The Sunset website recommends planting garlic late Oct - early Nov for SoCal. I don't know your climate that well, so I'll just say if it is hot in Oct (90's - high 80's), you might want to wait until some time in Nov.
If you want to grow good garlic, good soil with adequate drainage is important. You'll also want to keep weeds to a minimum. I plant in raised beds, and the cloves are planted on six inch centers in all directions. You're not going to want to get much closer than that, even if the soil is excellent. If not growing in a raised bed, you'll need some space between rows so you can get in there to cultivate and harvest.
Pointy part of the clove goes up, the part that was attached to the basal plate goes down. Ideally, don't separate your garlic into the individual cloves until you're ready to plant - a few days or even a week or two probably won't be a big deal, but my point is, don't separate your order into individual cloves right after it arrives. I plant a couple of inches deep (make the hole to the second finger joint and drop the clove in), but in cooler zones I think they may go just a little deeper.
I mulch with a couple of inches of shredded leaves or straw after planting, and consider this an important step here in Texas. For one, it helps keep the weeds down and moisture levels even. It also helps keep the soil cool longer in the spring, which may not be as crucial in your area since you probably have cooler springs.
Artichoke, Asiatic/Turban and Marbled Purple Stripe types are probably your best bet. Creoles are also worth trying in your area as well if you can find planting stock. Also, Elephant Garlic (which is a leek) is fun and easy to grow. I space Elephant Garlic a little further apart, because the bulbs can get huge.
|