Most garlic is planted directly as individual cloves in the autumn for a summer harvest, but certain situations require moving an already-sprouted plant—a process known as transplanting. This technique involves carefully moving a young garlic plant, which may have been started in a container or grown from a tiny aerial bulbil, to its final growing location. While garlic is sensitive to root disturbance, transplanting can be a necessary technique to give early starts a head start or to properly space out young plants. The precise timing for the move is highly dependent on the plant’s origin and stage of development.
Scenarios Requiring Garlic Transplanting
Transplanting garlic becomes necessary in two primary circumstances where direct planting is not feasible or desirable. The first involves gardeners intentionally starting cloves indoors in late winter or early spring to gain an advantage in regions with short growing seasons. This method allows the development of a small root system and initial green shoots before the outdoor soil is ready to be worked. This technique bypasses the long winter dormancy required by fall-planted garlic.
The second common reason for transplanting is when growing garlic from small aerial cloves, known as bulbils. Bulbils are often planted densely together in a nursery bed during their first year because of their minute size. After this initial season, the bulbils develop into small, single-clove bulbs called “rounds,” which must be moved and properly spaced to encourage the formation of a full, segmented bulb in the following year.
Optimal Timing for Seedlings Started Indoors
For seedlings started indoors, the best time to transplant them to the garden is in the early spring. This timing is determined by the outdoor conditions, primarily avoiding the risk of a hard frost. The young plants should be moved out as soon as the soil is workable, allowing them to establish deep roots before the intense heat of summer.
Before the final move, these plants require a gradual process called “hardening off” to acclimate them to the harsher outdoor environment. This involves slowly exposing the seedlings to direct sunlight, wind, and cooler temperatures over 7 to 10 days. Failure to harden off can result in sunscald or shock, severely setting back the plant’s growth and reducing the potential bulb size. Once acclimated, the seedlings are transplanted to their final location for a full summer of growth, which is necessary for bulb development.
Timing the Move for Garlic Bulbils
When transplanting garlic grown from bulbils, the timing depends on the plant’s physical maturity and the two-year growing cycle, rather than spring frost. Bulbils are typically planted in the fall and harvested as small rounds the following summer. These rounds are then cured and stored.
The best time to transplant these rounds to their final spacing is the following fall, mirroring the traditional planting time for garlic cloves. At this stage, the rounds should be about 1/2 inch to 1 inch in diameter. Planting them in the fall allows them to establish roots, undergo the necessary cold period, and dedicate the subsequent growing season to developing a full, segmented bulb.
Immediate Care After Transplanting
The period immediately following transplanting is when the garlic plant is most vulnerable to shock and desiccation. After the young plant is placed in its new spot, it needs a deep, thorough watering to help settle the soil around the root structure. This initial watering eliminates air pockets and ensures the roots make solid contact with the surrounding soil.
If transplanting occurs on a sunny or warm day, providing temporary shade for the first few days can reduce stress and prevent wilting. Applying a layer of organic mulch, such as straw or chopped leaves, immediately after the move helps to regulate soil temperature and maintain consistent moisture. Maintaining even soil moisture for the first few weeks is important while the plant establishes itself, but avoid waterlogged conditions, which can lead to rot.