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Cold Stratification of Seeds – Why & How

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How do you know if you need to use cold stratification for your seeds? And if so, how do you do this? I'm sharing both why and how to cold stratify your seeds for better germination and production.

Germinated seeds on a wet paper towel.

This is exactly what we'll be discussing in this post. I just started planning the expansion of my medicinal herb garden and some herbs require cold stratification for proper germination.

I have an entire guide on how to start seeds indoors, but quickly realized I didn't have information about cold stratification on my website so this is the post answering the question of why and how to do cold stratification.

What is Cold Stratification?

Cold stratification is putting seeds into a dormancy state with temperatures below 40° Fahrenheit for a specific period of time in order to improve the germination rate (the number of seeds that will sprout).

This needs to be done with specific perennial and biennial herbs and flowers when trying to grow them from seed indoors (see list below for flowering herbs).

In nature, these seeds won’t sprout without the cold period because if they did sprout early (right before winter) then they would die, so this cold period which signifies winter, allows them to sprout in the spring when temps warm up without the danger of winter freezes killing them just as they’ve sprouted.

A woman putting ziplock bags of seeds into the refrigerator for cold stratification.

How Long is Cold Stratification?

This is dependent on the seed type. Some only require a few weeks whereas some require up to four months in the refrigerator.

You should be able to find this information with a simple search on the internet, or on the seed packet itself.

  • Two small ziplock bags with wet paper towels inside.
  • Two small ziplock bags with wet paper towels and seeds inside.

Dry vs. Moist Stratification

Most herbal seeds need moist cold stratification, which is what I demonstrate in the video where I walk you through this exact process inside the Pioneering Today Academy (I only open the Pioneering Today Academy a few times each year, click the link to get on the waitlist for the next time doors open!).

The exception to this is dessert plants that just require time in the cold temp but without moisture (in nature the area they hail from wouldn’t have snow or rainfall).

  • A woman in a kitchen placing a paper towel into a ziplock bag.
  • A woman in the kitchen spooning water onto a paper towel.
  • A woman spooning water into a ziplock bag with a paper towel inside.

How to Moist Stratify Seeds

I prefer to use a paper towel inside a Ziplock bag. They don’t take up a lot of room and make a great little greenhouse environment. It’s cheap and you can reuse the bags again and again.

  1. Fold the paper towel in half (make sure it fits inside your bag, most paper towels are fairly uniform in size) and place it inside the bag.
  2. Use a spoon and begin wetting the towel from the center out, stop adding water when the upper ½-1 inch from the corners of the towel are still dry (the water will continue to spread out).
  3. Scatter your seeds in the center of the towel.
  4. Press them down with your finger to get them into the water.
  5. Close the bag, leaving a ½ inch opening on one end for air flow.
  6. Label bag with seed name and date.
  7. Place in the fridge.
  8. Check periodically that seeds aren’t drying out.
  9. Leave in fridge for 4 to 6 weeks (some seeds only require 3 weeks like Marshmallow but others may require extra time).
  • Two small ziplock bags with wet paper towels inside.
  • Two small ziplock bags with wet paper towels and seeds inside.
  • A woman in the kitchen writing on a ziplock bag filled with seeds.

How to Plant Germinated Seeds

Once your seeds have gone through the cold stratification process they'll be germinated and ready for planting.

Simply take one of the germinated seeds and place it into your prepared seed starting soil and continue as you would with seeds you started indoors by direct sowing.

Planting a germinated seed into a tray of peat moss.

More Gardening Posts:

How to Plan a Medicinal Herb Garden

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If you'd like to grow cut flowers that will double as medicinal and culinary herbs, this post is for you! We're talking all about how to plan your medicinal herb garden to grow enough herbs to provide everything your family will need for a year.

A woman sitting at a table with jars of dried herbs and flower seed packets.

I love thinking of gardens in terms of a year's worth of whatever it is we're growing. This is why I help people learn how to grow a year's worth of food in my books The Family Garden Plan and The Family Garden Planner. I also share some of my tips on planning to grow a year's worth of food in the following posts:

As you can see, it's only natural that this post would also reflect how to plan a medicinal herb garden for enough herbs to last your family an entire year.

