Looking to make use out of your raised garden beds year-round? Garlic is a resilient and overwintering vegetable that will have you harvesting when most other plants aren’t nearly ready. Garlic is an often overlooked and easy to grow vegetable. Its use in the kitchen and common dishes is more widespread and versatile than most other growables.
Growing big, beautiful garlic bulbs in raised beds takes some planning and preparation. Proper spacing is one of the most important considerations when cultivating garlic. Plant the cloves too close together, and you’ll end up with tiny bulbs and stunted plants. Space them too far apart, and you’re missing out on yield in a finite garden bed. Finding the sweet spot for spacing comes down to the type of garlic, your climate, and goals for the harvest. This complete guide covers everything you need to know about spacing garlic just right in your raised beds for maximum success.
Why Garlic Spacing Matters
Garlic is a heavy feeder that sends its roots deep into the soil in search of nutrients. In order to size up properly each bulb needs sufficient access to water nutrients, sunlight, and airflow. Crowded planting conditions lead to undersized bulbs and more pest and disease problems. However, you also want to make the most of every square inch of precious raised bed real estate.
The ideal garlic spacing maximizes garlic growth and biomass production in your available space. While variables like garlic type, garden size, and your climate impact exact measurements, using the proper spacing for your conditions will result in the largest possible yield of properly sized garlic bulbs.
Hardneck Versus Softneck Garlic Spacing
The two main types of garlic, hardneck and softneck, have different growth habits and yield potentials. Therefore, they require slight adjustments in spacing requirements.
Hardneck garlic produces fewer, but larger bulbs with bigger individual cloves arranged around a firm central stalk. They have a rich, complex, pungent flavor profile. Hardneck garlic thrives in cold winter climates. Space hardneck garlic varieties like Music, Spanish Roja, and Purple Stripe 6 to 8 inches apart in all directions.
Softneck garlic yields more small to medium cloves with more paper-like wrappers around a flexible neck stalk. They have a milder flavor and store longer than hardnecks. Softneck types grow well in warmer regions. Space softneck cultivars like California Early, Inchelium Red, and Creole 4 to 6 inches apart in your raised beds.
Garlic Spacing by Planting Method
Raised Beds
Raised beds provide loose, fertile soil and excellent drainage. This is ideal for growing plump garlic bulbs. Use the wider spacing recommendations for the type of garlic you grow. The loose soil and extra space will allow the largest bulbs to size up.
Space hardneck varieties 6-8 inches apart in raised beds. Allow 10-12 inches between rows.
Give softneck cloves 4-6 inches of elbow room in raised beds with 8 inch row spacing.
In-Ground Beds
Spacing can be slightly reduced if you plant garlic in open in-ground beds rather than raised beds.
Plant hardneck garlic 5-6 inches apart in all directions.
You can space softneck cloves 3-5 inches apart in in-ground beds.
The more confined soil conditions and competition from weeds and grass warrant slightly tighter spacing.
Containers
It is possible to grow garlic in containers, but bulbs will be smaller. Use the wider range of spacing recommendations and stick to 4-6 bulbs per 12-14 inch pot. Choose smaller softneck varieties for container culture.
Garlic Planting Depth
Proper planting depth is just as crucial as spacing for garlic grown in raised beds. Plant individual cloves 2-3 inches deep in raised beds and 4 inches deep in containers. Deeper planting gives cloves stability and protects them from extreme cold. However, don’t plant bulbs more than 4 inches deep or growth may be reduced.
Garlic Spacing for Yield Goals
The number of garlic plants you can fit into a given space ultimately comes down to your priorities. If you want the absolute largest bulbs, go with the wider spacing recommendations for the type of garlic you selected. However, if overall yield and total pounds of garlic matter more than huge individual bulbs, try planting just a tad closer together. Just be wary of overcrowding, which drastically reduces bulb size and invites disease issues. Finding the right balance takes some trial and error based on your garden’s conditions.
Adjustments for Climate Considerations
In warmer regions, increase spacing to 6-8 inches for softneck types to prevent overheating. Allow ample room for air circulation to prevent fungus and mold growth.
Cold climates can use closer spacing because the frigid winters and cool soil keep plants in check. But don’t plant garlic in frozen ground or harvest prematurely if you want large bulbs.
Proper Weeding Techniques
Vigilant weeding is essential, but be careful not to disturb garlic roots and bulbs when eliminating grass and weeds. Gently loosen the soil with your hand and remove invaders, avoiding grasping the garlic plants. Wide spacing also makes weeding easier.
With the right spacing for your unique growing conditions, you can maximize garlic yields in raised beds. Adapt spacing as needed each season based on results. Aim for the largest bulbs your space can accommodate by providing sufficient room for growth. Adjust as needed to find your garden’s sweet spot!
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Garlic Life Cycle & When to Harvest
Sometimes before winter you will notice a garlic sprouting a green shoot. This is normally a good sign that your clove has established itself. After winter, it will begin to grow larger. There is usually a twisty, bulbous part called the Scape that will form a few weeks before maturity. This is a flower, and should be removed to focus all the plants resources into forming the vegetable underground. Garlic is mostly harvested in July, or 8-9 months after they were planted. It’s important to know the garlic life cycle and what it looks like when your cloves are ready to be harvested. Picking them too early will lead to underdeveloped cloves. Picking them too late will lead to a shorter shelf-life, and could yield a drier product. So if you plant your cloves in late October, 9 months later would be late July. Garlic, like most other plants, matures differently in different climates. Be sure to research how your specific region will affect your underground gems. When garlic leaves begin to yellow at the tips, the plant most likely has a mature bulb to harvest. Loosen the compacted soil with a shovel or garden fork to avoid breaking off. When harvested, garlic should be “cured” or dried in a well-circulated, dark area. Air circulation is necessary for adequate drying and darkness prevents any unwanted pigments from sunlight that might disrupt the curing process. This takes 1-2 weeks, by that time theyll be ready to be peeled and used in your cooking!
Master The Art Of Growing Garlic In Raised Beds!
FAQ
How far apart should raised beds be for garlic?
So the minimum is six inches. And I recommend six inches between your cloves. You can see here and our little raised bed, we have about six, seven inches between our garlic, we err on the little more side, because we want them to get that many more nutrients and not compete at all with each other.
What is the best spacing for planting garlic?
Make sure you have enough space (15cm between each clove – more for elephant). Plant in an area which will receive maximum sunlight hours.
What should you not plant near 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)
What happens if you plant garlic too close?
Squeeze the cloves too close together, and you’ll end up with underdeveloped bulbs; space them too far apart, and your harvest could be too small!Sep 2, 2024