Choosing a Location for Garlic Bulbs
If you’re interested in growing garlic, can you identify the best spot in your yard to plant it, and do you know how much space to allow between cloves? The more you know about what your garlic plants need, the more success you will have. Take the following into consideration before you plant:
- Sun and soil needs
- Plant spacing requirements
- Leaving space for future expansion
NOTE: This is part 3 in a series of 9 articles. For a complete background on how to grow garlic bulbs, we recommend starting from the beginning.
Sun and Soil Needs
In general, an area with full sun (between 6 and 8 hours a day) is recommended for garlic. If planted in a shady area, the bulbs will not develop properly and will be very small. Look up the specific requirements for the garlic varieties you’d like to grow.
Garlic loves well-drained, fertile soil as well as full sun, so make sure all three conditions are met before you plant. If the soil needs to be amended, attend to this task before planting or your results will be disappointing. It’s worth the effort! Detailed information is available in the Soil Preparation section.
Plant Spacing Requirements
Unlike, say, zucchini or tomatoes, garlic requires very little space in which to grow—about 6 square inches per plant. Garlic can be tucked into narrow spots between other plants as long as it gets the sunlight it needs. Everyone has room for garlic! Detailed information about spacing can be found in the Planting section.
Space for Future Expansion
Garlic is so easy to grow successfully that you’ll probably want to plant more next year, so take that into consideration when laying out the space for your bulbs. Once you get a taste for homegrown garlic, you’ll want to use more of it—so start small and make sure you create some room for a bigger crop next year. You’ll thank yourself later!