If you don't yet have an established space for your herb garden, you'll want to check out this podcast interview I did with Carolyn from Homesteading Family where we talk about how to plan and design an old-fashioned cottage garden (aka, herb garden).

If you know me at all, you know I'm a huge advocate of using natural remedies to improve my health and boost my immune system. (I also love to boost my immune system naturally with the foods I eat.) Whether it's making homemade elderberry syrup (or these 29 elderberry recipes) or learning more about using medicinal herbs at home, I'm always studying!

It's important to note that I am not a certified medical practitioner or a certified herbalist. This post is not intended to diagnose or treat but is for informational purposes only. Please contact your medical care professional before introducing new herbal remedies into your wellness routine.

A woman in an herb garden cutting echinacea flowers.

Why I Love Growing Herbs

Over the past couple of years, I've noticed a definite supply chain issue that includes pharmaceuticals. There are so many people relying on daily medications, what would they do if they could no longer get the medication they need?

This question has pushed me into diving deeper into my study of herbal medicine. I even wrote an entire post on alternative medicine and what to do if your medicine isn't available.

A woman holding a bundle of herbal flowers.

Things to Consider for Your Medicinal Herb Garden

When it comes to our medicinal herbs and flowers, many of them are perennial. This means they come back bigger and better each year as long as they're properly cared for.

Some aren't technically perennial, but because they're so prolific (such as chamomile or calendula) they will reseed themselves every year and come back on their own.

Chart of herbal plants to grow, along with if their perennial, need cold stratification, etc.

Free Herb Garden Chart

As promised, here's the chart I put together for my own herb garden to know which herbs need cold stratification and which do not, which need to be started indoors then transplanted vs. direct sown, etc.

fresh herbs in box

What Herbs Will You Use?

Think about the things you need on a consistent basis. For us, it's remedies for the cold and flu, stuffy and congested noses, sore throats, earaches, and headaches.

These are the basic common cold/flu symptoms that everyone usually deals with at least once a year.

But if someone in your family has high blood pressure, and you're not wanting to go the pharmaceutical route, then researching the herbs that can help lower blood pressure and seeing if those plants will grow well where you live is a great first step.

Each medicinal herb garden should look just a little bit different based on the individual needs of your family. That's the beauty of these gardens, no two are alike!

dried herbs in Mason jar on counter

My Must-Have Herbs

The following are just a few of the herbs I grow in my garden. To see the full list download my free herb garden chart!

Sage

This is great for sore throats as well as culinary herbs.

Lemon Balm

Lemon balm is in the mint family, which means it will spread if not maintained. There are ways to avoid this, but it's worth considering before deciding where to plant.

Echinacea

I love growing echinacea for both the beautiful and colorful blooms, but also to make my homemade echinacea tincture.

You use the root of the echinacea flower, so your plants need to be established for about two to three years before harvesting.

Feverfew

This is a very pretty herb that grows into a pretty little flower, great for flower arrangements, but also good for fevers.

Elderberry

I'm a few years into growing my own elderberries, so they're still getting established, but you can learn how to grow elderberries here. One day I hope to be able to grow both enough elderberries for homemade elderberry syrup, but also to be able to harvest the elderflowers for their medicinal benefits.

I'm planting far too many herbs to write them all out in this post. Be sure to download my herb garden chart if you want to see the entire list!

Cold Stratification

Cold stratification is putting seeds into a dormancy state with temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit for a specific period of time. This is to improve the germination rate (the number of seeds that will sprout).

This needs to be done with specific perennial and biennial herbs and flowers when trying to grow them from seed indoors.

Watch the video above beginning at minute 13:05 for a quick demonstration on how I cold stratify my seeds using the refrigerator.

A woman bending forward amongst echinacea flowers.

Aesthetic Appeal

Sure, this is a medicinal herb garden I'm growing, but one of the joys of growing medicinal herbs is that it can bring beauty to your yard all summer long when planned correctly!

