Hey everyone! I'm on my second year of growing garlic and I'm looking for some guidance. Last year wasn't great; I planted in December in North Texas and harvested in May, but my garlic only formed either 1 big clove or just 4 small ones, which I learned might be due to the warm winter we had. This year, I tried refrigerating the garlic for about 3-4 weeks before planting, but since then, the leaves only sprouted for about a third of what I planted. We recently had a cold front with temps dropping to 20-40°F which might've killed some of the leaves. I'm wondering if there's still a chance for some garlic to grow in the spring, especially since conditions are colder now. I did purchase straw for mulching but it seems like some weeds are popping up instead. Anyone have insights on how garlic grows in these conditions?
3 Answers
Garlic is pretty stubborn and may surprise you! In my colder climate, I’ve had garlic that sprouted in fall and still thrived come spring. Just stay proactive about mulching when it gets frigid. It sounds like the garlic is resilient; if you wait, you might see some great results this upcoming season! Also, keep the area clean because garlic doesn’t like competition.
Sounds like you're doing fine! Garlic can be pretty resilient. I live in Texas too, and usually, I see good growth in the spring despite early sprouting in warmer winters. Just patience; it'll catch up! Also, if you planted soft neck garlic, that typically works better in our warmer climate. Hard neck types can struggle without enough cold./dormancy.
Thanks! I'm hoping more of it grows this year. It was really frustrating last year!
I’m also a Texas garlic grower! I recommend keeping your garlic in the fridge for at least 8 weeks before planting. I usually start the process in September and plant by mid-late November. Cold weather can shock garlic a bit, but it tends to bounce back. Your garlic patch might be fine; just keep an eye on those scapes come spring!
Really helpful info! I planted hardneck this year instead of softneck, and I was worried about the differences in growing.
I’ve heard similar things! You let it do its thing, and it usually comes back strong. I was also told to snip any scapes if you let them grow!