Garlic is So easy to Grow and Now is the Time to Plant!

When October arrives in North Texas, bats start appearing in the rafters of neighborhood décor and caped figures with plastic fangs take up residence on front lawns. Their seasonal return serves as a reminder to gardeners: if the Halloween creatures are out, it’s time to plant garlic.
Fall planting allows garlic to establish deep roots before winter, making it one of the most dependable and flavorful crops for our region. It grows while most of the garden rests, then finishes just as summer vegetables come into season. Garlic’s legendary role in warding off the spookier side of Halloween ensures that when the bats and costumes come out, the bulbs should go into the ground.

 

Fall Is Garlic Season

Unlike tomatoes or peppers, garlic prefers to begin its life in cool soil. Planted in October or November, it will:
• Establish roots before winter sets in
• Overwinter with minimal care
• Bulb up as spring daylight increases
• Harvest when leaves naturally dry back
Plant garlic when pumpkins line the steps. Harvest when the pool opens.

 

Selecting Garlic That Thrives in Texas

Climate matters. Store-bought garlic is selected for shipping durability, not success in Texas clay and humidity. Gardeners benefit from varieties proven to handle heavy soils, sporadic freezes, and warm spring finishes.

Two Main Types

Softneck Garlic
• Ideal for warm climates
• Long-term storage champion
• Many uniform cloves
• Soft stems can be braided

Hardneck Garlic
• Exceptional flavor complexity
• Fewer, larger cloves
• Produces edible scapes in spring
• Slightly shorter storage

Some cultivars of Hardneck garlic does perform in North Texas — and the scapes alone make it worth planting.

Texas-Adapted Garlic Varieties

Each Available Now at Rooted In

INCHELIUM RED
Softneck — Artichoke Type
• National taste-test winner
• Balanced flavor: mild heat raw, buttery roasted
• 10–20 uniform cloves
• Stores 8–9 months

KETTLE RIVER GIANT
Softneck — Artichoke Type
• Large bulbs; classic garlic punch
• Consistent success in clay soil + Texas heat
• 10–16 cloves
• Stores 8+ months

CALIFORNIA EARLY
Softneck — Artichoke Type
• Reliably productive
• Thrives in variable conditions
• Stores 7–9 months

AJO ROJO
Hardneck — Creole Type
• Deep, rich flavor; standout roasted
• Beautiful red wrappers; 8–12 cloves
• Surprisingly heat tolerant for a hardneck
• Stores 6–8 months

RED TOCH
Softneck — Heritage Variety
• Mild and aromatic
• Adapted to warm climates
• Stores 5–6 months

All five cultivars are selected specifically to thrive in North Texas and available now at Rooted In.

Understanding Garlic Types

Artichoke Garlic — tightly layered cloves; best storage; warm-region performer
Creole Garlic — hardneck subgroup; vivid clove skins; heat-adapted
Heritage Garlic — long-preserved, traditionally selected garlic with strong flavor + reliability

Other Alliums Worth Planting Now

Perennial and ornamental alliums add structure, pollinator value, and edible uses:

• Garlic chives — excellent in eggs + dumplings, or on a potato
• Society garlic — edible flowers; drought-tolerant
• Elephant garlic — oversized, mild cloves
• Allium ‘Purple Sensation’ — edible blooms for garnish
• Allium sphaerocephalon (drumstick allium) — mild florets

All available now at Rooted In.

Garlic Planting Tips

Site Requirements
• Full to Part Sun
• Excellent drainage
• Raised beds recommended for clay

Soil Prep
• Loosen soil 6–8 inches
• Add compost liberally
• Apply a  slow-release fertilizer (like MicroLife) that’s higher in nitrogen

Planting
• Break bulbs into individual cloves just before planting
• Leave papery skins intact
• Depth: 2–3 inches (or twice clove height)
• Spacing: 6 inches apart
• Pointed end up

Mulching
• Apply straw mulch to insulate and reduce weeds
Water once — seasonal rainfall sustains until spring.

Winter: The Quiet Season

Garlic quietly develops roots through the cold months.
It is extremely cold hardy. Mulch does most of the work.

Spring Growth and Bulb Formation

• Leaves expand rapidly
  • Bulb sizing accelerates
  • Moist, not soggy, conditions are ideal

Deep, infrequent watering prevents rot.

Garlic Scapes: A Hardneck Bonus Crop

Hardnecks send up a curled flower stalk — the scape — in late spring.
Remove once scapes make a full loop to direct energy to the bulb.
Scapes offer a limited-season delicacy with mild, sweet garlic flavor:

This culinary bonus is a compelling reason to grow hardneck garlic in Texas. (recipe below!)

Harvesting Garlic (Late May through mid-June)

Harvest when:
• Lower leaves are brown
• Upper leaves are still partly green
Lift gently with a fork. Do not pull by hand.

 

Curing and Storing

• Do not wash bulbs
  • Brush off loose soil only
  • Hang or lay in shade + airflow 2–3 weeks
  • Store in breathable containers — never airtight

Softnecks store into spring. Hardnecks deliver peak flavor earlier.

 

Troubleshooting in Texas Conditions

• Small bulbs — planted late, not enough sun, overcrowded
  • Rot — drainage issues
  • Rust — overhead watering; poor airflow
  • Weeds — increase mulch

Garlic is forgiving — even imperfect harvests are delicious.

 

• Garlic Scapes: Simple Sauté

(A spring harvest treat from your hardneck garlic)

Ingredients
• Garlic scapes (8–12, trimmed)
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Fresh lemon (optional)
• Cracked black pepper (optional)

Method

1. Cut scapes into 1–2 inch pieces
2. Warm 1–2 tbsp olive oil in skillet over medium heat
3. Sauté 5–7 minutes until bright green and tender
4. Season with salt; finish with lemon if desired

Notes:
• Harvest scapes when they form their first loop
• Removing scapes increases bulb size
• Flavor is mild and approachable — like a cross between green beans and soft garlic

No garden crop has a better side dish built right into the plant.

 

Visit Rooted In

Garlic seed and companion alliums are available now:
Rooted In Nursery
12804 Pelzel Road, Pilot Point, Texas 76258
Tue–Sat: 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Sun: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Our horticulturists can help you choose the right varieties and guide you through a successful harvest.