So the next thing I like to look at when planning my herb garden is that I will have something in bloom from early spring all the way through fall.

I also like to look at how much color I'm planting. I can easily tend to lean more toward the salmon pink color, so I have to force myself to take a closer look and be sure there's a good variety.

Image of a photo box used for seed organization.

Seed Organization

When growing and expanding a medicinal herb garden, you'll definitely want to find a way to keep all your seeds organized to plant year after year.

You can definitely save seeds from your medicinal herbs, or you can buy more seeds and keep them stored in a cool dry place.

My favorite way to do this is by using a photo case! I have an entire photo case designated for my herbs and another for my vegetable garden.

Image of herbal seed packets laid out on a table.

Where to Buy Medicinal Herbs?

My go-to resources are Siskiyou Seeds out of Oregon (you know how I love buying from companies close to me and my growing zone), Seed Savers Exchange out of Iowa, as well as Strictly Medicinal Seeds out of Southern Oregon where you can buy both seeds and plant starts (when they're in stock).

Eden Brothers is a great place for buying flower seeds as well as live bulbs as is Floret Flowers for beautiful cut flowers.

And finally, I ordered my medicinal roses from Heirloom Roses.

Up close shot of mint growing in a pot.

Companion Planting

Beware of deer in your medicinal herb gardens and consider either fences or companion planting some deer-repelling plants around the plants the deer may like.

Here is the list of deer-resistant plants we're going to try planting (grab the planning chart here for a more comprehensive list):

  • Calendula
  • Horehound
  • Ashwaganda
  • Amaranth
  • Aster
  • Bunny Tails
  • Straw Flower
  • Mint
  • Rosemary
  • And other strong culinary herbs

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Surviving Winter Without Power & Great Depression Christmas Traditions

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Join me for one of my top two favorite interviews with my dad. We talk about what Christmas was like for him growing up during the Great Depression and he shares memories and traditions while walking down memory lane.

A grandfather, mother and daughter sitting around a Christmas tree.

I've chatted with my dad about what it was like growing up during the Great Depression and the 17 Self-Sufficiency tips he learned. He's even shared in a video the home he grew up in that didn't have electricity and what life was like back then.

You can also read about the 10 things our grandparents reused during the Great Depression, as well as these Great Depression-era money-saving tips, these time and budget-saving tips, and these tips on building a Great Depression-era pantry.

Because this is a Christmas post, you may also want to check out these handmade gift bags and tags from the Great Depression era.

If you don't see the video please turn off your ad-blockers

Christmas Play

Growing up as a young boy, my dad remembers participating in a Christmas play with his school every year. And as long as the river wasn't too high and the ferry was still running the day the play was scheduled, he'd get to participate in it.

My dad also remembers riding the horse to school, even during the wintertime, having to cross the river on the ferry, and then tying the horse up to the monkey bars during the school day.

His schoolhouse was divided into two rooms, one for grades 1-3 and one for grades 4-6. If you were in middle or high school you had to ride the bus to the next town over for school.

Gift Giving

Dad recalls the Christmas gifts were only given to the younger children in the family since money was tight. He recalls wanting to stay young, just so he could keep getting gifts!

They did still have stockings, and typically each kid would get an orange and maybe a banana. They would be so excited and happy about something so basic, simply because the fruit wasn't available every day.

Burlap mason jar lid ornaments.

Christmas Decorations

Dad shared they would always have a live Christmas tree that they would decorate with candles that would clip onto the branches. They would light the candles and also decorate with some homemade ornaments.

A woman standing outside holding up a Christmas wreath.

Christmas Celebrations

When I asked my dad about any food that was traditionally prepared on Christmas day, he remembers Grandma making chocolate gravy with biscuits on Christmas morning. Dad said they always had plenty to eat, but it may have just been basic staples.

Otherwise, he said his mom would usually cook up some hamburgers or sausage, which were a treat to get. They didn't do a traditional Christmas ham because they had to butcher their pigs periodically throughout the year and keep the meat in the locker in town, so they didn't always have a ham available during Christmastime.

