Garden enthusiasts should keep an eye out for a specific plant to cultivate next year.
According to YouTube personality @itsbreellis, the ideal time to plant garlic is “in the upcoming weeks”. Garlic, a versatile plant used in everything from pasta dishes to pesticides, is “pretty easy” to grow at home, according to the popular farmer. She even claims that homegrown garlic has an “unmatched” flavour, suggesting it’s superior to store-bought alternatives.
The YouTube content creator revealed: “I like to wait for my first frost to pass before planting and I typically plant the last week of October. When planting I prefer raised beds with nice loose soil. Add compost or something similar at planting as well.”
For those curious about the precise planting dimensions for their garlic crop, the YouTuber shared her tried-and-tested method. “I’ve played around with spacing over the years but I found eight inches apart in two to three inches deep to give me the best outcomes,” she said.
She then added: “Separate out the cloves and plant the pointy side up. My go to favourite has to be chesnok red. I always mulch my garlic with a seed free straw and I layer a few inches at planting and layer a few more inches on top once I see growth and make sure to water well at planting.”
She continued to describe the low-maintenance approach necessary after planting, saying it’s “hands off” as the garlic can thrive on its own. She clarified that when “I see more growth coming on in the late winter or early spring, I start to feed my garlic pretty regularly until a month before harvest.”
For those uncertain about what “feed” entails, it involves bolstering the plants with extra compost layers for nutrients. For avid gardeners eager to mark their calendars for harvesting, the key time is “the first and second week of June”.
After the harvest, @itsbreellis also detailed the next steps, saying: “Everything cures in my garage for about a month before getting stored in my basement.”
Several followers were amazed by the potential results, with one sharing their success story: “Wow 8 inches! I gave ours 3-4 inches in double rows about 12-18′ between double rows, planted potatoes in the empty space in spring and got amazing results this year.”