Growing garlic: Part 2

Garlic (Allium sativum) can be grown in a wide range of soil types.

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What is more important is good fertility, as this crop has a modest root system. It is therefore important to carry out a soil analysis and develop a fertiliser programme accordingly.

Garlic responds well to organic matter, so manure or compost should be used where possible. Apart from providing nutrients, they make for a healthier crop.

Take care when sourcing plant material; disease can easily be introduced in this way.

Because cloves are the initial source of nutrients for the crop, use only large cloves. Smaller inner cloves will produce smaller bulbs.

It is strongly advisable to grade the cloves according to size. This will ensure that the bulbs are uniform and mature at the same time, making harvesting easier.

Plant the cloves about 8cm apart in the row, with an intra-row spacing of about 20cm. The precise row spacing is usually dependent on the mechanical equipment used for the crop.