Key takeaways
- Garlic is easy to grow in North Texas, needing minimal care from mid-October to May.
- Two garlic types exist: softneck, which stores longer, and hardneck, known for complex flavors.
- Grow a combination of softneck and hardneck varieties to compare flavor, performance, and storage life.
- Order garlic by July for fall planting, requesting a mid-October shipping date.
- Plant garlic in full sun and well-drained soil, then harvest when the lower three or four leaves have died back.
I still remember growing garlic in my garden for the first time. It felt like magic! Especially because I had never seen or tasted garlic other than the boring kind available in grocery stores. Red! Purple! Striped!
Even more fun than growing unique garlics from all over the world was discovering how easy the process was.
Because it grows through the coolest months of the year, garlic is one of the easiest vegetables to grow in North Texas. Other than occasional fertilizing and weeding, it requires barely any care at all. Just plant it in mid-October and harvest it in May.
If you’re thinking about growing garlic for the first time, I recommend taking my Awesome Alliums class. It’s available to stream on demand inside the school library, and you can check the schedule to see when the next live presentation will be.
Enrolled students get access to the entire school library and every live class. Learn more about enrollment here.
Softneck versus hardneck garlic
There are two main types of garlic: softneck and hardneck.
Hardneck garlic produces a stiff central stalk and usually has fewer, larger cloves. Hardneck varieties are known for more complex flavors, but they typically do not store as long as softneck garlic.
Softneck garlic has flexible stems that can be braided after harvest. It usually produces more cloves per bulb and has a longer storage life. Most of the garlic available in grocery stores is softneck.
For years and years, North Texas gardeners were told that they couldn’t grow hardneck garlic.
Not true!
I’ve been growing both types of garlic for many years without issue. I recommend growing both softneck and hardneck varieties and experimenting to see which ones perform best in your garden.
The best garlic varieties for North Texas
There isn’t one single garlic variety that is best for every North Texas garden. Our winters can vary considerably from year to year, and different varieties may perform better under different conditions.
The good news is that we can grow a much wider range of garlic than many gardeners realize.
I recommend choosing a combination of softneck and hardneck varieties. Softneck varieties tend to be dependable producers and offer better storage life. Hardneck varieties give you an opportunity to grow garlic with unusual colors, large cloves, and more complex flavors.
An easy way to try several varieties is to purchase a sampler pack. Sampler packs offer a selection of garlic varieties that you might not otherwise choose yourself. In the past, I have purchased sampler packs from Filaree Farm and
How to choose garlic for our area
When shopping for garlic, read the variety descriptions carefully. Look for descriptors such as “heat tolerant,” “early maturing,” or “suitable for southern climates.” These are all desirable qualities for North Texas conditions.
Also take note of flavor descriptions. Some garlics are mild, while others are very strong. Their flavors can also change after cooking. For some varieties, the heat mellows when cooked. For others, the heat and pungency linger.
Storage life is another factor to consider. Some varieties produce beautiful, flavorful bulbs but do not store for very long. Others may be less exciting at harvest but will remain usable in the kitchen for months.
Growing several varieties gives you the opportunity to compare flavor, bulb size, productivity, and storage life. Keep notes so that you’ll know which ones you want to grow again the following year.
When to order garlic for fall planting
I prefer to order my garlic from online suppliers. Though I try to support local, independent retailers as often as possible, local garlic inventories can differ wildly from year to year.
With online suppliers, I can place my order early and know exactly what I will be getting at planting time.
For the best selection, place your garlic order in July or as soon as online suppliers begin accepting orders for the season. Northern gardeners plant their garlic earlier than we do and, therefore, place their orders earlier.
If you wait too long to order, there is a risk that suppliers will sell out of the varieties you want.
When to plant garlic in North Texas
Many online garlic suppliers allow you to request a shipping date. When possible, ask for mid-October delivery.
Mid-October is the ideal time to plant garlic here in North Texas. Planting at this time allows the cloves to establish roots before winter without producing excessive top growth.
Avoid planting too early. Garlic needs cool weather to grow properly, and our September and early October temperatures are usually still far too warm.
How to plant garlic
Plant garlic where it will receive a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight every day. The more sun your garlic plants receive, the better they will perform.
