Some of the internet sites that sell garlic have advice. Here it's tough in pots, fabric bags work better. But where you are maybe it's not so tough. I plant mine in the ground.
Filaree Garlic Farm has growing info. Also Burpee has growing info for all plants and seeds they sell.
In the South you plant in the fall for a spring harvest.
Plant cloves with the pointed side up. Use the biggest cloves and eat the smaller ones. 1 inch deep, about 4 inches apart. When foliage begins to die in late spring, early summer, it's ready. Dig one up carefully to check. If you wait too long bulbs split, use immediately. Dry for one week. hard necks have scapes, you can cut those off and use them like green onions. Or leave on, some say best to remove others disagree.
You may want to ask in other forums too!

Thanks for your help! I think we grow soft necks down here.

You could plant them now, it's fall, and maybe a few in a pot depending on size. With softnecks you can tie them all together to dry for a week after harvest. Trim roots and stuff after drying. I'm growing both as some softnecks are hardy. I planted mine a month ago.

Tuesday is my projected day for planting them. Do you hang them in the window to dry?

zackey

I don't think you need to dry them before planting (I believe Drew was talking about drying after harvest); just take bulb apart & stick individual cloves in soil. I just planted bunch in the pots since I just got them and soil outside is hard/frozen (& I don't have bed prepared ahead anyway). I never grew them in pots, but trying anyway.
Just give them well draining soil, and plant them same as in ground - abt. 4-6" apart, and I would go 2" deep. Then just leave pot outside.
Plant largest cloves (maybe save few for spring and/or for cooking)'. More room you give them bigger they will grow.
I will put some shreaded leaves on top (mulch) when it gets much colder, but they are pretty hardy so they should do fine.
Rina

This post was edited by rina_ on Fri, Dec 5, 14 at 15:14

Rina I tried in pots in zone 6a, and they all died. I would put them in the garage if you have one. The freeze-thaw thing got them. They got very wet, even with well draining soil. Good luck! I plant cloves 1 to 2 inches down depending on size. The larger cloves are planted deeper. Depends on variety as far as size goes.

Yes I mean dry after harvest, sorry for the confusion.

I wasn't confused. I knew you meant dry after harvest. My 83 year old friend said they would grow well in pots here. I just didn't know how deep to plant them. It's hard to get a word in sideways when I talk to her. So much knowledge. My brain is about to burst after I talk to her.

Drew

So in the garage, that will prevent too soil getting too wet - just put some snow/water occasionally so they don't dry out totally?
My garage is available, but pretty old & drafty...but moisture could be controlled.

Rina

Rina, exactly, snow/water yes perfect. At least in our area. Zackey can probably leave them outside.
I have not tried it, but just leaving them outside didn't work for me. Other methods would be burying the pots, as the ground is consistant in temp. The freeze-thaw cycle kills them. Packing them with leaves so they do not thaw. But the garage is easy! I have strawberries in pots, and cherry trees in pots, and blueberries in pots in my garage right now. Again more to control the environment. Being dormant they need no light. All of them are hardy here, except one blueberry. Hardy to zone 7. It will always be grown in a pot. I have 3 other blueberries I hope in a few years to put in the ground. I have three others currently in the ground too.

Outside is the only option. I have no garage and no room inside. It is our dry season, so rain is not an issue.

Outside is the only option. I have no garage and no room inside. It is our dry season, so rain is not an issue.

zackey, in your case they should be ok outside, you probably don't get freeze-thaw the way we do. Like any other plant in container, as long as it isn't waterlogged.

I have few pots, so will experiment with leaving one outside. I have more garlic planted in regular bed.
Rina

Garlic will be fine outside in that zone.

Josh

We do get a few freezes here but they don't last more than about 8-10 hours.

Garlic will be fine outside in that zone.

It's fine outside in my zone too, just not in pots!
I'm looking forward to the spring! Good luck zackey and if all can report back. Mine are in raised beds, I'll report back too.
Do you know what varieties you are growing? I'm trying a hard neck and a soft neck that is hardy. I have grown others, and will grow different ones each season till i figure out what works best. Only two varieties this year.

Killarney Red (Rocambole)
Idaho Silver (Silverskin)

Rocamboles
These are the most widely known, hence the most widely grown of the hardneck garlics.
They have a deeper, more full-bodied flavor than softnecks. Rocamboles produce large cloves which are easily peeled, making them preferred by chefs & food processors. Their loose skins however, give rise to their major disadvantage, a shorter storage life than most other varieties. By the end of January most Rocamboles show signs of dehydration or begin to sprout.
Killarney Red
Outstanding Rocambole from Idaho. Original source is unknown. Best producing Rocambole year after year. Better adapted to wet conditions than most others.

Silverskin (Softneck - braidable)
Sillverskin garlics are the type most often found on supermarket shelves due to their very long storage life. They are the highest yielding variety and do well in a wide range of climates, hot southern, wet maritime, and cold northern climates as well.

Idaho Silver
Original source unknown. Bulbs are a beautiful creamy silver color, good size and character. Reddish-pink cloves. Well adapted to northern interior climates with cold winters. Mild and sweet baked. Raw, starts slowly with the heat building to very hot.

I have no clue what varieties they are. Someone sent them to me.

Drew, Zackey is in zone 8b, whereas you're in zone 6a.
I know that garlic grows well in pots in zone 7b here in the foothills, so I assume that 8b won't be an issue at all.

Josh

I agree Josh, i was just joking around. I wish I could leave them outside in pots. I would like to grow more. Yes all should be fine in zone 8!
I think if it stayed cold, they would be OK here too, but sometimes we have a warm spell, and that darn freeze-thaw thing hurts them pretty good. I could put them in the garage that would work, except it's filled with strawberries, blueberreis and cherries. I'm out of room.
I have a couple of those bush cherries in pots. the tart cherry Carmine Jewel. It makes a great plant for pots.
Once I move, I will though put them in the ground.