The Truth About Soaking Garlic Cloves Before Planting

Garlic is an ideal vegetable to plant in small spaces like backyards, balconies and yes, even on windowsills – because it’s relatively easy to grow and doesn’t take up too much space. But like any other vegetable, garlic still has its vulnerabilities, which is why soaking garlic cloves before planting is so important.

Despite having sulphurous compounds that allow it to fight off disease, garlic is still susceptible to diseases and garden pests. In order to keep garlic disease-free make sure that you soak garlic cloves before planting in a solution of fish fertilizer, baking soda and lukewarm water. This gives your garlic a sort of vaccination against the various fungal diseases that could affect your cloves and stop them from growing. It also gives your garlic a boost of energy that can help them get started with the growing process.

The good news is that this process isn’t complicated, but if it is the first time you are soaking your garlic cloves make sure you follow the below process step-by-step for best results.

Soaking Garlic Cloves Before Planting Step-by-Step

To get started, choose the biggest cloves possible and separate them, but don’t peel them. When choosing what garlic to plant, you can go with either hardneck or softneck garlic. Hardneck grows better in colder climates, so you will have to judge for yourself the best garlic to use, depending on your country or zone.

For example, if you are planting garlic in winter in the UK you will want to use hardneck garlic, but moving towards spring, softneck garlic works well. You could even experiment by planting both types (for more information on hardneck and softneck garlic, keep reading to the end of this article).

Next, you will want to make the solution. How much water you use will depend on how many cloves you are going to plant, but it is generally advised to use a gallon of water and fill a largish bowl or bucket. Fill your container with lukewarm water and add:

• One tablespoon of fish fertiliser or liquid seaweed.
• One tablespoon of baking soda.

Then, allow the cloves to soak for a minimum 30 minutes, maximum a few hours (there are different opinions on this, but I find around two hours to be the sweet spot).

The next stage is to remove your cloves from the solution and place them into a jar. Add hydrogen peroxide or 70 percent alcohol (vodka’s a good option) and cover the cloves completely. This is to sterilise the cloves to get rid of any parasites that could destroy your garlic once you’ve planted it. Leave the cloves for 20 minutes in the water and then remove.

If you’ve have had good results in the past growing garlic without soaking it first, you may not want to change your process. Soaking garlic is certainly not mandatory – but it is good to get into the habit if you are just starting out and if you are a veteran garlic planter, why not give it a go?

Should You Put Garlic In The Fridge Before Planting?

To prepare garlic for planting you can also store your cloves in the fridge. This kicks off vernalization – which is the induction of a plant’s flowering process by exposure to cold winter weather. Without this process, garlic won’t grow into big, separate cloves. To grow properly, garlic needs six to eight weeks of cold exposure so putting cloves into the fridge beforehand is a good idea if you live in a warmer country where winters won’t give the cloves access to the cold temperatures they need.

Other Common Questions About Planting Garlic

What Month Is Best To Plant Garlic?

In the UK, it is best to plant garlic cloves between the months of November and April – however, spring is a bit late as your garlic won’t have had that exposure to cold over the winter. If you do decide to plant garlic cloves in spring it is best to leave them in the fridge for a few weeks first. However, you will likely get bigger and juicier garlic bulbs if you plant just before Christmas. At the same time, you need to be careful to avoid planting in frozen ground, so if your area is subject to extremely cold winters, you could start your garlic off indoors or in trays or containers and then move them outdoors in spring.

Equally, if you have heavy clay soil which doesn’t drain well, start your cloves off in trays and/or containers. If you are not in the UK, check your area or zone and make the judgement as to how and when you should plant your garlic.

Can I Plant Garlic Sets In Containers?

As mentioned above, yes, you can definitely plant garlic sets in containers! In fact, this is my preferred method and great for small spaces – like balconies, apartments and city gardens.

To plant your garlic sets in containers, first and foremost make sure you have enough room for the roots to grow, with a container of at least eight to ten inches deep. Fill the containers with light, multipurpose compost and plant your cloves with the pointy side up pushed about three inches beneath the surface and a good few inches apart. Make sure you cover them well with more compost. Leave in a sunny spot – you could even go for indoors on the windowsill but if you do make sure your garlic gets the light it needs to grow.

You could also plant your sets in trays. I personally find this method a bit too fiddly as the modules tend to be small, but it is good if you want to grow garlic indoors and if you don’t have a lot of growing space. Follow the same method, using multi-purpose compost and place one clove deep in each module. The garlic can be planted out in the spring into bigger containers when the cloves have sprouted.

What Is The Difference Between Hardneck And Softneck Garlic?

As discussed previously, there are two main types of garlic you can plant – hardneck or softneck. Hardneck is hardier and good for surviving temperamental weather. Softneck is best planted in warmer climates. There are other differences – such as the scape that pops up once hardneck garlic starts growing as a result of the plant bolting. On the other hand, softneck garlic doesn’t tend to bolt.

Other differences include:

• Clove size: Hardneck produces fewer cloves and they tend to be bigger – softneck produces more cloves but they are smaller.
• Garlic head: Hardneck garlic is regular in shape while softneck garlic heads are bigger and irregularly shaped.
• Peeling: Hardneck garlic tends to be easier to peel as the skin is thicker.
• Storage: Softneck garlic generally lasts longer in storage.
• Taste: Hardneck garlic tends to have a stronger taste

Can You Plant Supermarket Garlic?

In theory, you can grow garlic from supermarket cloves but it is best to use hardneck and softneck garlic sets that you can find in most gardening stores. This is because supermarket bulbs can be vulnerable to infection, so although it is an easy option, it is best avoided.

How To Look After Garlic

To care for your garlic, make sure you water regularly, but avoid overwatering. Also, remember to fertilise your garlic (again take care not to go overboard) once shoots start to show. Garlic can also be vulnerable to birds and other pests – so if you have the capacity, you could place some kind of netting over your plants.

When Should You Harvest Garlic?

If you plant your garlic sets in autumn, you’re looking at a June or July harvest. For spring-planted garlic, you’re looking at later in the year, like August. The key signs your garlic is ready to harvest, are that the leaves start to go yellow and tip over. Once you see these signs, carefully remove the bulbs from the soil with a trowel.

If you want to cure your garlic, which means allowing it to dry out completely, you could place your garlic in the sun for a couple of weeks. This way, the moisture transfers to the bulbs and seals up the garlic. The reason to cure your garlic is to reduce the likelihood of diseases and to allow it to stay fresh for a longer time period. The taste of the garlic can also be improved if you cure it beforehand.

Soaking Garlic Cloves Before Planting: Conclusion

In conclusion, by soaking your garlic cloves, you can give them the best chance to grow into juicy bulbs. Garlic is a versatile vegetable and perfect for growing indoors. It’s also good for your immune system and even (apparently) protects against vampires…🧛so you will want to give it prime space in your growing area! If you are a beginner, remember that practice makes perfect. And if you are a veteran garlic grower and haven’t done this process before, you could be pleasantly surprised by the results. Why not give it a try?