Advantages of Autumn Garlic Planting
Late summer or early autumn is an appropriate time to plant garlic,
as well as in the early spring. Spring plantings require a shorter
growing period since they mature that same season. Set outside, either
planting matures in the summer as the top Drowns and dies after it has
produced a bulb containing several cloves. Some gardeners believe that
the autumn planting tends to produce larger bulbs. Also, the root cloves
used for propagation produce larger plants than do the small bulbs. Fall
plantings have been very successful in regions where winters are not too
severe. However, plants may readily go through the winter in colder
areas if they are mulched in rich, manured soil — even though some outer
blades are nipped by winterkill.
The soil in most rose gardens would be a paradise for garlic, which
also loves rich, well-drained land high in humus content. If the soil
around your rose bushes is already fairly loose, not much digging, if
any, is necessary to place the divided cloves about two inches deep in
the ground. If the small bulb seeds from the top are used, about one
inch would be enough coverage. Seed can be sown rather thick, especially
if you want to use the plants for ground-covering greenery or plan to
use some for salads and in cooking. (I have found that green garlic is
delicious both ways.) A tool such as a bulb planter does the job well.
Where you want a few set closer to bushes and hesitate to dig because of
possible injury to rose roots, just lightly scratch the surface of the
moist soil and place bulbs near the bushes, then sprinkle some soil over
them.
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