Garlic – European White Soft Neck

European  White Soft Neck

ng or early fall. To grow
nice sized garlic bulbs, it needs lots
of organic matter, like mushroom
compost or well aged manure
worked into the soil. Keep weed free. Keep bulbs intact until right before
planting. Break bulbs into individual cloves and plant the basal plate – the
point where the cloves attached to the bulb – down and the pointed shoot end up, 6-8 inches apart. Cover with 2 inches of soil and if planting in the
fall cover with 6-inch layer of mulch.
Time To Germination; Cloves may begin to sprout through the mulch
in 4-8 weeks, depending on the variety and the weather conditions in your
region. plants may suffer some frost or a light freeze and still survive
Harvest; after 3 or 4 leaves have died back and there are still 5 or 6
green leaves remaining on the plant – sometime in June or July depending on the year and your climate. Do not wait too long or the bulbs will
begin to separate in the ground. Loosen the soil with a shovel or pitchfork
and then dig the garlic carefully. Do not pull the stalk or it will separate
from the bulb. Gently brush most of the dirt off. Tie plants in a bundle of 6-
8 plants and hang in a shaded, dry, well-ventilated shed or garage. Leave
plants hanging for 4-6 weeks so that bulbs can cure.
Storing; After thoroughly drying, trim off the roots and cut the stalks off
about 1 ½ inches from the bulb. Store in net bags. For optimum storage,
hang in an area with 45-55 percent humidity and a temperature of 50-70 degrees F.