Garlic prefers a light, sandy loam soil, high in organic matter. You should plant seed garlic, the individual cloves, in mid-September to mid-October in the North Okanagan and Shuswap. When you plant, place cloves 6 inches apart at a depth of 2-3 inches or plant so the tip of the cloves are covered and mulch heavily with straw or leaves. During the spring and early summer keep the soil moist. Stop watering when bulbs are the desired size or when leaves start to turn yellow, approximately 2 weeks before harvesting.

Hardneck varieties of garlic produce a seed head or scape. This should be cut off while still curled. Leave a couple of scapes for later, when the scapes grow straight up the garlic is ready to harvest. Scapes can be used in salads or stir fries. Pull up your garlic and hang in an, airy, shaded place. When dry, cut off the stalks and roots and rub off loose skin. You should store garlic in a cool dry place. A mesh bag is ideal.