Plant garlic in fall, about four weeks before the ground freezes for the winter. That gives the cloves time to grow roots. It does not give them time to grow tall tops. The exact date depends on where you garden.
If it is mid-October as you read this, most Canadian gardeners still have time. Some have a few days left.
Why fall is the right time
Garlic needs a cold period to form a full bulb. Cloves planted in fall get that cold from the winter soil. They root in the cool ground, sit through winter, and start to grow as soon as the soil warms in spring.
Spring-planted garlic can still grow. The bulbs are usually smaller, because the plant has less time before summer heat triggers the end of growth.
Planting windows by region
These are general ranges. Frost dates shift from year to year and from town to town. Check your local average first fall frost and plan to plant about four weeks after it, as long as the soil is still workable.
Prairies (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba): Late September to early October. The ground can freeze early, so plant sooner rather than later.
Northern Ontario and northern Quebec: Mid-September to early October.
Southern Ontario and southern Quebec: Late September through October. Many gardeners aim for the first half of October.
Atlantic provinces: Early to mid-October in most areas. Milder coastal spots can plant a little later.
Coastal BC: October into early November. Winters are mild, so the main goal is to avoid planting so early that shoots grow tall before winter.
Interior BC: Late September to mid-October, similar to the Prairies in colder valleys.
If your window has passed, plant anyway as long as you can push a trowel into the soil. Add a thicker layer of mulch. Late-planted garlic often does fine.
Hardneck or softneck
Hardneck garlic does well in cold climates. It handles hard winters, and it sends up a curled flower stalk in June called a scape. Scapes are edible. Cut them off so the plant puts its energy into the bulb.
Softneck garlic suits milder winters, such as coastal BC. It stores longer than hardneck and is the type used for braiding. It can struggle in the coldest parts of the Prairies and the north.
If you are not sure, plant hardneck in most of Canada.
Where to get seed garlic
Buy bulbs sold as seed garlic from a local garlic grower, a farmers’ market, or a garden centre. Garlic grown nearby is adapted to your climate. Grocery store garlic may not be suited to your area, and it can carry disease that stays in your soil. Planting seed garlic from a trusted source avoids both problems.
Choose big, firm bulbs. Big cloves grow big bulbs.
How to plant garlic
Pick a sunny spot. Garlic needs full sun and soil that drains well. Standing water over winter rots cloves.
Prepare the soil. Loosen it with a fork to about 20 cm (8 inches). Mix in a few centimetres of compost.
Split the bulbs. Break each bulb into cloves one or two days before planting. Leave the papery skin on each clove. Plant the largest cloves and eat the small ones.
Plant pointed end up. Set each clove 5 cm (2 inches) deep in cold climates. Space cloves 15 cm (6 inches) apart. Leave 30 cm (12 inches) between rows.
Cover and water. Fill the holes with soil and water once. This settles the soil around the cloves.
Mulch after planting
Mulch protects garlic from freezing and thawing, which can push cloves out of the ground. Wait until the soil has cooled, then spread 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 inches) of straw or shredded leaves over the bed. Use clean straw that does not contain weed seed.
Some gardeners see green shoots in late fall. This is normal. The mulch protects them, and they will grow in spring.
Spring and summer care
Pull back some mulch in early spring if the layer is thick enough to block the shoots. Feed with compost or a nitrogen fertilizer when the shoots are a few centimetres tall. Water the bed during dry spells through June. Stop feeding in late June.
Remove scapes from hardneck varieties when they curl, usually in June.
When to harvest
Most Canadian garlic is ready between mid-July and mid-August. Watch the leaves. When the lower third to half of the leaves turn brown, dig a test bulb. The bulb should have full cloves and tight wrappers.
Stop watering about two weeks before harvest. Loosen the soil with a fork and lift the bulbs. Do not pull them by the stalk.
Cure the bulbs for two to four weeks in a dry, shaded spot with good airflow. They are ready to store when the wrappers are papery and the necks are dry. Keep the best bulbs for planting next fall.