How to Manage Pests

Planting garlic and onions

Most garlic is grown from the separated cloves of the garlic plant rather than from seed. Plant the bulblets directly in the garden. Do not remove the papery covering on the bulblet. Do not break apart the mother bulb until the plant is ready to plant. Plant 2 inches deep and space 4 inches apart in the row, with 12 inches between the rows. The larger the bulblet, the larger the bulb of garlic at harvest.

Onions can be grown from seed, sets, or transplants. Onions produce better from seed or transplants rather than from onion sets. Much of the energy in onion sets seems to go into producing seed stock instead of bulbs. Onion sets (small bulbs), unless properly stored, will tend to bolt rather than set a large bulb. To sow directly into the garden, plant seed about 0.25 inch deep and maintain good soil moisture. Plant more seeds than necessary and then thin plants, using the small plants as scallions or as transplants for other areas. Save the strongest transplants to produce bulbs. Space transplants about 4 to 5 inches apart and plant to cover the base of the bulb with just enough soil to anchor it in place.

Direct seed

Transplant