Fertilizing Garlic Bulbs
Garlic has varying nutritional needs throughout the growing season, but it’s safe to say that garlic is a big eater! It’s important to know when to feed your garlic, what to feed it, and when to stop fertilizing to get the biggest, plumpest bulbs.
NOTE: This is part 6 in a series of 9 articles. For a complete background on how to grow garlic bulbs, we recommend starting from the beginning.
After the initial application of fertilizer at fall planting time, you will need to feed your garlic every 3 weeks or so when spring growth begins.
When green sprouts appear in the spring, pull back the mulch and either side-dress or sprinkle a balanced fertilizer with a high first number on the package (that means the fertilizer is higher in nitrogen). Use 1/2 cup granular fertilizer for each 10 linear feet.
Water well after each feeding. Repeat the fertilizer application schedule until about 2 weeks before harvesting, when the lower leaves start to brown. Stop fertilizing at that time.
The Importance of Weeding
Weeding doesn’t just make your garden look nice—it kills competition for nutrients so your garlic plants can thrive. Once the spring weather arrives, you can keep your winter mulch in place to prevent weeds (unless you’re in an area that receives a lot of rain, which can encourage rot issues), or remove the mulch and hand-weed during the growing season. Either way, keep those weeds out!
