How to plant, grow and harvest your own flavourful garlic

Garlic bulbs are sold for either spring or autumn planting. Usually garlic planted in late autumn, from around mid-October until early days of frost, will yield the most bountiful harvest.

Choose a light and sunny place to plant the garlic bulbs in. The soil should be light and well-drained. Garlic needs a lot of nutrients to yield an optimal crop, so mix the soil with fertiliser or well-matured compost using a digging fork. Even out the surface afterwards with the help of a soil rake. Now you're ready to start planting.

Separate the garlic bulb into single cloves and plant them in rows, circa 3 cm below the ground and 10 cm apart. The cloves should be placed with the pointed end facing up and the root side facing down. If you suspect that local birds may try to pick the cloves from the ground for a garlic feast, it’s wise to cover the area with netting. The area can also be covered with a layer of grass clippings, which helps the soil retain moisture and warmth, fertilises it, and prevents weeds from taking over.

With the arrival of spring, green garlic sprouts will start peaking up from the soil. To allow your garlic to grow as big and juicy as possible, weed the garlic bed regularly using a cultivator, weed fork or weeder. You can also aerate the soil surface every now and then using a cultivator to tackle the weeds already before they take over the garlic bed.  Water the area during dry periods. Grass clippings can be added during the growing season, too. The garlic is ready for harvesting when the bottom leafs start to turn yellow and dry.

Garlic planted in the autumn should be harvested in late June or July. Spring garlic will be ready for harvest in the autumn. Check up on the garlic regularly to avoid leaving it in the ground for too long. This may cause the bulbs to re-sprout. Lift the fully grown garlic carefully using a fork or planters hoe. Be careful not to damage the bulb. Enjoy the fresh garlic immediately or lay out to dry on newspaper and store for later.