How to grow garlic almost anywhere

Garlic will grow in most types of soil. It needs a sunny location and will not grow properly with less than six hours of sunlight a day.

The soil should be reasonably fertile, but adding manure before planting is not recommended, although well-rotted compost will help to improve the soil structure.

Since garlic is subject to the same pests and diseases that attack onions, do not grow them in soil that grew onions the previous year.

Garlic is a biennial, but will act like a perennial since the new cloves will grow the following year.

Commercially, it is divided into soft-neck and hard-neck types. Soft-neck produces many smaller cloves around a soft central stalk while hard-neck has fewer, larger cloves and a stiffer central stem. Hard-neck is the better type for growing in cooler regions so this is the one to go for. The individual cloves of either type are planted and will grow to form complete bulbs.

When planting for the first time, it is best to get locally grown garlic bulbs to divide. Garlic grown in a different climatic region will not produce as well as that grown locally. 

Garlic is should be planted in the autumn and is a crop for regions that have a cool winter since it needs a cold period of at least one month when the temperature is around or below freezing to grow properly. 

Growing vegetables is the most rewarding when you're enjoying the spoils of your labour. Find all you need to know to grow your own vegetables.