I'm planning to plant garlic this fall in the rainy southern region. I'm curious if heavy rain will affect it or if having well-draining soil will prevent any problems. This is my first time gardening, so any advice would be appreciated!
2 Answers
When you mention covering it, are you thinking of a plastic cover to keep it dry or using heavy mulch? You really don’t need a plastic cover if your soil drains well; garlic does great in that condition. But definitely use mulch to protect the bulbs from frost. I usually go with a 4-inch layer of straw, and the garlic shoots right through it come early November. It might die back during the deep frost, but it bounces back in spring!
I've planted garlic in a place that gets heavy rains during spring, and I've never covered them. In a serious flood, though, nothing will survive, but honestly, at that point, it's not just garlic that's an issue. Overall, garlic is super easy to grow; you just plant it around November and then let nature take its course for about six months!
So, when you say well-draining soil, is it just about mixing in things like perlite and sand? I heard some people put a layer of straw at the bottom for drainage, but I’m not exactly sure how it works.