He did recall doing a lot more hunting for deer/venison during the winter months, and if the weather was cold enough they could store the harvested meat outside.

He recalls one time storing a fish they had caught in a cooler on the porch and a cougar came and got it.

Extended family didn't tend to come over on holidays because the snow would be a couple of feet deep and the old model cars just weren't built to get through that much snow, plus they didn't have snowplows that ran regularly as they do now, so the county road only got plowed a couple of times a year.

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Staying Prepared on a Homestead

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Whether you have a homestead property and live rurally or not, these preparedness skills will come in handy whenever and wherever you need them.

A woman crouched by a woodstove with a fire going, holding an oil lamp.

I've talked many times before about how important it is to be prepared. Most recently on how to use a generator during a power outage (and why it's imperative for us to have one). Keeping a well-stocked pantry and how this helps even during non-emergency times.

I've even put together a 30-day emergency preparedness resource page as well as several posts on preparedness tips for survival.

Oftentimes we learn by experience (in other words, the hard way) the spare parts or specific items we should always keep on hand during emergency situations or even just everyday life.

When the power goes out and you don't have batteries for your flashlights, or candles to keep the house lit, you quickly order those things for the next time something like this happens.

On a normal day, when a refrigerator light goes out, how about ordering a two-pack to replace the existing bulb and keep one on hand for the next time it goes out.

It's best if you can be prepared for these things ahead of time by thinking through the necessary items in your home or on your homestead that would be affected if the power went out, or if a part stopped working.

When I say I don't consider myself a prepper, I'm meaning a doomsday type mindset prepper where fear is a motivation. A homesteader is prepared but looks at it through a different lens, at least, in my experience. My hope is you will look beyond labeling and find the value intended in this post and video.

Kitchen Items To Keep On Hand

  • Oven Parts– I learned the hard way to always keep a back up oven element and oven light on hand. In a home that relies on the oven nearly every day for home-cooked meals, having an oven that's out of comission is bad news. (I use the oven light to proof or incubate my sourdough, yogurt and other ferments or cultures!)
  • Canning Supplies – If you do much pressure canning, I recommend having spare parts and supplies for your canner. Items like the weighted gauge, the rubber gasket seal for the lid of your canner, the over-pressure release plug, and the wing-nuts (for the All-American pressure canners) are smart, otherwise you may risk losing your harvest if you have to wait for a replacement part.
  • Knife Sharpener – It's always a great idea to keep your knives sharp, but how often do we put away a pocket knife and forget that it was really dull? Having a way to sharpen knives that doesn't require electricity (or take up a lot of space) is a good idea.
  • Herbs or Prescription Medications – We've done our best over the past 10 years to eliminate over the counter and prescription medications and to replace them with herbal remedies. Keeping a healthy supply of these items on hand is always a good idea, especially for those items you need to take on a daily basis. Will you have enough to last if you can't get to the store, or those items become unavailable?
Oil lamp sitting on a wooden table next to a frosted window.

Household Items To Keep On Hand

  • Matches & Lighters – If you rely on wood heat, as we do, not having a convenience item like a lighter is so nice instead of needing to rely on a flint!
  • Oil Lamps, Oil & Wicks – If you don't have a generator, you will want ways to keep your house lit. Having an oil lamp, extra lamp oil, and extra wicks are a great way to make sure you always have a light source.
  • Backup Ink, Labels, Paper – If you work from home you may need items like ink, paper, and internet. You can ready how we use our generator to make sure I'm not without internet for my home business here.
  • Backup Chargers – Keeping extra chargers for items like phones, lights, batteries, etc. is a good idea in case you lose the original.
  • Ammunition & Cleaning Supplies – Here on our homestead we have the need to protect our livestock, and we also do a good deal of hunting, so keeping ammunition and gun cleaning supplies on hand is key.
  • Fuses – If you blow a fuse, will you have a backup to replace it? This goes for your home and vehicles (or anything else that uses a fuse!).
  • Hand-Crank Emergency Radio – These are good to have in the case of an emergency situation. Many times you can get a radio/light combination. We like to have an extra for both our house and car.
  • Backup pump for a well – If you're on well water and your pump dies, do you know how long it would take to get a replacement? If you kept a backup on hand, you wouldn't have to wait nearly as long!
Photo of a generator sitting in a yard.