Garlic bulbs need loose, fertile soil in order to grow properly. Before planting, amend soil with high-quality compost and a balanced organic
Wait until you are ready to plant before breaking the garlic bulbs apart. Separate each bulb into individual cloves, leaving the papery covering intact. (Plant the largest cloves in the bulb. The small, sliver-like cloves won’t produce a large head later.)
Plant each clove root end down and pointed end up, approximately two inches deep. Do not crowd your garlic. Space the cloves six inches apart.
After planting, water the bed thoroughly and cover the soil with a two- to three-inch layer of mulch.
How to care for garlic through the winter
Garlic requires very little care during the winter. (Woo hoo!)
Water as needed to keep the soil from becoming completely dry, but avoid keeping the bed constantly wet. Soggy soil can cause the cloves and developing bulbs to rot.
Keep the planting area weeded. Garlic does not compete well with weeds, especially when growth begins to take off in late winter and early spring.
Begin fertilizing when active growth resumes. Garlic needs adequate nitrogen to produce healthy leaves, which provide the energy the plant needs to form a large bulb. Apply a high-nitrogen organic
Hardneck varieties may produce a curling flower stalk called a scape. Cut the scape off so the plant can direct its energy into the bulb. And don’t throw it away! Garlic scapes are edible and delicious. I like to make compound butter with minced garlic scapes. Yum.
When to harvest garlic in North Texas
Garlic is typically ready to harvest in North Texas sometime in May, depending on the variety and the weather. Turban garlics are the earliest and often ready by end of April. Other types can take longer.
Do not wait for all of the leaves to turn brown. Begin checking your garlic when the lower three or four leaves have died back but several green leaves remain at the top of the plant.
To test readiness, carefully pull the soil away from a bulb. If it has distinct, well-developed cloves beneath the papery wrapper, your garlic is ready to harvest.
Standard advice is to use a garden fork or shovel to loosen the soil around each bulb before pulling out. Personally? I just grasp the plant where the leaves meet the bulb and wiggle it out of the ground. Call me a rebel!
How to cure and store homegrown garlic
After harvesting, move the garlic to a dry, shaded area with good air circulation. Do not wash the bulbs or trim the leaves and roots yet.
Allow the garlic to cure for approximately two to three weeks. This process may take more or less time depending on conditions. Do not rush this process. Once the outer wrappers feel dry and papery and the neck feels tight and dried down, trim the roots and cut the stems, leaving a short portion attached. Softneck varieties can also be braided.
A note: Detached garages in North Texas can get quite hot in May and June. If you are curing garlic in a detached garage, monitor temperature. If temperatures in the garage get anywhere near or above 95 degrees, move the garlic to another cooler location. High temperatures can damage the bulbs and ruin your crop. I speak from experience!
Store cured garlic in a cool, dry place with good airflow. Do not store it in a sealed plastic container.
Be sure to set aside a few of your largest, healthiest bulbs to plant again in October. Before you know it, buying ordinary grocery-store garlic will feel almost as strange as growing your own once did.
FAQ
I have personally purchased garlic from Filaree Farm and Botanical Interests. Garlic is also available from Johnny’s Selected Seeds, Renee’s Garden Seeds, Burpee, and Keene. You can also search Google for “seed garlic.”
I love growing Turban garlics like Basque or Lotus because they are early to mature. This is important in North Texas because it gives us time to plant another vegetable in its place before the summer heat kicks in. Other varieties I like include Early Red Italian, Kettle River Giant, Music, Russian Red, and Persian Star Purple Stripe.
Yes. Your garlic will sprout within a few weeks of planting. This is totally normal. After sprouting, your garlic will put on a few inches of growth and then become semi-dormant once winter sets in. Active growth will resume in the spring.
Garlic is hardy to our winters, but I always recommend covering garlic if temperatures are forecasted to get below 10 degrees. Covering the soil with a three- to four-inch layer of mulch after planting is sufficient to stabilize soil temperatures through winter. Don’t worry, the garlic can grow through the mulch when ready.
Start planning your North Texas garlic garden
Garlic is easy to grow and far more interesting than anything you’ll find at the grocery store. Order early enough to get a good selection, then try a few different varieties to see which ones perform best in your garden. You may be surprised by how many types of garlic you can grow successfully in North Texas.
Want me to show you exactly how to do it? My Awesome Alliums class walks you through the entire process, from planting through harvest. You can watch it right now inside The Dallas Garden School. Learn more about enrollment here.
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