Adopt These Strategies For A Bountiful Garlic Crop

If you've been buying garlic at the grocery store but are fed up with its lack of flavor, there's a simple answer — grow your own. Upon buying certified organic garlic seeds, you'll be able to plant them in your garden in the fall and enjoy large, strong-flavored garlic bulbs the following spring or summer. Even if you don't consider yourself to have a green thumb, you can achieve success with your garlic by carefully following the planting and care instructions on the packaging. Additionally, here are some simple strategies that can ensure you have a satisfying crop.

Find A Sunny Area

Although your garlic crop will grow as long as it gets some sun during the day, it will flourish when it's planted in an area that gets full sun. In the days before you plant, think about a potential place to plant the garlic and then monitor it during the morning, early afternoon and late afternoon. Ideally, the area should be getting the full sun throughout the day. For this reason, try to avoid planting your garlic right against a fence, as the fence can impede the sun's rays.

Don't Water Too Much

While it seems sensible that watering the garlic regularly will help it grow, this isn't necessarily the case. Garlic is an example of a plant that doesn't require an excessive amount of water. Applying too much can be detrimental by causing the bulbs to actually begin to rot, which will leave you discouraged when you go to harvest the crops. Generally, if you begin to notice that the leaves of the garlic plant are starting to get yellow, it's a sign that you're giving the crop too much water. Cut back on the water and you should see the leaves turn green again.

Protect The Crop

As a gardener, there's nothing worse than walking into your garden and noticing that your plants have been damaged by neighborhood pests. Many backyard critters, including squirrels, will be attracted to the garlic. A squirrel can easily dig up the bulbs before they're ready to harvest — or, worse, dig them up and bite into them, ruining them. A simple strategy to keep pests at bay is to build a small enclosure with wooden stakes and chicken wire. Set the stakes in the ground around the perimeter of the garlic and attach the chicken wire to the steaks with heavy staples. Remember to cover the top, too, to provide an extra layer of security.

For garlic seeds for sale, contact a business such as Keene Garlic.