Andy Lyons
Can you plant garlic in the spring?
The answer is yes!
However, there are a few tips and techniques that can increase your success rate.
Credit:Andy Lyons
Without the vernalization period, garlic cloves will grow but won’t separate into bulbs.
You may end up with one giant clove or only some tasty green foliage above the ground.
A few nurseries take orders for softneck garlic in time for spring planting, so call and ask.
You may be able to buy cloves that have been vernalized by the vendor, saving you the effort.
Avoid planting garlic purchased from the grocery store.
This garlic has often been treated to inhibit sprouting.
Store-bought garlic is also not certified to be disease-free and could introduce problems into your soil.
You may need toprotect these pots from squirrelsthat may dig in them.
If you need more space, set up atemporary raised bedon top of the frozen soil.
you might also peek at the bulb by brushing away some soil with your fingers and checking the size.
Most gardeners and garlic vendors recommend trimming off the scapes produced by hardneck varieties when they begin to curl.
The scapes can be made into delicious pesto, eaten fresh, or used to flavor oils and soups.
Leaving them on wont hurt the plant, but can result in smaller cloves.