Vehicle & Equipment Parts

If you rely on your car, especially if you have to commute to work every day, having backup parts for things that would keep you from getting to work are key.

  • Windshield Wipers – If you've ever lived in an area where you get snow and freezing rain, having windshield wipers that work are key! And they can get messed up quick if you forget to lift them up during a freezing rain storm.
  • Headlights – Having a headlight go out can really ristrict your vision, especially if you live out where there aren't a lot of streetlights.
  • Fuel – Having extra fuel on hand for cars, tractors, lawnmowers, etc.
  • Filters, Belts, Gaskets & Seals – Common maintenance supplies that need to be swapped out from time to time on your vehicles are key to keeping your vehicles in running order and ready to use.
A woman squatting next to american guinea hogs.

Livestock & Pets

If you have severe weather conditions (or supply-chain issues worsen) you want to be sure your livestock and pets will be well taken care of.

  • Feed – Having enough food for your livestock to get through a few months is ideal, if not longer. It's my motto to always have the current bag of feed we're on, plus a minimum of one more. So as soon as I open that extra bag of feed, I will replenish our supply (and get further ahead, if possible). Start slow with one extra bag and build up from there as you can. Our ultimate goal is to have a year's worth of feed, grain and hay for all of our livestock and animals.
  • Workboots & Gloves – Always good to have backups for the unexpected rips (or misplacements). For snow and extreme deep mud/water I like Muckboots. For easy slip on for light mud and rainy days (hello Pacific Northwest), my XtraTuf boots have been fabulous.
Heirloom seed packets from different companies sitting on a counter.

Garden & Yard Supplies

  • Seeds – Starting in March of 2020 I started stocking my seeds a year in advanced for all seeds that I don't seed save myself Where to Buy Heirloom Seeds – Heirloom, Hybrid & GMO Differences. As long as your seeds are stored properly, they will store and be just fine for years (with the exception of tiny seeds that contain oil and onion seeds). After 2-3 years you may have a lower germination rate, but you'll still be able to grow food.
  • Garden Hose Repair Kits – A new hose is expensive, and for us means a long trip to town. Having a simple hose repair kit can save a lot of time and money.
  • Gaskets & Faucet Supplies – Every four or five years we have to replace the gasket inside our kitchen sink faucet. It's just an annoying little drip, but when we have the gasket to quickly and easily replace it, it saves us the annoyance!

Grab the Free Checklist

Click the link if you'd like a copy of my full FREE downloadable checklist that you can print out and use for your own house to make sure you're always stocked and ready.

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Keeping a Well-Stocked Pantry for Easy Weeknight Meals

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I'm definitely not a prepper, but there are certain things that I always keep stocked in my pantry. The following list is food items that I'll never be without because they help me get home-cooked meals on the table every night. I'm also sharing where I like to buy them for the best price and what meals we typically make throughout the week.

A woman standing behind a counter filled with kitchen pantry staples.

I'm extremely passionate about this topic. I grow my own veggies for a year, and raise enough meat for my family for a year here on the homestead for a reason! I don't want to just buy pre-made items from the grocery store, especially after having a cancer scare and getting off of prescription medication by changing my diet and lifestyle.

A true pioneer learns how to meal plan to make meals from scratch (click that link for a fun interview with Jill, The Prairie Homesteader on from-scratch cooking tips), knows how to substitute basic pantry items if they're unavailable, and makes even the most basic of menus something to be desired.

I will say that the supply shortages and supply-chain issues we've experienced over the past year have definitely deepened my resolve to always be prepared. Not in a “prepper” sense where I have 20 years worth of food stored away, but in the sense that if my grocery store runs out of a staple item, I'll be just fine for a few months (maybe even a year) without needing to replenish my own supply.

