Ya know, if I was going to tell someone to start with planting one crop, it wouldn’t be the typical tomatoes or green beans that you frequently hear people suggest for beginner gardeners.  

• Do you want to grow something that essentially needs no care except for watering?  

• Do you not want to worry about staking, pruning, or spacing?

• Do you want to grow something that is virtually untouched by pests?

• Do you want a crop that you can store and use year round?

If this were a gardening commercial on QVC, my hand would shoot up in the air and I’d blurt out “I want that!  That’s the crop for me!!” Then I’d run down the aisle Price is Right style and jump up and down.

Well my friends, then garlic is your girl. Who doesn’t use garlic? I have not met that person (aka vampire) yet. 

Garlic is so gloriously simple.  You essentially have to make two decisions –

1. How much garlic do I need?  We use probably 3-4 cloves in at least two meals per week.  I estimate that to be a single bulb.  Hence, I need to plant 52 cloves.  When you want to get real savvy and sustainable, make sure you account for planting extra which will serve as your starter cloves for the next season.
2. And what kind? There are two types to choose from: soft neck and hard neck. See my not at all comprehensive descriptions of the two types below to help you decide.

Beyond knowing how much and what kind, you’ll want to get your garlic planted in late fall – Halloween is usually my reminder. The soil is pretty easy going, just add a layer of compost, mix in some fertilizer, and cover with a 4” layer of leaves until spring. Last year I covered my bed with cardboard boxes as well so that I wouldn’t lose any soil with winter snow and early spring rains. I removed the cardboard in April and bada bing – garlic galore by July! 

Hard neck – a long, flowering stem grows through the center of the bulb and becomes rigid after drying (which is where the name comes from). Hardneck garlic produces bulbs with fewer cloves, in the range of 4-12. They tend to do better in areas with colder winters.

Soft neck – does not have the flowering stalk and therefore a softer neck that can be braided. Softnecks typically produce a larger bulb with more cloves, usually between 8-20, in concentric layers. They tend to grow well in places with milder winters.