GardenHow to Grow Garlic at Home
The ultimate plant-and-forget crop — and a true functional food, its allicin behind garlic's heart and immune benefits.
Difficulty: EasyReady in 8–9 months (plant fall, harvest summer)Light: Full sun, 6–8 hrsYou'll need: A bed with good drainage
How to grow it
- In fall, split a head into cloves and plant each pointy-end-up, a few inches deep.
- Mulch over winter; the cloves root and rest through the cold.
- In spring growth resumes — water during dry spells and keep weeds down.
- Harvest in mid-summer when the lower leaves brown, then cure the bulbs in a dry, airy spot.
Common mistakes
- Planting in spring instead of fall (smaller bulbs)
- Soggy soil, which rots the cloves
Pro tip
Plant in fall and all but forget it — garlic is one of the most hands-off crops you can grow.
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