How to Plant Garlic Seeds in the Spring
- 1). Loosen the soil in the spring with a rototiller to a depth of 6 to 8 inches. Remove any large rocks, sticks and debris from the ground. Add a 1-inch layer of compost over the soil and work it in with a shovel.
- 2). Create a 1-inch deep furrow in the soil with a garden hoe. Make additional furrows, but keep the rows 15 inches apart.
- 3). Apply a 10-10-10 fertilizer to the soil before planting. Follow the directions on the package before applying to ensure that you add enough per square foot.
- 4). Break the garlic bulbs apart into cloves. Only break them apart 24 hours before you plant them so that they do not dry out.
- 5). Plant the garlic 2 inches deep and 8 inches apart. The pointed end of the garlic clove needs to point up. Cover the garlic lightly with soil.
- 6). Water the garlic to moisten the soil. Continue to water the soil when it appears dry.
- 7). Place peat moss over the soil to prevent weeds from growing. This also keeps the soil moist.
- 8). Pinch the flowers off the garlic once you notice them. Bend the stalks over toward the ground carefully so that you do not break them. Once the stalks turn brown, you can pull them out of the ground because they have matured.
