Scientific Name: Allium sativum
Order: Asparagales
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Genus: Allium
Plant Type: Herb
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-8
Soil pH Level: 5.5 - 7.5
Soil Texture: Well-Drained & Loamy
Sun Exposure: Full
Appearance Description: Garlic comes in hard-neck and soft-neck varieties. Hard-neck has a central shoot with a single flower on top. Soft-neck produces more cloves than hard-neck.
How to Plant:
1. Work the soil until it has a smooth and broken-up consistency.
2. Amend native soil with compost, manure, or any other material.
3. Plant each seed 5-6 inches apart.
4. Scatter seeds across the soil.
5. Apply a light layer of fertilizer-enriched soil.
6. Seeds should be no more than 1-inch under ground.
How to Maintain:
1. Water a couple times a week during dry spells and stop watering in July.
2. Apply a layer of mulch around the base of the plant and remove in the spring.
3. Remove flower shoots in the spring.
4. Fertilize regularly with an all-purpose fertilizer.
How to Harvest:
1. Harvest when the tops turn yellow and fall over; before they are completely dry.
2. To remove, carefully life the bulbs and place the plants out of the soil.
3. Cure the plants in shades areas for two weeks.
4. Once the garlic is dry, remove dirt, trim roots, trim leaves, and store them.
Storage Tips:
Garlic can be preserved for several months in a cool, dark, and dry place.
Top Varieties:
1. Persian Star
2. Mother of Pearl
3. Carpathian
Fun Facts:
1. Rubbing raw garlic on an insect bite is thought to relieve the sting or itch.
2. Garlic is one fo the oldest cultivated crops.
3. Garlic attracts leaches at an extreme rate.
4. The city of Chicago is named after the indian word for "Wild Garlic" known as "Chicagaoua."
Related Soil:
Schultz Moisture Plus Potting Mix
Related Plant Food:
Schultz All Purpose Water Soluble
Schultz Flower & Vegetable Extended Feed
Schultz All Purpose Extended Feed
Schultz Granular Tomato & Vegetable Plant Food
Schultz Granular All Purpose Plant Food
