TK!
Garlic~
Garlic does not have to be as difficult to grow as some make it out to be, so don't pay any attention to other stuff you may find out there on the web...
Maybe that is why I have had success with herbs, I just experiment with everything and try not to pay attention to so-called experts, LOL.
I used to have two black thumbs, too, or so I thought. But then I started approaching gardening in a different way. Kind of like the way I taught myself to make bread, years ago. When I stopped reading all the books by the experts and went by my instinct and really, just using the science and logic of it, that is when my bread began to be culinary masterpieces, LOL. It only makes sense, if you knead and knead and knead, you are going to KILL the yeast! So I don't knead the way all the experts say, I limit the kneading time...
OK, back to the garlic.
You can do this - EASY~
You want to use a large pot, with really rich soil, add compost/organic materials/mulch to it, especially if your dirt has a lot of sand. The soil should be fairly loose.
Keep in mind that whatever garlic you
plant that is what you will get, so if you like the bigger bulbs of garlic, use that type. The bigger ones will grow better.
You split the cloves and
plant about 1 inch below the suface, root side down/pointy side up. If you
plant more than one in a pot, space them 2 inches or so apart. Once they begin
growing, you can add a little organic fertilizer. When the
plant reaches about 8 inches, you will cut off the stalks. If you like, you can let it grow and go to
flower, but then the bulb (in the ground) will not grow bigger.
Harvesting - When the leaves turn brown and there are only a few green ones left, start checking the bulb in the dirt. When it looks a good size, you can gently bring it out. Dust it off, but do not wash it or anything. Hang by the dry stalks for a few weeks before using.
Also, I wanted to mention, that once you are sure the garlic is
growing, you can, if you want and if you have a really large pot, grow other herbs around the garlic. Make a theme garden if you want. Grow basil and oregano for an italian theme.
HTH
P.S. BTW, and you may have seen this if you watch HGTV, this is a great use for garlic. I don't like chemicals for pesticides...
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gardening/article/0,1785,HGTV_3546_1375890,00.html