The garlic gurus tell us that this is the best time of year to plant garlic. They also tell us not to use bulbs from the grocery store because these types of garlic are usually not well adapted to Minnesota conditions.
Carl Rosen from the University of Minnesota says that some hardneck varieties that grow well in Minnesota include: Music, Northern White, Chesnok Red, German Red and Spanish Roja. A few softneck varieties that perform well in most years are: Inchellium Red, New York White and Polish Softneck.
You can also experiment with other varieties to see if they perform well in your area. The amount of garlic bulbs to purchase depends on the variety. One pound of garlic bulbs can contain anywhere from 20 to 80 cloves. Try the local Farmers Market as they no doubt will have garlic available for sale which will grow well in our area. Ask the grower and they will be happy to give you information on garlic.
Garlic can be planted in early spring too, but the bulbs are usually smaller compared with fall planting, and if planted too late in the spring the bulbs may not even form. The reason is that garlic needs a cold treatment to initiate the bulbing process.
Garlic grows best in a well-drained soil high in organic matter. Add compost to your soil before planting and incorporate well.
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To plant, gently break the cloves from the bulb and place the clove in the ground with the pointed tip up. Planting depth should be about 2 to 3 inches below the soil surface and space cloves about 4 inches apart in the row. The cloves can be planted in beds with multiple rows.
After planting, the rows should be covered with 3 to 4 inches of leaf or straw mulch. This will protect the plants from frost heaving and will also provide some weed control the following spring.
In the spring, let the plants emerge through the mulch. Hardneck garlic will start to flower in mid to late June. For maximum bulb size, cut the flower stalks off about seven to 10 days after they emerge. Garlic is ready to harvest when about half the leaves turn brown -- usually early to mid July. Dig plants with a pitch fork and remove as much soil as possible by gently shaking the plants.
Dandelion reminder! There is still time to do dandelion control for next year. In Doug Mossberg's column last month, he said the best time to spray is right now. Read and follow all spray instructions. He also reminds us that weed spray does not kill seeds, so you will still have sprouting dandelions next spring, which will need to be treated at that time.
