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When I plant my garlic in the fall, I’m strategic about where to plant it. I’m already thinking ahead to the following spring when all my other crops will be planted in my collection of raised beds. I consider the prime spots of my garden—where will the tomatoes go; which place is best for cucumbers and other vining plants, etc. And when my garlic is pulled in July, what will take its place? I never want to waste precious growing space in the garden. In this article, I’m going to make some suggestions for what to plant after garlic.
Amend the soil after harvesting garlic
The first thing you want to do after pulling all your garlic out of your garden is amend the soil. I remove all the straw I used as a winter mulch. Then I amend the soil. Garlic bulbs are heavy feeders. They have been absorbing the nutrients in the soil to grow. After you dig up your garlic, prepare it for the next crop by adding some nutrients back.
I always have a couple of bags of compost (such as vegetable, shrimp, composted manure, etc.) on reserve, ready for these occasions. It’s a lovely natural fertilizer that will give your plants a boost. Once I amend the soil, I’m ready to figure out what will fill the gap that the garlic left behind.
Succession planting after garlic
Planting any crop after another has been harvested or pulled is called succession planting. Essentially you are making sure that that particular space in the garden is productive during the entire growing season. That’s why I’m careful about where I plant my garlic. I want to make sure it’s not taking up valuable real estate for crops I want to start earlier, but I also want to make sure I make use of that garden area after the garlic is harvested.
Instead of planting garlic in the same place every year, it’s a good idea to practice crop rotation, especially if you’ve experienced any pests or diseases. Onion thrips, onion maggots, and leek moth, among others could affect your plants.
Choosing what to plant after garlic
Many gardeners think that there is one window for planting many warm-weather crops, like cucumbers and zucchini. But there are lots of heat-loving vegetables and herbs you can still plant in June and through July.
Your garlic has come out of a spot in full sun. Hot, dry conditions can make summer planting a challenge, so you may need to pay a little extra attention to your crops at this time of year to nurture them from seedling to mature plant.
If you have grow lights, you can even give plants a little head start indoors. This could improve crop yields. Just make sure you harden the seedlings off well so they’re not shocked by the sun and warm weather when you plant them in the garden.
Easy planting options
One way to fill that space the garlic left behind, without having to plant seeds, is to see what is left at your local nursery. You never know… they may have a sad-looking tomato plant on sale that you could revive.
Herbs are a quick and easy way to make use of that space and most garden centers carry them year-round. Look for potted heat lovers, like basil and rosemary. Just be mindful that some herbs, like sage, thyme, and chives are perennial in most climates, so once they’re planted, they’ll come back each year.
Root vegetables
Root veggies are a great option to replace your garlic. Those nice straight rows can now be used for a fresh crop of beets, carrots, or turnips (I love the Japanese varieties). Count backwards from your region’s first fall frost (there should definitely be time for plants to mature if you plant right away), and sow seeds accordingly.
Green beans
Quick-to-mature varieties of bush beans can yield a satisfying harvest. Depending on the space you have, you could even stagger a couple of sowings so your beans don’t all mature at the same time. I recommend highly amending the soil as garlic apparently can affect the growth of members of the legume family.
Hardy greens
A lot of lettuce varieties are more shoulder-season choices because they tend to bolt with the heat and prefer cooler soil to germinate. I love my summer salads, so I do like to plant some greens.
Wild arugula doesn’t tend to bolt as readily in hot conditions. I let my plants go to seed when they do eventually flower. Once those new plant volunteers appear, they are drought tolerant and fare well in the summer heat.
Kale is another favorite. I find that it gets a bit stunted in the hot weather, but once those cooler temps arrive, it will take off again.
Swiss chard is a cool-season vegetable, but you can plant it from early spring through mid summer. The giant, sometimes colorfully veined leaves are delicious in fall stir frys.
Members of the Brassica family
While some Brassicas need a full season to mature, there are others that grow quickly. Look for broccoli and broccolini varieties that are suited to summer and fall plantings. Kohlrabi is another quick-to-mature veggie to consider adding to the garden.
Summer squash
If you want to keep that endless supply of zucchini going, it’s not too late to plant summer squash seeds. There are some lovely varieties of what I’ll call “single serving” squash, such as Lemon Drop and Golden Griller. And, of course, there are multiple types of zucchini that can be grown for everything from roasting to baking into loaves.
What to avoid planting after garlic
Apparently garlic can interfere with the growth of legumes, so it’s a bad companion plant with peas and the aforementioned beans (though I’ve planted beans after garlic and haven’t had an issue). Similarly, asparagus and garlic do not grow well together. However, your asparagus planting would be a long game crop that you would want to plant away from all of your crops so that nothing is competing with those tasty spring stalks.
Grow a cover crop after garlic
If you have nothing to fill the space left behind by your garlic, you could plant a cover crop. Once this green compost matures, you can turn the nutrient-filled organic matter back into the soil. Cover crops you may want to consider include alfalfa, red clover, and buckwheat.
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