How to plant garlic and when

He garlic not only adds flavor to your dishes, it is also packed with health benefits: has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties and it is good for cardiovascular health, as it helps reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels. In addition, it supports digestive health and is a good source of essential nutrients.

Although it is very common in our markets, where we can find different varieties (white, purple, tender garlic… even black garlic), you can also grow garlic yourself following a few simple steps.

When are garlic planted?

In general, in Spain garlic is planted in the middle of autumn (between November and December) or late winterAlthough the ideal month depends on the climate of the area where you are going to plant them.

Choose the garlic cloves to plant

Garlic is sown from garlic cloves. should choose healthy heads of garlic (with the skin intact) and it is most advisable that they be of ecological originsince those that are not may have been treated with chemical products that harm their growth.

Once the head of garlic has been chosen, remove the skin that covers it and separate teeth carefully so as not to harm them. The bigger, firmer, stain-free teeth they are the ones that produce the largest bulbs, so select the best ones to plant.

How to plant garlic step by step

Once the garlic cloves have been selected, it is time to sow them. The first thing you should do is choose the right site: it must be sunny (minimum 6 hours of sun per day) and no weeds.

You can plant garlic in your garden, directly in the ground, in planters or pots, as you prefer. garlic prefers loose, well-drained, nutrient-rich soils.

make little holes in the groundapproximately 5 centimeters deep and with a separation of between 10 and 15 cm so that the bulb develops well.Place each unpeeled garlic clove in a hole with the pointed end up and the flat side down.Cover the garlic cloves with soil (in such a way that its point is sticking out) and gently press it around them.

Once you have finished planting the garlic, you can apply a layer of mulch (with straw or leaves) on top to prevent weeds from growing around it, retain moisture, and protect the garlic during the winter.

Care and irrigation of garlic

Once planted, they must be watered abundantly to ensure that they sit well in the soil. Then the watering has to be moderatebecause they rot quite easily, although you always have to take into account the climatic conditions of the area.

it suits remove any weeds that it comes out in the area where the garlic is planted to prevent it from competing with them for nutrients and water. Sprinkle ash (from wood) on topIn addition to preventing the appearance of fungi, it provides the plant with minerals such as potassium and phosphorus.

In early or mid-spring, some varieties develop the flower stem. you have to cut it to prevent it from absorbing all the nutrients and damaging the bulb.

On the other hand, when the leaves reach a good height and begin to yellow it is convenient to tie them to avoid wasting energy and for the bulb to continue feeding.

When are the garlic harvested?

Some 10 or 15 days after planting, the first shoots will appear and, in general, garlic is ready to harvest when the leaves turn yellow or brown, usually after 7 to 9 monthsin the middle or end of the summer (although it depends on the variety and the time of planting).

To harvest the garlic you have to carefully loosen the surrounding soil with a garden fork and once outside they must be let dry in a well ventilated area for a few weeks.

Once they are dry, you can remove the excess soil, trim the roots and stems and store them in a cool, dry and well-ventilated place, braided in strings or in mesh bags.