About Garlic

 

Culinary vs. Seed Grade

Culinary garlic is the same great garlic, just in a slightly smaller package that doesn't meet our seed standards.  Culinary bulbs are under 2 inches in diameter, while seed grade bulbs are over 2 inches.  The larger the clove you plant, the larger the bulb you'll get!  That is why we differentiate between culinary and seed grades. 

 

Growing & Harvesting

• Plant Garlic in the fall, 3-6 weeks before the ground freezes. For western Montana mid October is a good time.  This will enable the cloves to establish some roots while minimizing top growth before winter. 
• Select a garden area with full sun.
• Since garlic is a heavy feeder, fertilize your soil with a good all-purpose fertilizer or compost.
• Separate the cloves from each bulb, however you don't need to peel each clove.
• Plant garlic into prepared soil with the tip of the clove up and the wide side down, about 2-3 inches deep about 6-9 inches apart.
• Cover the tip of the clove with approximately 1” of soil.
• Put 3-6” of mulch over your garlic and wait until spring!  Good mulch options are straw, leaves, grass clippings or a combination of all three. 
• In the spring, provide nitrogen, water as needed, and keep a weed free garden bed.
• Hardneck varieties will produce a flower stalk called a scape.  Remove the scape when it has formed one curl (typically late June), to redirect growth to the bulb.  Scapes are edible!  Our favorite uses are for pesto, or as a substitute for asparagus or green beans. 
• Harvest when the bottom third of the leaves are dry and the bulbs have developed shoulders.
• Cure out of the sun in an area with good air circulation for 3-6 weeks.
• Trim the roots, tie into bouquets or braids.  If you are short on storage space, you can also trim the necks to 1/2 inch above the bulb.
• Store your garlic in a cool, dry place.
• Eat and enjoy! 

If you have any questions, reach out to us!  We're here to help you discover the perfect garlic for your kitchen and garden.