I don't know if it's "best" but I've had good luck with a hardneck variety called "Canadian Music". I got it from a NY state farmer who purchased it locally up there IIRC but he also recommended Filaree Farm as one of his other sources. Seed garlic is expensive on the 'net, tho'.

Even tho' garlic in this area is planted in the fall, I don't recall ever seeing it locally at Agway or a similar retailer, except occassionally in the spring (tho' I did buy some seed garlic at a farmers' market once in NE PA- and, of course, there's the famous Garlic fest in the fall up in the Kingston NY area).

Here is a link that might be useful: Filaree Farm Garlic

Thanks for the info. I never knew how many different verities of garlic there were. Is it as easy as planting the clove and waiting? I read somewhere that you should soak it in baking soda then rinse it with rubbing alcohol or vodka before planting. Is this true? IÂd hate to waste my vodka. Lol

Pretty much that easy- I mulch the bed with shredded leaves but most years we have a pretty mild winter in NJ. In fact, last year was so mild the garlic sprouted and was growing pretty good into Dec/Jan and I was afraid that when we did get snow or ice, it affect them, but they turned out pretty good.

Never heard/read about the alcohol or baking soda.

Here's another link with growing recommendations (the same site also sells seed garlic at a better prices than the Filaree Farm does)-

Here is a link that might be useful: Growing Garlic

Go to this site http://www.gourmetgarlicgardens.com/growing.htm#anchor17762006
Read under preparing the Garlic for Planting. That's where I read about the baking soda and vodka. (sorry, I don't know how to add a link, you'll have to copy and paste.)

I just placed an order from gourmet garlic gardens... very nice people, though they had a disaster with their crop this year (natural disaster I think, like hail) and are running short on many varieties.

I'm going to try garlic for the first time myself, and I called the people (took about a week for a call-back) and the guy set me up with an arrangement specific for new jersey growing.

I don't know what kinds I'm getting (will find out when they get here, end of september) but I bought 2 pounds - 1 for planting and 1 for eating.

I am so very excited about growing garlic!

I purchased garlic from the garlic store last year. I bought a soft neck sampler pack - planted in mid October and harvested in July. I basically prepared the bed by adding compost to the soil and mixing, planted the cloves in Oct and fertilized in the spring (I used Plant Tone). That's about it, grew very well although they could have been a little bigger - I think this year I'll add a little sand to my soil (it's very heavy clay) to see if it helps.

Lisacdm, I too have clay dirt (holds puddles for weeks sometimes). I grew tomatoes and peppers for the first time and they came in great. In fact, still getting some. I did not plant in my dirt. I took some 1x6 treated planks and built a 4Â x 8Â frame which I laid on top of the dirt. I filled it with Sta-Green bedding soil (about 3 or 4 bags worth) and watered with Miracle Gro. I might do the same thing for the garlic. How deep does the garlic go? I also heard that you could mix in peat moss to help clay soil. I havenÂt tried that. My dirt would be better suited for sculpting than gardening. Lol

Growing garlic has been one of the easiest things I've ever done, once the bed is prepared. Whatever you're planning to grow, focus on the soil ... get that right and the rest will follow just naturally. We don't have drainage problems, but built a raised bed for convenience in amending our rather poor, sandy soil as well as planting and harvesting. Added lots of aged compost, manure, shredded leaves, a bit of fertilizer and adjusted the pH. When the soil is well-prepared it's easy to slip the cloves into the ground at the proper spacing and depth, cover with mulch and let nature take its course. I do a light feeding again in spring, side-dressing the rows with well-composted manure. We usually harvest in June.

Be sure to save some of your healthiest bulbs for re-planting the following year.

I, too, ordered from The Garlic Store - one sample pack each of hardneck and softneck varieties. Like lisacdm, some of mine could have been a bit larger, but, overall, I'm very pleased with the results.

Good luck & enjoy!

As the post above says, "Growing garlic is one of the easiest. . ." - BUT, soil preparation is absolutely
critical, not only good amendments like rich compost and
manure, but good drainage is vital. Raising the bed as
you suggested is an excellent start; a thick winter mulch of shredded leaves or straw (the best!) a major bonus.
You realize, I suppose, that your garlic is going to throw
up some lush green growth this fall, but the mulch will
protect everything 'til Spring until it all takes off
again. You will discover (from your supplier) that there are two varieties of garlic: hardneck or softneck - the hardneck is usually the "preferred" variety for northern climates, but NJ winters have been moderating so severely in recent years that planting either should be fine. A little detail that you might not hear about: the hardnecks (only) will send up a fascinating curly top in late Spring - CUT IT OFF before it flowers (garlic, after all, is a member of the allium family) and just use it as you would chives or scallions. Letting it bloom just lessens production. . .

Some of the reliable sources of garlic I have used over
the years:

www.seedsofchange.com
www.millernurseries.com
www.kitchengardenseeds.com

Finally, a really delightful book about garlic including
lots of growing tips, anecdotes and even recipes: "Garlic
Is Life" by Chester Aaron. . .look on Amazon - I've seen
paperback copies there for as little as 39 cents !!!

bbq68 -
Garlic does not grow deep, garlic (to me) is similar to daffodils.

Thanx everyone. I'll give it a try and see what happens.