There are very few crops that give me a bigger return on my effort than garlic.

I grow more than 100 heads of garlic each year in a space measuring only about four feet by four feet in one of my raised beds. That relatively small patch gives me months of homegrown garlic, a bonus harvest of delicious garlic scapes, and enough seed garlic to begin the cycle again the following fall.

Once planted, garlic asks for surprisingly little. It spends the cooler months developing roots underground, bursts into active growth in spring, and is ready to harvest early enough in summer that I can use the space for an entirely different crop.

I often plant beans after my garlic comes out. This year, I followed it with cut flowers.

For gardeners trying to produce more food from limited space, garlic is a wonderfully productive crop.

Why I Grow Hardneck Garlic

I grow hardneck garlic, which performs beautifully in my garden here in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia.

Hardneck garlic produces a firm central stalk surrounded by a single layer of cloves. The cloves are generally large, flavourful, and easy to peel.

It also gives me a second crop before the bulbs are ready: garlic scapes.

Scapes are the curling flower stalks produced by hardneck garlic in late spring or early summer. They have a fresh, mild garlic flavour and can be harvested weeks before the bulbs themselves.

Removing the scapes also redirects more of the plant's energy toward developing the bulb underground. This means I get something delicious to eat while also helping the plant finish its primary crop.

Softneck garlic does not generally produce scapes, but it usually has a much longer storage life. Gardeners in warmer climates may also find that softneck varieties perform better because many hardneck varieties benefit from a substantial period of cold weather.

How I Fit More Than 100 Garlic Plants Into a Small Space

I dedicate approximately a four-foot-by-four-foot section of one raised bed to garlic.

My garlic is planted relatively intensively, with the cloves spaced closely enough to make efficient use of the bed but far enough apart that each plant has room to form a good-sized bulb.

The exact number you can grow in a space this size will depend on your spacing, the garlic variety, and the fertility of your soil. In my own garden, rich soil and consistent care allow me to grow more than 100 heads in this compact area.

I consider this one of the best uses of raised-bed space because garlic occupies the bed during a relatively quiet part of the gardening year. It grows through fall, winter, and spring, then comes out early enough for another crop to follow it.

One small section of garden can therefore produce two completely different harvests in a single year.

My Secret to Growing Whopper-Sized Garlic

People often ask how I grow such enormous garlic bulbs.

There is no single magic product involved. The most important factor is well-fed, fertile soil.

Garlic is a relatively heavy feeder. Each bulb is built using energy captured by the leaves and nutrients drawn from the soil. If you want large bulbs, you need to support strong leaf and root growth during the first part of the growing season.

Before planting, I amend the bed generously with finished compost.

Compost adds organic matter, improves soil structure, helps regulate moisture, and supports the soil organisms involved in nutrient cycling. It is the foundation of my garlic bed, although I also fertilize while the plants are actively growing.

The goal is not simply to make the leaves look lush. Healthy leaves are the plant's solar panels. They capture the energy the plant needs to form a large bulb underground.

Why I Plant Garlic Earlier Than Most Recommendations

Many garlic-growing guides recommend planting in October, often around the time of the first frost.

I tend to plant much earlier, sometimes as early as late August or early September.

Our falls in coastal British Columbia are generally long and mild. Early planting gives the cloves plenty of time to establish strong roots before winter. In my garden, this has consistently resulted in vigorous plants and whopper-sized bulbs.

You may see some green growth above the soil before winter. That has not been a problem in my garden.

Planting time does depend on climate. In a colder region with an early, severe winter, gardeners may need to plant later and mulch more heavily. My early planting schedule is based on my experience in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley.

The broader principle is to give garlic enough time to establish roots before the ground freezes solid, without treating a single calendar date as a universal rule.

Choosing Garlic for Planting

One of the easiest ways to improve your garlic harvest is to be selective about what you replant.

Every year, I save my largest, healthiest bulbs for seed.

It can be tempting to keep the biggest bulbs for the kitchen and plant the smaller ones, but that works against you. The large bulbs contain the large cloves that are most likely to produce vigorous plants and substantial bulbs the following year.

Over time, continually selecting your best-performing garlic can help you develop planting stock that is particularly well adapted to your garden.

