How to Plant Garlic Workshop

We’re celebrating Ontario Garlic Week with a garlic planting workshop at our Community Seed Library on Saturday, October 1. Our Seed Librarians will teach visitors how to plant garlic in their backyards. Participants will get to take home a few cloves to plant! The garlic cloves are generously donated by Toronto Garlic Festival.

This is a drop-in style workshop. Visit our Seed Library tent anytime between 9am to 1pm. (Market Map is located on our homepage)

From repelling vampires to curing illness, to making the perfect pesto, garlic has storied history making it a staple in our kitchens today. Garlic is a part of the Alliaceae (onion family) and is closely related to chives, leeks, and shallots. These plants all grow from a bulb that is planted underground; initially pushing up a stalk or scape and resulting in a head with several individual cloves.

Garlic is a perennial crop that is planted in the Fall in our climate and is harvested the following summer. In the Spring, cut the Garlic Scapes so that the plant will put its energy into producing a larger bulb. If the Garlic Scape is left to flower and produce bulbils (seeds) you’ll have a smaller garlic bulb. Garlic Scapes are edible so by cutting them you’ll get to enjoy two harvests!

For our colder climate, hardnecked garlic varieties are the heartiest. Always choose local and organic varieties for the best result. Garlic does better directly sowed in the ground and doesn’t suit container growing. To plant, gently separate the individual bulbs; being careful to maintain the skin. Plant each bulb with the pointy side up, 2-5 cm /1-2 inches in depth approximately 10-15 cm or 4-6 inches apart. Cover with a mulch like leaves to protect the bulbs over winter. Plant garlic between September and the end of November and keep in mind that each clove will produce its own garlic plant!