We use lots of garlic in our cooking, so we always look forward to garlic planting time. We look forward even more to garlic harvesting time, but that’s a subject for another day. Here in central Alabama, late October and early November are just the right time to plant garlic so it can establish roots and soak up moisture over the winter and be poised to take off in the warm spring sunshine.
Today we welcome Master Gardener RJ Arceneaux to share some of his expertise on what kind of soil garlic prefers, when and how to plant it, how to care for it over the winter, and how to know when it’s ready to harvest. We attended a garlic planting demonstration RJ presented in Wetumpka this week, and he was kind enough to visit with us afterward so we could share some of his knowledge with you.
Listen – 23:46
Unlike most master gardeners, who tend to be smarter in some areas than in others but who remain generalists, RJ has maintained a razor-sharp focus on all things garlic for several years. He’s the acknowledged “garlic guru” in central Alabama.
Here’s the source RJ uses for his garlic that he plants each year, Filaree Garlic Farm.
And here’s the article from Clemson Amanda mentioned during the podcast, called “Onion, Leek, Shallot & Garlic.”