Perhaps surprisingly, the cold days of November are the best time to set out garlic cloves for a heavy crop the following year.
This easy-grow crop needs a cold winter period in the soil in order for the individual cloves to develop clusters that will turn into bumper bulbs come next summer.
Autumn planted garlic is always bigger and better than that planted in the spring.
Garlic will grow in the poorest of soils as long as it is free-draining. If you have heavy clay soil, plant into small pots and then re-plant into the garden in the spring.
Planting directly into soil
Dig over the planting area, scatter Marshalls Onion, Shallot & Garlic Pre-Planting Fertiliser and rake level.
Using a cane or spring, mark out a planting row, then push individual cloves into the soil, so the tips are 3-5cm below the surface and space them 15-20cm apart.
Planting in pots and containers
Cloves can rot off in waterlogged clay soil over winter, but don’t let this stop you. If you have clay soil, plant cloves in small pots, filled with Gro-Sure Vegetable Growing Compost. These can be set out in a sheltered spot in the garden with the protection of a cold frame or greenhouse.