Keeping a well-stocked pantry is nothing new to me. In fact, growing up my mom did nearly all of our cooking and baking from scratch and, believe it or not, I never even tried an Oreo until I was a teenager in high school!

What I learned from my mom all those years ago is that by keeping a well-stocked pantry with certain basics, you can always whip up a home-cooked meal. It's the same reason why these are my must-have homestead kitchen items because they make cooking from scratch so much easier and faster!

Basic Kitchen Supplies

  • Herbs & Spices – Keep common spices on hand such as chili powder, cumin, pepper, garlic and onion powder, etc. They can make a bland dish incredible! Azure Standard is my go-to for bulk spices.
  • Salt – Yes, salt is also considered a spice, but it deserves its own category here. I love buying salt in bulk (a 25 lb bucket to be exact) from Redmond Real Salt (use code “Pioneering” for 15% off at checkout!).
  • Spice Mixes – There's no need to buy individual packets of taco seasoning or ranch dressing mix at the grocery store, or even tiny bottles of Italian seasoning or Boquet Garni. Not only will you end up with unhealthy ingredients and anti-caking agents, but you'll also pay way more than if you bought each herb individually in bulk and mixed up your own seasonings with these recipes.
  • Thickeners & Flours – Items like cornstarch, all-purpose flour, masa flour, etc. are great to have on hand for those items we never buy at the grocery store like thickening gravy and cream of soups (read more on these below), making breads, tortillas and other pastries. There are so many things you can make with just flour, water and a little salt!
  • Sweetener – sweeteners allow for much more creativity. Leftover rice? Add some cinnamon, sugar and a little milk for a quick breakfast porridge. Want to make a sweet treat? Use my 5-minute bread dough and whip up a quick batch of homemade cinnamon rolls. A little sweetener can change a pantry staple into something extra special.
  • Broth – Having some home-canned bone broth on the patry shelf is a huge time-saver and can fill in for many different ingredients in a pinch. Even simply cooking rice in broth makes a fantasic side dish that's full of healthy protein.
  • Beans – Always a great way to strech a meal. If you're short on protein, adding beans to a soup, taco or casserole really helps stretch a meal in a very filling way.
Ingredients to make homemade chicken broth sitting in front of an instant pot and a crockpot.

Items to Never Buy at the Store

Certain grocery store items seem convenient until you know just how simple they are to make from scratch at home. Items like gravy, cream of condensed soup mixes, bone broth, etc can all be whipped up in very little time with a few basic pantry staple ingredients.

If you've roasted a whole chicken, have some homemade bone broth, and a little bit of flour or cornstarch then you can have homemade gravy or cream of condensed soup in less than four minutes (yes, I've timed it!).

It's also amazing when you stop to consider just how easy it is to cook up beans from scratch (no more store-bought canned beans or refried beans), grind grain into various different flours (corn into masa flour, wheat into whole-wheat or all-purpose flour, etc.),

I never buy the following items at the grocery store:

  • Broth
  • Gravy (or gravy packets)
  • Seasoning packets (taco, chili, fajita, etc.)
  • Herb mixes (ranch, boquet garni, italian seasoning, etc.)
  • Bread
  • Canned beans and refried beans
  • Masa flour
  • All-purpose flour

Having a home freeze-dryer has also opened up a lot more items I never need to worry about. Things like freeze-dried milk powder, freeze-dried eggs, even homemade hot cocoa mix can all be made and freeze-dried to be shelf-stable.

I always thought freeze-driers were overpriced and out of reach for a lot of people, but knowing just how much food I can preserve with a lot less hands-on time, my machine has proven its worth in just one harvest season.

Dry goods in jars for pantry staples.

Easy Meals with Kitchen Staples

The best way I've found to get homemade meals on the table every single day is to do some prep cooking on Sundays.

Typically speaking, we go to church on Sunday morning and then we try not to schedule much on Sunday afternoons. Sunday afternoons are when I will do some prep cooking for the week ahead.

I'll cook up a whole chicken (super simple and fast to cook a chicken in the Instant Pot) or a pork roast or beef roast for dinner Sunday night alongside some vegetables. Then throughout the week I'll take some of the leftovers and turn them into different meals.

