenty of room between the cloves so they have enough space to grow.

Garlic needs consistent moisture, but it shouldn’t be soggy. If your soil is particularly heavy or clay-like, consider adding some perlite to increase aeration and drainage. In general, you should water your garlic whenever the soil feels dry to the touch and keep it in an area that gets at least six hours of sunlight per day.

In about four months, your garlic will be ready for harvest. Simply dig or pull up the entire plant and snip off the foliage about 1/2 inch above the clove. Hang the plants upside down in a shady, well-ventilated space to dry for about two weeks. Once the leaves have dried, you can either use your garlic right away or store it for later use. To extend its lifespan, keep your harvested garlic in a cool, dark place like a pantry or cupboard.

How do you grow your garlic? In the ground or in containers? Please tell us about your successes and challenges growing garlic.