I look for bulbs that are:

• Large and well formed

• Firm and fully cured

• Free from mould, wounds, and signs of disease

• Made up of large, healthy cloves

• Representative of the characteristics I want to preserve

I keep these bulbs whole during storage and separate them into cloves only when I am ready to plant.

How to Plant Garlic

Choose a location that receives full sun and has well-draining soil.

Garlic dislikes sitting in waterlogged ground, particularly during the cool months. Raised beds work especially well because they generally drain readily and warm relatively quickly in spring.

Prepare the bed by loosening the soil and adding finished compost. If your soil is very low in nutrients, you can also incorporate a balanced organic fertilizer according to the package directions.

Separate each garlic bulb into individual cloves shortly before planting. Leave the papery skin around each clove intact.

Plant each clove with:

• The pointed end facing upward

• The flatter root end facing downward

• The tip approximately two to three inches below the soil surface

• Enough space for the bulb to develop without being crowded

Traditional recommendations often suggest spacing garlic about six inches apart. I grow mine more intensively in fertile raised-bed soil. Closer spacing can work, but there is a trade-off. The more crowded the plants become, the more they must compete for light, water, and nutrients.

After planting, water the bed thoroughly.

Once temperatures cool, I cover the soil with a layer of mulch. Shredded leaves or clean straw can help insulate the soil, reduce erosion, suppress weeds, and protect it from the pounding effects of winter rain.

Feeding and Fertilizing Garlic

Garlic needs the greatest access to nitrogen while it is producing leaves in early spring.

As growth begins, I apply a nitrogen-rich fertilizer according to its label directions. Depending on the product and the condition of the plants, I may feed again while the leaves are still actively developing.

Good nitrogen sources may include:

• A fertilizer formulated for vegetables

• Blood meal

• Feather meal

• Fish fertilizer

• Well-finished compost

• Other organic fertilizers with a relatively high first number in the NPK ratio

More is not always better. Excessive nitrogen can encourage abundant leafy growth without necessarily producing better bulbs, and nutrients can leach into groundwater or waterways. Follow the directions for the particular fertilizer you use rather than applying it by guesswork.

I stop providing high-nitrogen feedings once the plants begin shifting their energy toward bulb formation. Late nitrogen can delay maturity and may interfere with proper curing.

Along with fertility, garlic needs consistent moisture during active spring growth. I water deeply when rainfall is not sufficient, while avoiding constantly saturated soil.

As harvest approaches and the lower leaves begin to brown, I reduce watering. Drier conditions at the end of the growing cycle help the bulbs mature and make harvesting and curing easier.

Harvesting Garlic Scapes

Hardneck garlic usually produces scapes in late spring or early summer.

At first, the scape grows upward. It then begins to curl, often forming an elegant loop or spiral.

I harvest the scapes once they have started curling but before they become tough and woody. They can be cut with clean snips or gently snapped off near the point where they emerge from the upper leaves.

Scapes can be used anywhere you would enjoy a fresh, mild garlic flavour.

Some of my favourite uses include:

• Garlic scape pesto

• Garlic scape compound butter

• Garlic scape salt

• Stir-fries

• Pasta dishes

• Soups

• Scrambled eggs

• Grilled vegetables

• Potato dishes

• Salad dressings

• Scapes grilled whole

• Finely sliced scapes used as a garnish

I also freeze extra scapes. They can be chopped and frozen in a single layer before being transferred to a freezer container, or blended with oil and frozen in small portions.

My stored garlic usually lasts until the scapes arrive in late spring or early summer, so there is very little time during the year when I do not have some form of homegrown garlic available.

How to Know When Garlic Is Ready to Harvest

Garlic is not ready simply because the calendar says it should be.

The leaves provide the best indication.

Each green leaf corresponds roughly to a protective wrapper around the bulb. As leaves die, those wrappers begin to deteriorate.

I harvest when approximately one-third to one-half of the leaves have turned brown but several of the upper leaves are still green.

If you harvest too early, the bulbs may not have reached their full size and the skins may not be sufficiently developed.

If you wait until every leaf is brown, the protective wrappers may have broken down. The cloves can begin separating within the soil, which reduces their storage life and makes them more vulnerable to moisture, mould, and damage.

