We all dream of a thriving garden that produces enough food for us to live off our own land each year. Some of you may be able to do that, however for us city dwellers, it doesn’t always seem feasible. We don’t have to let that get us down though! Especially because we can grow a years supply of certain crops if we plan it out right. Growing garlic for a year’s supply is a great one to start with because it’s low maintenance, doesn’t take too much space, and easy to store.
Garlic is a versatile ingredient that adds flavor to many dishes It’s also easy to grow at home, making it a popular choice for gardeners But how much garlic should you plant per person? The amount can vary depending on several factors. This in-depth guide will walk you through exactly how much garlic to plant per person.
Why Grow Your Own Garlic?
There are many great reasons to grow your own garlic
-
Save money. Store-bought garlic can be expensive, especially for organic varieties. Growing your own is very cost effective.
-
Get the best flavor. Homegrown garlic has a fresher, more pungent flavor than store-bought.
-
Grow the varieties you want. You can choose from softneck, hardneck, and elephant garlic.
-
Control growing methods. You can be sure no harmful chemicals are used when you grow garlic yourself.
-
Grow it organically. It’s easy to grow garlic without the use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides.
-
Preserve and store garlic. You can enjoy homegrown garlic for up to a year after harvest by curing and storing it properly.
-
Use the whole plant. Garlic greens, scapes, and cloves can all be eaten. Less waste!
Factors That Determine How Much to Plant
When deciding how much garlic to grow per person, here are some variables to consider:
Your Climate and Growing Conditions
-
Garlic needs cool weather but can tolerate some frost. It thrives best in zones 3-9.
-
Hardneck varieties tolerate cold better than softneck.
-
Garlic will produce smaller bulbs in warm climates. Plant more to compensate.
-
Amend poor soil with compost to increase yields.
The Size of Your Household
-
For a family of 4, plant 40-60 cloves total.
-
For a couple, 20-30 cloves is sufficient.
-
If you’ll be sharing with friends/family, increase amounts.
Your Taste Preferences
-
If you use garlic daily, plant more than someone who only uses it occasionally.
-
Lovers of garlic may want to double typical planting amounts.
-
Consider how often you cook with garlic and in what quantities.
The Varieties You Choose
-
Hardneck garlic produces fewer, larger cloves (4-12 per bulb).
-
Softneck garlic yields more smaller cloves (10-20 per bulb).
-
Elephant garlic has very large cloves best used fresh rather than stored.
How Much Space You Have
-
Allow 6-8 inches between garlic plants. More for elephant garlic.
-
You can plant in beds, containers, raised rows, and more.
-
Be sure to rotate where you plant garlic each year.
Recommended Amounts to Plant
As a very general guideline, 10-15 cloves per person is sufficient for most households. But use the following garlic planting guidelines tailored to your climate and tastes:
Cold Climates
If you live in zones 3-5, with cold winters below freezing, plant 5-7 heads per person. The cooler weather means garlic bulbs will be on the smaller side. Stick with hardy hardneck varieties like Music, Russian Red, German Red.
Temperate Climates
For zones 6-8, with warmer winters, plant 7-10 heads per person. Grow a mix of hardneck and softneck varieties. Good choices include Inchelium Red, Georgian Crystal, Lorz Italian.
Hot Climates
In zones 9-10, with mild winters, plant 10-12 heads per person. Focus on softneck varieties like California Early and Glenlarge as they handle heat better. Plant in fall/winter.
Elephant Garlic
For this giant garlic relative, plant just 1-2 heads per person. The bulbs and cloves are very large. Space elephant garlic plants 10 inches apart.
How Many Cloves Per Head?
To determine the total number of cloves to plant, you’ll need to multiply the number of heads by the average number of cloves per head for the variety:
-
Hardneck garlic: 4-12 cloves per head
-
Softneck garlic: 10-20 cloves per head
-
Elephant garlic: 4-6 huge cloves per head
So for example, if planting 10 heads per person of a softneck variety with 15 cloves per head, you would need 150 cloves total.
How Much Garden Space for Garlic?
You’ll need about 4-6 inches of garden space per head of garlic planted. This allows enough room between plants for good bulb development.
Here is the approximate space needed for different amounts:
-
10 heads: 2.5-3 sq ft
-
20 heads: 5-6 sq ft
-
40 heads: 10-12 sq ft
-
60 heads: 15-18 sq ft
Keep in mind elephant garlic needs more spacing, about 10 inches per head.
Tips for Planting and Growing Garlic
Follow these tips for the best harvest:
-
Plant in fall 4-6 weeks before first frost.
-
Break bulbs into individual cloves. Don’t separate skins.
-
Plant cloves 2-3 inches deep and 4-6 inches apart.
-
Place cloves root-end down and pointy end up.
-
Mulch beds for weed control and moisture retention.
-
Water when soil is dry to the touch, about 1″ per week.
-
Fertilize monthly with a balanced organic fertilizer.
-
Harvest when bottom 1/3 of leaves turn yellow.
-
Cure bulbs in dry, well-ventilated area for 1-2 weeks.
-
Store cured garlic in cool (65°F), dark place.
Get Started Growing Your Own!
With this handy guide on how much garlic per person, you can confidently plan your garlic patch. Start with a small crop, then expand as you gain experience. Soon you’ll have a steady yearly harvest of this flavorful culinary staple. The tasty homegrown bulbs are well worth the space in your garden.
How To Plant Garlic
Planting garlic is super easy. Here’s a post on how to do it that also includes some links for extra reading. I’ll let you in on a little secret though. All you have to do is stick the clove in the ground, and it will grow. Bam. Boom. Done.
How Much Garlic Should You Plant?
Each clove of garlic that you plant will grow into a new head of garlic. How do you know how much garlic to grow per person? It’s a bit subjective.
Obviously a full grown adult who adds a head of garlic into dinner every night is going to eat a lot more than a tiny toddler who has just a sprinkling of garlic powder in their spaghetti sauce weekly.
If you currently buy garlic by the head, calculate how many you buy each week times 52 and plant that many plants.
If you don’t buy your garlic fresh, it’s a little trickier. You may need to do a bit of trial and error. Around 20 plants per person should give you plenty of garlic.
If you want to preserve it, round up a bit. You can always give some away if you have too much.
Also make sure you plant enough that you can set some aside for next year’s crop. Each garlic head contains around 10 cloves and each clove will produce a new head. Only plant the biggest and best cloves. Eat the tiny ones!
You can safely assume you will need to plant 2-3 heads of garlic per person if you are aiming for 20 heads to eat.
Often the best way to determine how much to plant is by keeping records each year. If you over or under plant one year, you’ll be able to remember and adjust accordingly the next year.
Watch This Before You Plant Garlic
FAQ
How much garlic per person to plant?
In most places, fall is the best time to plant garlic. Decide how much garlic you will need for a year. 15 garlic plants per person* is a good place to start (note that one garlic clove will grow into one garlic plant.)
What not to put next to garlic?
- Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis)
- Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
- Beans (Phaseolus and Vicia)
- Leeks (Allium porrum)
- Onions (Allium cepa)
- Ornamental onions (Allium spec.)
- Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
- Peas (Pisum sativum)
How many bulbs of garlic do you get from one plant?
One bulb of garlic when broken into cloves and planted can reap 10-20 bulbs harvested.
What month is the best to plant garlic?
October is the most popular month to plant garlic, but depending on where you live, you could plant sooner or later. In the North, late September or October are the best times to plant garlic cloves. It should be done at least two weeks before the first frost of the season, and must be done before the ground freezes.Sep 30, 2020