Allium sativum var. ophioscorodon, also referred to as topsetting or bolting garlic, produces a distinct scape when growing. Hardneck bulbs typically have 4-12 cloves surrounding the scape and include varieties such as Music, a robust and cold-hardy variety with a rich garlicky flavor.

For best results, garlic should be grown in rich well-drained soil, performing best in sandy loam or loam soils. It can be helpful to conduct a home soil test using a test kit to get an idea of soil pH and nutrient levels so that you may properly prepare your bed. Garlic generally prefers a soil pH between 6.0 and 7.0, though acidic soil can be amended with Garden Lime to raise pH and Soil Acidifier can help to lower the pH of alkaline soils. Additionally, soils should be well-tilled prior to planting.

As garlic requires a great deal of nutrients to grow, especially nitrogen, amend your soil prior to planting so that the cloves have what they need to establish. Blood Meal provides a source of nitrogen. Additionally amend with Bone Meal as needed for a source of phosphorous, calcium, and potassium. Working compost into the soil to aid in organic matter content will also provide much-needed micronutrients for optimal growth. After the garden is prepared, it’s time to plant.

Garlic should be planted in the fall, one to two weeks after the first killing frost. This generally falls around the third or fourth week of September in northern Minnesota, and around the first or second week of October in southern Minnesota. However, as our climate shifts and changes, this frost is occuring later and later each year - so keep an eye on those nighttime temperatures! Proper timing ensures that roots are developing, and shoots are emerging from the cloves, though still below the soil, at the time of the first hard freeze (28F). When you are ready to plant, wait to separate individual cloves from the main bulb until the day of planting. Leave their skins on.

Plant cloves pointy side up, two to three inches below the soil surface. Space cloves at least six inches apart, and rows at least 30 inches apart. Closer spacing will result in higher yield but smaller bulbs. Larger spacing will result in lower yields but larger bulbs.

After planting, garlic should be covered with a fluffy layer of straw, marsh hay, or chopped leaves to a depth of at least six inches. This will moderate soil temperatures and prevent damage from freeze-thaw cycles. In the spring, mulch should be removed after the threat of a hard freeze (28F) has passed. This is usually around mid-April, at which point you should also see shoots emerging from the ground. New shoots can tolerate temperatures down to 20F. Gardeners will often remove the layer of mulch to allow the ground to heat up, and then reapply once shoots are about six inches tall. The reapplication of mulch provided a weed barrier and conserves moisture, which is important as garlic has a relatively shallow root system and is sensitive to dry soil conditions. This is also a great time for an additional application of nitrogen.

Proper watering is crucial during bulbing, generally from the end of May through mid-July. Be sure to remove scapes from hardneck garlic as they begin to curl, generally in early to mid-June, to improve yield. Stop watering about two weeks before harvest to avoid stained bulb wrappers and disease.

Harvest time for garlic in Minnesota typically extends from mid-July through the first week of August. Begin monitoring for browning of the lower leaves in June, and consider harvesting when half or slightly more than half of the leaves are still green. To test if they’re ready, pull a few bulbs and cut them in half; if the cloves fill out their skins, then its time to harvest.

Plants should be dug out entirely intact. Harvest when the soil is dry. U,se a shovel or garden fork to gently loosen the soil. Do not pull up plants by their necks. For most, it is easiest to wash your bulbs the day of harvest before curing. You can also brush off the soil after curing if you prefer.