When I think the crop is close, I carefully lift one test bulb and inspect it. If the cloves are clearly defined and the bulb has formed good wrappers, I begin harvesting.

How to Harvest Garlic Without Damaging It

Garlic bulbs bruise more easily than they appear to.

Rather than pulling forcefully on the stems, I loosen the soil beside and beneath the bulbs using a garden fork or trowel. I take care not to pierce or slice them.

Once loosened, the plants can be gently lifted from the soil.

I brush away large clumps of dirt, but I do not wash the bulbs before curing. Introducing extra moisture can slow drying and increase the risk of mould.

Freshly harvested garlic is still perfectly edible. It simply has not yet developed the dry skins and concentrated texture needed for long-term storage.

What I Plant After Garlic

One of the advantages of growing garlic is its early harvest.

Once the garlic comes out, I still have a meaningful portion of the summer growing season ahead of me. I clear away the garlic plants, add compost if the bed needs replenishing, and plant another crop.

I often follow garlic with beans. Beans grow quickly in warm soil and can produce abundantly during the second half of summer.

This year, I planted cut flowers instead.

Other possible succession crops will depend on your climate and remaining growing season, but may include:

• Bush beans

• Beets

• Carrots

• Chard

• Cucumbers

• Kale

• Lettuce

• Radishes

• Salad turnips

• Fall brassicas

• Annual flowers

Choose crops that can mature within the number of frost-free days remaining in your area.

Does Garlic Leave Allelopathic Chemicals in the Soil?

Garlic contains potent sulphur-based compounds, and researchers have found that garlic extracts, root exudates, and decomposing plant material can affect the germination or growth of other plants.

Those effects are highly dependent on the concentration, the part of the garlic plant used, the receiving plant, and the experimental conditions.

Many studies demonstrating strong inhibition involve concentrated extracts, hydroponic systems, crushed garlic, or substantial amounts of garlic residue mixed into soil. Those conditions do not necessarily represent what happens when intact garlic bulbs are harvested from an ordinary garden bed.

In my own garden, I have not noticed an allelopathic effect on the crops planted after garlic. Beans and flowers have grown successfully in the same space shortly after the garlic harvest.

I remove the garlic plants, leave as little diseased or bulky residue as possible, replenish the bed with compost, and continue planting.

This does not prove that garlic compounds can never influence a subsequent crop. It simply means I have not found allelopathy to be a practical concern in my own succession planting.

In a home garden, depleted nutrients, inadequate water, disturbed roots, pests, diseases, or planting at the wrong time are likely to be more useful first considerations if the next crop performs poorly.

How to Cure Garlic

Garlic must be cured before it is placed into long-term storage.

Curing allows the outer skins and neck to dry, protecting the cloves and reducing moisture loss.

I leave the stems, leaves, and roots attached initially. I arrange or hang the plants in a dry, shaded, well-ventilated location.

Do not cure garlic in strong direct sunlight. Intense heat and sun can damage the bulbs.

Depending on humidity and airflow, curing generally takes about three to four weeks. It may take longer in damp conditions.

The garlic is ready for storage when:

• The outer skins feel dry and papery

• The necks are completely dry

• The roots are dry and wiry

• The bulbs feel firm

• There is no soft or damp tissue

Once cured, I trim the roots and cut back the hardneck stems, leaving a short portion of stem attached.

I gently remove only the dirtiest outer wrapper. Peeling away too many layers reduces the bulb's protection.

How I Store Garlic

I store my cured garlic in a zippered mesh laundry bag and hang it in my pantry.

It is inexpensive, keeps the bulbs neatly contained, and allows air to circulate around them. The zipper also makes it easy to add or remove bulbs without taking the bag down or spilling its contents.

Garlic stores best in a dry, dark, well-ventilated place with a relatively stable temperature.

Avoid sealed plastic bags and airtight containers. Trapped moisture can encourage mould and decay.

Do not store planting garlic in the refrigerator for an extended period unless you understand how the cold treatment may affect sprouting. Refrigerator conditions can also be humid and are not ideal for long-term storage of fully cured bulbs.

As a general guideline:

• Hardneck garlic often stores for approximately four to six months

• Softneck garlic may store for approximately six to twelve months

Actual storage life varies considerably by variety, curing quality, temperature, humidity, bulb condition, and growing conditions.

