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How To Grow Garlic In Arizona – 10-Step Guide!

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The stinking rose is a wonderful accent to any fall/ winter garden. Because of its bud-like appearance and powerful pungent odor, Garlic was given this name.

Garlic is one of the simplest crops to raise, and growing Garlic is straightforward. Even better, once you’ve grown it, you may regrow Garlic every year from your bulbs.

Garlic may be planted in the desert garden with little difficulty, but it does require some expertise. If you’re looking for information on how to grow Garlic in Arizona, keep reading.

Planting garlic is pretty simple, but there’s a little more to it than simply sticking the cloves in the ground. There are many factors that you have to look out for before starting the process. Here is a 10-step comprehensive guide to making this process easy for you.

Softneck Garlic How To Grow Garlic In Arizona
Softneck Garlic via Flickr

How To Grow Garlic In Arizona

1. Choose the perfect garlic variety based on your climatic region

To produce Garlic successfully, you must select the kind that is best for your region.

  • Hard-Neck Varieties

This garlic type is cold-hardy, making it a wonderful choice for those who live in colder areas. This variety generates a flower stalk, sometimes known as a “scape,” that must be removed in order for bulbs to grow properly. The scape is both edible and tasty.

  • Soft-Neck Varieties

If you reside in a warm environment, these are the best varieties to cultivate (like the low desert of Arizona). Softnecks are easy to keep and are frequently braided. The flavor may be milder than that of hard-neck varieties. Hardnecks do not keep as well as soft neck types.

2. Order garlic ahead of time

Garlic is in high demand, especially during the winter months. Many farmers are often already sold out when it’s time to plant Garlic. It’s better to place your order ahead of time in order to plant Garlic at the right time.

  • Look for a nearby grower if possible; they will have varieties that are perfect for your region.
  • Check the delivery date of any garlic you buy from some local grower or online grower facility
  • You might need time for vernalization of hard neck varieties for them to grow in warm climates
  • Make sure it arrives in time for your desired planting date.

It’s not recommended to attempt growing grocery store garlic.

  • Garlic may not be a good type for your region.
  • May have been exposed to a growth inhibitor.
  • Could introduce bacteria and viruses to your soil.

3. Start prepping Garlic a few weeks before planting

The bulbs must be vernalized if you live in a warm climate and grow a hard-neck garlic variety. Place garlic cloves in the refrigerator (cloves intact) in a sealed paper bag for at least 6 weeks.

  • What is Vernalization?

Vernalization is when plants (seeds) are exposed to lower temperatures to trigger bulb and flower production.

Vernalization has a similar effect on both Softneck and Hardneck cultivars. It isn’t as essential for Softnecks as for Hardnecks, but it still helps them develop fully.

4. Plant garlic at the right time

Garlic is typically grown in the fall, from September through November. In conditions with a lot of cold, plant garlic about a month before the ground freezes.

  • Garlic is best planted in the low desert of Arizona during October.

5. Choose the best location for planting

  • Choose a location that receives at least 6-8 hours of sunshine.
  • Garlic thrives in loose, well-draining soil. To prepare the soil, loosen it to a depth of several inches.
  • Garlic may be grown in various containers or raised beds, including some that are 6″ deep.
  • Garlic is a heavy feeder with a lot of demands. Compost and an appropriate organic fertilizer should be added to the planting space.
  • Garlic relishes the warmth of the earth and encourages beneficial bacteria to thrive. Garlic is a wonderful company for most plants (except for sage, beans, parsley, and peas) because it keeps pests at bay by repelling them.
  • Plant garlic in fruit tree wells to help repel common pests.

6. Correctly Plant the Garlic

  • Remove the bulbs from the stems.
  • Soak for at least 8 and up to 24 hours in a solution of fish and kelp fertilizer and baking soda (1 TBSP each per gallon of water). The baking soda has antibacterial properties, while the fertilizer promotes development.
  • Plant the flat (root) side down and the pointed (sprouting) side up.
  • Planting the cloves 2-3″ deep and 4-6″ apart is ideal. For square foot gardening, plant 9 per square.
  • In colder climates, mulching the planting area is recommended.

7. Take proper care during the growth process

  • When new leaves are developing, water the plant quite often. Water it less frequently as leaves begin to die back. It’s critical to deeply water garlic.
  • Garlic is a heavy feeder. When Garlic is growing actively, feed it once every month with an organic fertilizer.
  • To stimulate bulb development, remove flower shoots (scapes) as soon as they appear.

8. Harvest garlic at the right time

When half the lower leaves have turned brown, and the cloves are plump and well-formed, Garlic is ripe for harvesting. Garlic kept in the ground for an extended period will begin to split, making it impossible to store.

Garlic is often ripe in May in the low desert of Arizona.

  • When the lower 3-4 leaves become brown, it’s time to stop watering.
  • Dig up a test bulb to determine how big it is.
  • A few days later, harvest the Garlic by using a fork instead of pulling it out.
  • After harvesting, do not rinse or cut the roots and stems.
my first harvest of softneck garlic How To Grow Garlic In Arizona
“my first harvest of softneck garlic” via Reddit

9. Cure harvested Garlic for longer storage

Allow the Garlic to cure in a shaded, well-ventilated place. The ideal curing temperature is about 75-80°F (this may need to be inside if you live in a hot summer climate).

If it’s indoors, provide a gentle breeze with a fan. Softneck varieties of Garlic may also be braided and hung to cure.

  • Place the Garlic on a rack or the ground in a single layer or braiding softneck types’ stems.
  • Allow the papery skins to tighten around the cloves as the Garlic stems wilt.
  • Trim roots and stems to about 1″ when the necks are dry and completely tight.

10. Store cured Garlic properly

  • Store your bulbs in a cool, dry location.
  • Garlic should be stored in mesh net bags hung up in a cool area.
  • Check the cloves regularly and use any soft ones as soon as possible.
  • Softneck types will keep longer than hardnecks.
  • Save the biggest cloves for planting next season
  • Leave the stored cloves intact.

>> Related Post: What Animals Eat Garlic – A Quick Guide


Conclusion

The secret to growing Garlic in warmer climates isn’t nearly as tough to figure out as most people think. You, too, can grow Garlic in your garden with the correct kinds and planting techniques.

Growing Garlic is similar to growing the rest of your garden. It requires additional attention and care, but done right; it can be quite rewarding.

Garlic is a wonderful addition to the garden and provides such amazing benefits for your health. As you can see, growing Garlic is quite simple in most climates. Therefore, what are you waiting for?

Start planting Garlic today and reap the benefits! I hope that you will give it a try if you haven’t already. It’s worth the effort!

If you are new to growing Garlic, I hope this 10-step guide has opened up your eyes to what’s possible with a little patience and elbow grease.