Despite its moth-eaten climate , growing garlic in Maine can be a fruitful experience for gardeners of all stripes . With the proper conditions and guardianship , the land ’s soil and climate can provide a great environment for garlic to fly high . It is a relatively easy crop to grow , with many varieties that can be grown in Maine , from softneck to hardneck , from purple to bloodless . With a footling snatch of effort , you could enjoy the delicious preference of homegrown garlic in your own backyard .
Maine’s climate and hardiness zones
Maine ’s climate is broadly classify as humid continental , meaning that it experiences cold winters and warm summer , making it perfect for growing garlic . The body politic is locate in a transition geographical zone between the humid semitropic and humid continental climates , so temperatures can vary widely throughout the year . winter are typically cold and snowy , with temperature average between 18 and 28 degrees Fahrenheit . Summers are meek and humid , with temperatures typically rank between 65 and 75 degree Fahrenheit .
USDA hardiness zones in Mainerange from zona 3 to zone 6 . Zone 3 is the coldest , crop from -40 to -30 degrees Fahrenheit . Zone 5 is the warmest , ranging from -20 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit . Most of the res publica fall into zone 4 , with temperatures ranging from -30 to -20 degrees Fahrenheit .
Overall , the climate in Maine is relatively balmy in comparison to the rest of the country , despite the cold winters . The temperate temperature ranges make it idealistic for a variety of industrial plant and other crops , including apples , blueberry , raspberries , and potatoes .
When to plant spring garlic in Maine
Garlic can be planted in the spring or come down in Maine . For outpouring planting Allium sativum , you will need to purchase some mellow - quality garlic starter bulbs . you may implant garlic you get hold in the store , but selecting cloves that are specifically made for spring up will yield better resolution .
When pick out garlic , you desire to make certain the bulb are truehearted and have no visible sign of decomposition . Any medulla which are mushy Once you have your bulbs , you will need to separate the Eugenia caryophyllatum and plant them in the primer .
Garlic can be planted out of doors once the weather condition has warmed and the filth can be worked . It ’s among the earliest crop you’re able to sow in the spring . When planting garlic , ensure to space the cloves at least 6 inch apart in a sunny area with well - drained soil . establish the cloves two inches thick in the dirt so that the pointed end is facing up . irrigate the garlic regularly and keep it free of locoweed .
you could mulch your spring - implant garlic with dry out leaves or stubble to help retain moisture and suppress the growth of smoke . Garlic planted in the spring in Maine wo n’t have as much clock time to grow as fall plant garlic , so your harvest in the pin may grant more or less minuscule bulb .
Aged manure , compost , and freshrabbit manureare all great things to contribute at this sentence . I keep rabbits for their manure and always throw on a squeamish layer of cony manure when constitute fall ail .
When to plant fall garlic in Maine
Some gardeners consider plantinggarlic in the fallin Maine to be advantageous because it allows the garlic medulla to get a forefront start on the maturate season . In surrender , they ’ll begin to put down ascendant but likely wo n’t send up any growth . Those early theme are important for the works ’s development . As soon as the soil is tender enough to spur fresh ontogeny , your garlic bulb will be ready to rock and cast .
The exact timing for planting fall Allium sativum will depend on your mood zone . The sometime - fashioned rule of thumb is to institute them flop after the fall equinox in September , but if you live in a very cold climate , you may require to get them in the ground a short scrap before this date . If you survive in a warmer climate , you could in all likelihood wait all the way until the centre of October to get them started . Knowing your clime is key to be intimate when exactly to plant your downfall garlic .
Planting Allium sativum is highly easy . If you ’ve buy bulbs from a nursery , you ’re going to require to very cautiously discover up the bulb and spare all of the Syzygium aromaticum . Do n’t get too aggressive ! You do n’t desire to smash any of the electric-light bulb by accident . Gently rubbing them between your hands should free the individual cloves .
dig out holes in a row three inches recondite and six inches asunder from one another . Carefully drop the cloves of ail into each hole with the pointed side pointing up . Press them softly into the soil . Do n’t jam them in too unvoiced or deep . Cover the bulbs with an even stratum of grunge .
older manure , compost , and fresh lapin manure are all nifty thing to add at this metre . I keep rabbits for their manure and always throw on a prissy level of rabbit manure when planting pin garlic .
Caring for garlic plants
Soil : Garlic plants require alimentary - fertile , well - enfeeble soil to boom . Amend the dirt with plenty of organic textile such as compost or aged manure before planting . Garlic does n’t do well in bundle , cadaver dirt , so be sure to loosen up the territory !
Sunlight : Garlic needs at least 6 time of day of unmediated sunshine each day , but preferably 8 - 10 hours of sunlight day by day . Choose a location that gets heap of sun . Insufficient sunlight may lead in ail that does n’t prosper or bring forth bulbs .
body of water : Garlic plants need between 0.5 and 1 in of water per week , with ideal drainage in the soil . If there is not enough rainfall to reach this amount , it is necessary to water the plants manually to make up for it . ensure to irrigate deeply and infrequently , as too footling or too much piddle can be damaging to the plant – too footling can make accent , and too much can lead to bulb rot .
Fertilizer : elderly manure , compost , and freshrabbit manureare all great , natural fertilizers to bring home the bacon your garlic bulbs . It ’s best to provide these once at the time you embed your garlic bulbs .
When to harvest garlic in Maine
The accurate timing for when dusk Allium sativum is ready to be harvested in Maine varies . Typically they ’re ready to glean in previous summer to mid - fall . The timing does n’t matter as much as the visual aspect of the harvest . You love it ’s time to harvest your fall ail when its lower third folio have turned brown and died , but its upper leafage is still nice and unripe .
It can be a little hard to cognise for certain that it ’s time to harvest your ail , but more often than not , if those bottom leaves are brown , it ’s time to harvest . If they ’re still green , it ’s too early . There will be some green foliage at the tops of the works , but do n’t let that put one over you . If those crushed folio are dark-brown , it ’s sentence to get down in the ground and dig up that ail !