I inspect stored garlic periodically and use any bulbs that begin softening or sprouting first.

My hardneck garlic generally carries us through until the scapes arrive in late spring or early summer. At that point, the new garlic year has already begun.

Preserving Garlic for Extended Use

Garlic that is beginning to lose storage quality can still be preserved.

Freezing Garlic

Garlic cloves can be peeled and frozen whole, chopped, or minced.

Frozen garlic loses some of its crisp texture, but it remains useful in cooked dishes.

Minced garlic can also be frozen in small portions. Always use safe food-handling practices, particularly when combining garlic with oil. Garlic stored in oil at room temperature can support the growth of the bacteria responsible for botulism.

Garlic and oil mixtures should be refrigerated only briefly or frozen promptly.

Dehydrating Garlic

Garlic can be sliced thinly and dehydrated until it is completely dry and brittle.

The pieces can be stored as dried garlic chips or ground into homemade garlic powder.

Properly dried garlic must contain very little remaining moisture. Any softness or flexibility may indicate that it needs more drying time.

Store dehydrated garlic in an airtight container away from heat, light, and moisture.

Making Garlic Powder

Once the slices are thoroughly dry, grind them in a spice grinder or high-powered blender.

Allow the dust to settle before opening the lid, then transfer the powder to a clean, dry jar.

Homemade garlic powder is remarkably flavourful, so a little may go further than expected.

My Garlic-Growing Schedule

Late August to Early September

• Choose the planting area.

• Add finished compost.

• Test the soil if fertility or pH is uncertain.

• Set aside the largest, healthiest bulbs for planting.

• Separate the bulbs into cloves shortly before planting.

• Plant the cloves with the pointed ends facing upward.

• Water the bed thoroughly.

Late September to October

• Finish planting if it was not completed earlier.

• Watch for emerging shoots.

• Remove young weeds.

• Add mulch once temperatures begin cooling.

• Make sure the bed is draining well during fall rain.

February to March

• Check for new spring growth.

• Pull mulch back slightly if it is compacted over the shoots.

• Remove weeds while they are small.

• Apply the first nitrogen-rich feeding as active growth begins.

• Water if the season is unusually dry.

April

• Keep the bed weed-free.

• Water deeply when rainfall is insufficient.

• Monitor leaf colour and growth.

• Apply another feeding if needed and appropriate for your fertilizer.

• Watch for signs of nutrient deficiency, pests, or disease.

May

• Continue consistent watering.

• Avoid allowing the soil to alternate repeatedly between very dry and saturated.

• Stop heavy nitrogen applications as bulb formation approaches.

• Watch for the first scapes on hardneck varieties.

Late May to June

• Harvest scapes after they begin curling.

• Use, freeze, or preserve the scapes.

• Continue watering while bulbs are enlarging.

• Begin reducing water as the lower leaves start browning.

Late June to July

• Watch the leaves rather than relying only on the calendar.

• Lift a test bulb when one-third to one-half of the foliage has browned.

• Harvest when the cloves are well defined and several upper leaves remain green.

• Handle bulbs gently.

• Begin curing immediately in a dry, shaded, well-ventilated location.

• Prepare a succession crop for the newly available space.

July to August

• Finish curing the bulbs.

• Trim the dried roots and stems.

• Sort out damaged bulbs for immediate use.

• Place sound bulbs into breathable storage.

• Save the largest and healthiest bulbs for fall planting.

• Plant beans, flowers, or another suitable crop in the cleared bed.

Frequently Asked Questions About Growing Garlic

Can I plant garlic from the grocery store?

You can, but it is not always the best choice.

Some grocery-store garlic may have been treated to delay sprouting. It may also be a variety selected for growing in a climate very different from yours. Imported bulbs can potentially introduce diseases into garden soil.

Locally grown seed garlic from a reputable farm, nursery, seed company, or experienced local gardener is usually a better investment. It is more likely to be suited to your climate and intended for planting.

Once you have a healthy crop, you can begin saving your own largest bulbs each year.

Can I plant garlic that has already sprouted?

Yes. A sprouted clove is still capable of growing as long as it is firm and healthy.

