Garlic can be grown just about anywhere, even in your garden. If you know how to plant tulip bulbs, you're half way to harvesting delicious bulbs of garlic.

Garlic comes in two varieties, hardneck and softneck. In Minnesota, both varieties should be planted in the fall.

Hardneck varieties are best for our northern climate. The bulbs are beautiful. They come in a variety of purples, pinks and whites. Their robust flavors are perfect for salsas, soups and stir-fries. If watered regularly during the growing season, they will produce large, easy-to-peel cloves.

In late spring, they send up a hard, central stalk, know as a "scape." Scapes have great garlic flavor and can used like chives or onions in your culinary creations. You often find scapes at the farmers markets or in your crop share. If they are not harvested, central stalks will get woody and form seed caps (they look a lot like allium flowers before they bloom). Even if you don't eat the scapes, it is best to remove them. You'll grow bigger garlic bulbs.

You can store your garlic for three to six months -- if you don't eat it all by the end of summer like I do.

Softneck varieties are grown for commercial production in southern California and Mexico. Most varieties prefer mild winters, though some varieties are quite productive in Minnesota. Softneck garlic comes in a wider variety of flavors than hardneck garlic. Some are surprisingly spicy.

Softneck garlic is also known as braiding garlic. They usually do not grow a flower spike (which means "No scapes for you"). The leaves are very flexible and easy to weave together. You often see braids of garlic hanging in gourmet kitchen stores or kitschy Italian restaurants.

The ideal time to plant your garlic is three to six weeks before the ground freezes in the fall. (Check out the University of Minnesota Extension Service's article on garlic for planting details and some great photos.)

The idea time to order your garlic is now. Seed Savers is almost sold out. Seeds of Change and Territorial Seed Company have over fifteen varieties available.

Do you grow garlic in your garden? Do you prefer hardneck or softneck? What tips and tricks do beginners need to know?