One of my first successful ventures into home gardening was planting garlic. If you are just starting out planting garlic is a sure winner, easy to plant, easy to grow!
Garlic is one of the 700 species in the Allium family (Onion family). There are basically two types of garlic: the soft neck and hard neck varieties. You may be more familiar with the soft neck varieties which are commonly found commercially in the grocery stores. They have a shelf life of up to eight months. On the other hand, hard neck varieties have a shorter shelf life of about four months. They produce larger cloves and have a more intense flavor.
I have planted soft neck varieties: 'Inchelium Red', 'Chinese Pink', 'Spanish Rojo', and 'California'. I have also planted “Elephant garlic”. Actually, Elephant garlic is more closely related to a leek and has a flavor of both onion and garlic I different varieties all have distinct flavors, maybe we should all do a garlic tasting next summer. This year's crop includes Elephant, Spanish Rojo, Chinese Pink, and California.
I find November before the seasonal rains start is the best time to plant garlic. They will be ready to harvest in late May or June. When the tips of the leaves turn brown, they are ready! I have always bought seed garlic from a nursery or garden store. Before you go on a garlic buying spree remember each garlic bulb will yield up to six to eight cloves. If you space them six inches apart that's a three to four-foot row. First, separate the garlic bulb into individual cloves Smaller thin cloves can be thrown away or peeled and used immediately. This will give you an idea of their flavor. Make a note of the flavor and put it in your garden diary. I Remove the bottom of what's left of the seed stem and plant the cloves pointy side up 3 inches below the surface. I put a handful of worm castings in each hole. Cover the bulbs you can add a layer of mulch or straw to hold in the water. In a week you will green shoots start to pop up. If you're using garlic cloves from the previous year make sure you check them for rot.
References:
Sonomaamg.ucaranr.edu/Vegetable_of_the_Month/Garlic/
https://irisheyesgardenseeds.com
https://gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/garlic/differnt-types-of-garlic.htm