By adding a small amount of protein and some leftover (or canned) vegetables I can create so many different meals.

Some of my favorite meals to make with leftovers are:

If you can get creative with the leftovers, then your family won't feel like you're eating the same meal over and over.

I'll also take a few minutes on Sunday to mix up a batch of no-knead artisan bread dough and pop it in the refrigerator for easy fresh bread in 5-minutes of hands-on time!

Dry goods in jars for pantry staples.

How to Stretch Meals

Depending on the size of your family, you may need to double up the meat and veggies that you cook on Sunday in order to have enough leftovers for at least four or five whole dinners throughout the week.

With a little forethought, I'm able to cook once on Sunday, then repurpose the leftovers four to five times with the recipe ideas above.

Easy ways to stretch meals are to:

  • Add a side dish (rice, pasta, baked potato, roasted veggies)
  • Use less meat – think of meat as the “side” and get creative with ways to stretch it.
  • Add a large salad and eat the salad first! By filling up with a lot of veggies first, once you finish the main dish your body will already start feeling full.

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Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix 3 Ways (From Scratch!)

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When the weather turns cold, there's just something comforting about a nice big mug of hot cocoa. With these easy homemade hot cocoa mixes and recipes, you'll be enjoying hot cocoa all winter long!

A mug with hot cocoa inside. Mug says Pioneering Today.

Wintertime in our house is synonymous with stovetop potpourri simmering on the woodstove, Grandma's traditional Christmas pudding, endless batches of homemade molasses cookies, chai tea latte's, and making homemade old-fashioned Christmas wreaths to adorn the front door.

As a modern homesteader and a mom, hot cocoa around the holidays is also a must. But every time my kids would use those packets of store-bought cocoa powder I would die a little inside (have you ever read the ingredients on those things? Hydrogenated oils? No thank you! I'm looking at you Swiss Miss!).

Every time my kids would make a cup of cocoa with that stuff I knew there had to be a better alternative.

I made it my personal mission to find a homemade hot cocoa recipe that my kids would not only love, but that would actually be good for them!

If you're like me, then look no further, my friends, the following recipes are for you! I'm sharing the three ways we like to prepare homemade hot cocoa that won't take all day, including recipes for an instant cup of hot cocoa that doesn't require stirring over the stovetop, and even a fun way to make great DIY hot cocoa powder in a mason jar (they are my favorite, ya know!).

Enjoy these recipes, whip up large batches ahead of time, and never be caught without a quick and easy hot cocoa mix made from ingredients you can trust (and read) again!

If you have my book Hand Made, the homemade hot cocoa powder mix recipe is on page 245!

DIY Brownie mix in a mason jar with a hand attaching a candy cane to the jar.

DIY Gifts in a Jar

One of the reason's I love this homemade hot cocoa powder mix is that it makes a fantastic gift for a hostess, birthday, mother's day… I mean, when wouldn't you want to get a gift of hot cocoa?

We love it so much we actually put together an entire “gifts in a jar” eGuide to making and gifting beautiful gifts any time of the year (but it's especially timely for Christmas).

If you like this recipe and want to learn how to make more heartfelt gifts from scratch, check out the DIY brownie mix in a jar and fill out the form at the top of the page for the full free gift guide!

Why I Love These Recipes

In my house, my kids are the ultimate taste testers. They've had the store-bought version and they know how good that stuff tastes. If my healthier version doesn't taste as good as that, they don't care how healthy it is for them, they're not going to drink it.

That's why I love these homemade cocoa recipes, especially the homemade cocoa powder mix or freeze-dried hot cocoa that you can whip up in a large batch ahead of time and have on hand throughout the winter.

I also happen to make mine extra special by adding in some mini chocolate chips just for good measure (can cocoa ever be too chocolatey?).

The other reason the DIY hot cocoa mix is great is that, at the time of filming this video, our power had been out for 48 hours, which meant we weren't wanting to get in and out of the refrigerator. By having this DIY cocoa mix on hand, we could just head up a pot of water on the woodstove and my kids could serve up a cup of hot cocoa any time they wanted.

