Garlic is a versatile and tasty ingredient used in many savory dishes. It’s also packed with health benefits like antioxidants, vitamins, and antimicrobial properties. Fortunately, garlic is easy to grow in home gardens across Georgia with the right variety selection and care. In this article, I’ll share tips on choosing the best garlic types for Georgia and how to cultivate a bountiful, flavorful crop.
An Overview of Garlic
Garlic (Allium sativum) is a perennial plant from the onion family that produces clusters of small, edible bulbs called cloves. It likely originated from Central Asia and was brought to Europe and later North America.
Though we often use garlic as a seasoning, it can also be consumed raw or cooked as a vegetable. The entire garlic plant is edible, including the bulb, leaves, and immature flower stalks.
There are two main types of garlic grown:
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Hardneck garlic has flower stalks that are made of wood, and it comes in varieties like Purple Stripe and Porcelain. It does better in northern climates.
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Softneck garlic does not produce a flower stalk and stores longer. Varieties like Artichoke and Silverskin grow well in southern regions like Georgia.
You can pick from a lot of different types of garlic in these groups. The number of cloves per bulb, flavor, and how it grows will depend on the variety you choose.
Best Garlic Varieties for Georgia Gardens
Here are some top picks for growing garlic in Georgia:
Artichoke
- Vigorous plants with short, spreading foliage
- 4-5 layers of large, irregularly shaped cloves
- 12-20 cloves per bulb
- Stores well, mild flavor
Popular varieties: Inchelium Red, California Early, Chet’s Italian
Silverskin
- Upright foliage, tall stems
- 3-6 layers of broad, flat cloves
- 12-20 cloves per bulb
- Long storage life, flavor intensity varies
Popular varieties: Silver White, Mild French
Elephant Garlic
- Actually a type of leek, not true garlic
- Produces 3-4 very large cloves per bulb
- Milder flavor, can be slightly bitter
- Grows well under same conditions as regular garlic
How to Grow Garlic in Georgia
Here are some tips for a successful garlic crop:
Planting
- Plant in fall from late September to November for best yields
- Choose plump, healthy bulbs and separate into individual cloves
- Plant cloves 2-3” deep and 6” apart in rows 12-14” apart
- Gently place cloves root-end down in loose, fertile soil amended with compost
Care
- Keep soil consistently moist but avoid overwatering
- Side dress with balanced fertilizer in late winter/early spring
- Mulch to control weeds and retain moisture
- Stop watering once foliage starts dying back
Harvesting
- Harvest garlic when 1/3-1/2 of the leaves turn brown and fall over
- Loosen soil with a fork and gently lift bulbs
- Allow to dry for 1-2 weeks before storing
Storage
- Store cured bulbs in cool (not freezing), dark, dry location
- Hang braided garlic or keep loose bulbs in mesh bags
- Refrigerate peeled cloves in airtight container
Pests/Diseases
- Practice crop rotation and avoid planting where onions grew before
- Thrips, cutworms, and maggots may damage plants
- Prevent diseases like botrytis and purple blotch with good air circulation
By choosing the right type of garlic and following the best ways to plant, care for, and harvest it, you can have a bumper crop of garlic in your Georgia garden. All year long, those tasty garlic bulbs can add some heat to your southern cooking.
Georgia Crystal keeps its size well for Southern Growers
Georgia Crystal is a porcelain hardneck garlic. It is one of our top two hardnecks for maintaining its size. While some hardnecks tend to yield smaller bulbs than the parent bulbs when grown in warm climates, Georgia Crystal can yield big bulbs even in the Deep South. When cured, the bulbs are creamy-white with a light purple under-layer. Georgia Crystal has a rich flavor with a mild heat. Chefs love this garlic for its huge cloves! It has a long storage life for a hardneck and has proven reliable in most area of the United States. One of our best recommendations for southern growers wanting to try hardneck garlic.
- Not as spicy as most hardneck garlics
- Extra large clove size
- Adapted to variety of climates
- Produces Scapes
- Premium/Extra-Large Bulbs
- Recommended for Zones 2-8a.
Naturally-grown by Redecop Family in Danville, Ohio
“I just wanted say a big thank you to you and your farm. Three years ago, I tried to grow garlic on my homestead in Mississippi, but the bulbs were always so small that it was hard to peel and cook with them. This year, after using your garlic and following your vernalization advice, I finally have large garlic heads like the grocery store, many even bigger! The Georgia Crystal did especially well, and I never would have tried hardneck without your advice and the guide you created. Now I have seed to replant for the first time – fingers crossed. Ill be recommending you to all my garden-loving friends!”.
Myra, Mississippi Quantity: 1/2 Pound 1 Pound 5 Pounds Quantity: Limited Availability Add To Cart
- Garlic is a winter crop. Plant after the first good frost in the fall. For northern regions this is mid-October. For the mid-west and upper south, plant early November. People who grow crops in the Deep South and California can plant as late as January or February.
- Watch out for these three things: The garlic will be in the ground until early summer, so choose a spot that you won’t need for gardening in the spring. If you have wet winters or springs, the soil needs to be well drained. Raised beds or rows are wonderful for garlic. The garlic must have enough food to last through its long growing season. Garlic is hardy, but for the best bulb size, you need good, rich soil. Animal waste that has been composted is added, and then compost or super soil is added on top.
- Separate the garlic bulb into cloves. When you separate them, do it as close to planting time as possible, because they will start to soften quickly. Place each clove 2 to 6 inches deep, pointy side up. The farther north you are, the deeper you plant them. Space 5″ apart, with 8″-10″ between rows.
Watch This Before You Plant Garlic
FAQ
What is the best garlic to grow in Georgia?
If you’re here in Georgia, and new to garlic, you’ll want to plant softneck garlic. This garlic doesn’t have scapes, but handles temperature fluctuations better than hardneck. Each bulb will have different amounts of cloves/seeds, so it’s a bit of a guessing game as to how much to buy.
When should I plant garlic in Georgia?
Late September through November is the time to plant garlic in Georgia. The plant is extremely frost hardy and, if planted in October, may have tops showing above the soil and be well rooted by November. The crop matures in the early summer.
What is the best tasting garlic?
Excellent Taste This point is arguable, but we’re firm believers that hardneck garlic tastes better than softneck garlic. Hardneck garlic lays claim to some of the hottest varieties in the world, like Georgian Fire, and also some of the most classic garlic flavors, like Music.
What should you not plant next to garlic?
Garlic should not be planted near peas, beans, asparagus, sage, and other alliums like onions, leeks, and chives.