Be mindful when planting, pulling and drying garlic

Garlic, a member of the onion family, has been used as a traditional medicine and to add flavor to food for thousands of years. It is native to central Asia, but is very easy to grow in our northern Illinois gardens.

There are three types of garlic: hardneck, softneck and great-headed. Hardneck varieties are most cold hardy and have milder flavor than softneck types. Each hardneck plant grows one ring of cloves around the stem.

Fall is the best time to plant garlic. Fall-planted garlic grows roots during winter and produces bigger and more flavorful bulbs. Get them planted a month before the ground freezes.

Purchase garlic bulbs from local garden centers or mail order sources. Do not buy them from grocery stores. These bulbs may not be suitable varieties for our area and have often been treated to prevent sprouting.

A few days before planting, separate garlic into individual cloves, keeping their papery husks attached. Each clove will multiply into a new bulb consisting of five to ten cloves. The largest cloves produce the largest bulbs. Garlic grows best in loose, well-drained soil amended with lots of organic matter, on a site that receives full sun and has not been used in the last few years to grow garlic or other members of the onion family.

Practicing crop rotation reduces the chance of disease. Eliminate all weeds from the area before planting.

Plant cloves, with tips pointing up and flat ends down, 2 to 3 inches deep and 4 to 6 inches apart. Rows should be at least a foot apart - more space is better if you have it. Water the area thoroughly to get cloves off to a good start.

Mulch after planting with a 4- to 6-inch layer of straw or chopped leaves to prevent cloves from being frost-heaved out of the ground. The mulch can be removed in spring after the danger of frost has passed or simply left in place to reduce weeds and preserve moisture in the soil.

In the spring, as leaves begin to grow, apply a slow-release fertilizer high in nitrogen. Yellowing leaves are a plea for nitrogen. Remove flower scapes as they emerge or bulbs will be smaller. Garlic is no match for weeds so keep the garden weed-free. Keep plants well watered if rainfall is insufficient. Fewer, deep waterings are more beneficial than frequent, shallow ones.

When tops yellow and fall over in mid-July to early August, it is time to harvest. Dig up a few plants and check the size of bulbs. If bulbs are large enough, loosen the soil and gently pull up the plants. Brush soil off bulbs and leaving the foliage attached. Let them dry in a warm, dry, shaded spot with good air circulation for two to four weeks.

Trim away roots when they dry and remove any remaining soil. Cut back foliage just above bulbs.

Once bulbs are dry, they should be stored in a cool, dark, dry place.

• Diana Stoll is a horticulturist and the garden center manager at The Planter's Palette, 28W571 Roosevelt Road, Winfield. Call (630) 293-1040, ext. 2, or visit planterspalette.com.