Plant it with the sprout facing upward and handle it gently. A long sprout may be more vulnerable to breakage, but it does not automatically make the clove unusable.

Avoid planting cloves that are soft, mouldy, badly damaged, or showing suspicious discoloration.

How deep should I plant garlic?

I generally plant garlic so the tip of the clove sits approximately two to three inches below the soil surface.

Gardeners in very cold climates may plant somewhat deeper and use a thicker layer of mulch. In heavy or poorly draining soil, planting excessively deeply may increase the risk of rot.

The pointed end should face upward and the flat root end should face downward.

Why did my garlic produce small bulbs?

Small bulbs can have several causes, including:

• Planting small cloves

• Low soil fertility

• Insufficient nitrogen during early growth

• Crowding

• Inadequate sunlight

• Weed competition

• Irregular watering

• Planting too late for the local climate

• Harvesting before the bulbs mature

• Disease or pest damage

• A variety poorly suited to the region

Garlic size is the result of the whole growing season, not one last-minute fertilizer application. Start with large cloves, prepare the soil well, promote strong spring leaf growth, and keep the plants consistently watered while the bulbs develop.

Do I have to remove garlic scapes?

No. The plant will still form a bulb if the scape remains attached.

However, removing the scape can allow the plant to redirect more energy toward the bulb and may increase bulb size. It also gives you a delicious secondary harvest.

Leave a few scapes in place when you want to enjoy their flowers, observe bulbil production, or use them ornamentally.

Can garlic be grown in containers?

Yes, provided the container is deep enough, drains freely, and receives full sun.

Use a high-quality growing medium and choose a container with enough surface area to space the cloves properly. Small pots may produce garlic greens but are less likely to produce large, well-developed bulbs.

Containers are also more exposed to temperature fluctuations than in-ground beds, so winter protection may be necessary in colder climates.

Should I rotate garlic to a different bed every year?

Rotating garlic and other alliums can help reduce the buildup of soil-borne diseases and pests.

Where space allows, avoid growing garlic, onions, leeks, or shallots in the exact same location year after year. A rotation of several years is commonly recommended when there has been a disease problem.

In a small garden, perfect rotation is not always possible. Start with healthy planting stock, remove diseased plants, maintain good drainage, and avoid putting questionable garlic material into home compost.

Crop rotation is primarily a disease and pest management consideration. It is not necessary to leave the bed empty after harvesting garlic.

Can I plant beans immediately after harvesting garlic?

Yes. I have successfully planted beans after garlic without observing a practical growth problem.

Clear the garlic plants, remove weeds, replenish the soil with compost if needed, and make sure the beans will have enough warm weather remaining to mature.

Research has shown that concentrated garlic compounds can affect some plants under particular experimental conditions. That does not establish that beans will be harmed simply because garlic was previously grown and harvested from the bed.

Should garlic be washed before curing?

I do not wash mine.

Dry soil can be brushed away gently once the bulbs have cured. Washing introduces moisture between the wrappers and can interfere with drying.

If a bulb is very muddy, remove the heaviest soil carefully without peeling away its protective layers. Prioritize airflow and inspect it closely during curing.

How do I know whether stored garlic has gone bad?

Discard garlic that is mouldy, wet, badly discoloured, fermented-smelling, or soft from decay.

A dry or slightly shrivelled clove may simply be old rather than unsafe, although its flavour and texture will have declined. Sprouted cloves are often still usable if they remain firm and show no signs of spoilage.

Check stored bulbs regularly and remove deteriorating ones so problems do not spread.

A Full Year of Garlic From One Small Garden Bed

Garlic is one of the most efficient and satisfying crops I grow.

In approximately sixteen square feet, I can produce more than 100 heads, harvest a bonus crop of scapes, save my own planting stock, and still use the bed for beans, flowers, or another crop after the garlic comes out.

The process is less complicated than it may appear.

Feed the soil. Plant large, healthy cloves. Encourage strong growth in spring. Water consistently while the bulbs develop. Harvest while protective green leaves remain. Cure the bulbs thoroughly and store them where air can circulate.

Most importantly, save some of your biggest and best bulbs instead of eating every last one.

That is how one garlic harvest becomes the beginning of the next.