[svalli]

The area where I grow garlic is about USDA zone 4. Last year I planted in end of September and beginning of October. I planted all varieties about 4 inches deep in beds made in the old farming field, which has clay based soil. The beds are covered with black plastic, which has X-shaped slits made for planting. I have secured the plastic on ground with pegs and put some soil and rocks on top of it to prevent it from shifting in the heavy autumn winds. I push holes in the soil through the slits with wooden stake and drop one clove in each and cover them with a bit of soil and fertilizer made out of composted chicken poop. I have not used any other mulch on top of the planted beds, but there was snow on the ground during the coldest time. When the garlic stems are growing, I have to make sure that the stems come through the slits on the plastic. All seven varieties started to come up about same time in end of April when the snow had melted. To my surprise one of the French soft-necks was fastest growing and the Russian hard-neck was slowest. Each variety had only few cloves, which failed to emerge.


I have grown garlic only two successful seasons, so I am still a novice, but my method has seemed to work fine in the hard winter area.


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