Garlic is a great place to start as a new gardener. First, to raise a successful crop, you must know if hardneck or softneck garlic is best for your climate.

Garlic should be planted between Oct. 1 and Nov. 15 to give the clove a chance to develop some roots before it goes dormant for the winter. Separate cloves from the bulb and plant root side down ...

The garlic will emerge in spring. Hardneck varieties will put up a stalk called a scape in early to midsummer. Scapes can get all zany and curly; some even put them in flower arrangements.

Refrigerate hardneck garlic for four to eight weeks—the longer, the better—for spring planting. Softneck varieties need less chilling but benefit from three to four weeks of cold.

Other than scapes, hardneck garlic is notable for the bulbils or mini-bulbs that it forms on scapes when they are left unharvested. Depending on the hardneck variety, as many as 200 bulbils can ...

Garlic Growth Time and To-Dos by Season How to Start Garlic This Fall. For the biggest heads, always plant individual garlic cloves in fall. Each clove will form a new bulb by the next summer.

Hardneck garlic has outstanding flavor, and is highly recommended for making salad dressings and pressed fresh over vegetables. It is also delicious when baked or eaten raw for health benefits.

Other than scapes, hardneck garlic is notable for the bulbils or mini-bulbs that it forms on scapes when they are left unharvested. Depending on the hardneck variety, as many as 200 bulbils can ...