Grow Your Own How to grow garlic

Date Published:

09/06/2009

Variety-starved supermarket shoppers might believe these flavoursome bulbs to be as straightforward as they come. But grow your own and you'll find there's an array of garlicky flavours and colours which retain their fresh, creamy quality after months in storage. Find out how to get started with this guide from Grow Your Own garden magazine

History and health properties

Garlic has been cultivated for thousands of years (it was used by the ancient Egyptians) and is one of those crops that gardeners either love or hate. First, the basics: it is a large bulb that consists of numerous edible cloves inside a paper-like skin. These have a very distinct and strong flavour and can be crushed, chopped or left whole and used to enhance casseroles, roasts, soups, stews and stir-fries. (After a meal, chewing a few sprigs of raw parsley or a roasted coffee bean will help freshen the breath).

Garlic is also well known for its health-giving properties and was consumed by ancient Greek athletes and Roman Gladiators to give them strength before competitions, armed combat and major battles. These days, it is eaten to help keep the heart healthy, lower cholesterol (though this remains unproven) and ward off coughs and colds. It may also have a role in fighting cancer. Fortunately, for garlic fans, it can be an extremely easy and reliable crop to grow. Late autumn or early spring is the ideal time to plant the cloves in the garden for a crop in the summer. It is great for beginner gardeners, as it requires little maintenance, is relatively trouble free and takes up hardly any outdoor space.

Preparing the plot

Garlic should always be raised in a warm, sheltered and sunny spot. Light and well-drained soil that is not prone to waterlogging is essential. To prepare the site, use a fork to dig over the ground thoroughly and remove any weeds, large stones or debris. A few days before planting (and on a dry day), rake over the soil surface several times to ensure the soil is fine, crumbly and level and scatter a fertiliser over the ground.

On plots with a very heavy soil that is prone to consistent waterlogging, garlic cloves can rot, especially in the winter months. It is therefore better to plant them in a specially prepared raised bed, as this will artificially improve the drainage. A square raised bed can be made by laying four equally-sized pieces of railway sleeper (or similar-sized wooden beams) on to bare earth, forking over the soil at the base and then filling the gap inside with a 5cm layer of horticultural grit followed by John Innes No. 1 compost.