Garlic Lovers – Ready, Set, Sow!

In Puget Sound gardens, it is time to reap. Even if many of the tomatoes on the vine are still green. For garlic-loving gardeners, it’s time to sow.   

Garlic is not about immediate gratification. Garlic is sown now (October ideally), and then harvested in July or early August. Some sources recommend planting garlic in late September, and I have gotten away with planting as late as November 7. It doesn’t quite feel right, leaving those tender cloves out in the damp cold earth, but you’ll be glad you did next July.   

Growing garlic is like falling off a log – it’s almost care free and it’s pest resistant. I’ve harvested plump pink bulbs three summers in a row thanks to the following resources:

The Westside Gardener’s Garlic page – This website is “dedicated to all growers who live west of the Cascade Mountains” and provides a plethora of how-to gardening information.

Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades by Steve Solomon. This is the bible of Northwest maritime gardening.

The Maritime Northwest Garden Guide:  Planning Calendar for Year-round Organic Gardening  produced by Seattle Tilth. This guide helps keep me on schedule and provides useful tips.
                     ~Laura M-B