Hot cocoa mix ingredients from Azure Standard.

DIY Hot Cocoa Powder Mix (in a jar)

Ingredients Needed for DIY Hot Cocoa Powder Mix

I love sourcing the highest quality ingredients possible, and one way I can do this (that also makes it more affordable) is by buying in bulk from Azure Standard. I'm going to link to the products I've purchased from them below, they do have smaller portions available to buy, but you pay less per pound (or ounce) the more you buy, so always keep that in mind, especially with items like these that are shelf-stable:

  • Freeze-dried milk powder – I always like to buy organic dairy, and Azure Standard actually has A2/A2 whole milk powder which is a fantastic option for this homemade hot cocoa recipe. Using powdered milk means you can add this cocoa powder to water and it will be rich and creamy instead of watery (no one likes watery cocoa, am I right?).
  • Organic powdered sugar – Of course I wouldn't necessarily consider this “healthy”, but when used in moderation I do think a bit of sugar is acceptable from time to time. And when compared to the ingredients in the store-bought brands, I feel pretty comfortable about this option of sugar. If you're not thrilled about using sugar, you could always omit it from the jar and add in some maple syrup or honey to taste at the time of serving.
  • Cocoa powder – Another Azure Standard win! They have ethically sourced organic cocoa powder options in various sizes. You can choose whether you want dark cocoa powder or not, but do be sure it's unsweetened. If you use dark cocoa powder, you may want to increase the sugar by a smidge, or just add a little maple syrup at time of serving if it's not sweet enough.
  • Sea Salt – A lot of people look at me sideways when I add salt to sweet recipes, but the truth is a little bit of salt actually brings out the sweetness of a recipe without having to add any more sugar. It also happens to add in a few trace minerals if you use a high quality sea salt like Redmond Real Salt (my favorite salt for baking, cooking, preserving, and fermenting and you get 15% off with coupon code: Pioneering ).
  • Mini chocolate chips (optional) – These are purely for fun! But, when gifting a jar of homemade hot cocoa mix, the little mini chocolate chips give it that extra something special in presentation!
  • White chocolate chips (optional) – These are also purely for fun, and they also look really pretty in a gifted jar of cocoa! But they are optional and can be omitted if desired.
Assembling hot cocoa powder mix in a glass mason jar.

Directions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and mix until well blended.
  2. Spoon into Mason jars or a glass container.
  3. Use 3 Tablespoons hot cocoa powder to 1 cup hot water or milk.
  4. If you want a peppermint hot cocoa, add 1 teaspoon mint extract (or to taste) to hot chocolate.
  5. Top with optional whipped cream and/or marshmallows, or add a splash of heavy cream to your mug.
homemade hot cocoa mix in a mason jar with red and white twine and pine cones on table top

Hot Cocoa Mix in a Jar

Melissa Norris
Layer these ingredients in your jar for a delicious and easy homemade hot cocoa mix!
4.3 from 41 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Total Time 10 mins
Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Servings 42 servings
Calories 123 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups powdered milk
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1.5 cups cocoa powder
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips (optional)
  • 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions
 

  • Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and mix until well blended.
  • Spoon into Mason jars or a glass container.
  • Use 3 Tablespoons hot cocoa mix to 1 cup hot water or milk.
  • If you want a peppermint hot cocoa, add 1 teaspoon mint extract (or to taste) to hot chocolate. Top with optional whipped cream and/or marshmallows, or add a splash of heavy cream to your mug.

Notes

  • Both mini and white chocolate chips are optional but look great in gift jars.
  • For a richer hot chocolate, mix 3 Tablespoons hot cocoa mix with milk. 
  • Since there is powdered milk in the hot cocoa mix, you can use hot water and the hot chocolate will still be delicious!

Nutrition

Calories: 123kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 3gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 54mgPotassium: 181mgFiber: 1gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 91IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 98mgIron: 1mg
Keyword DIY Hot Cocoa Powder, Hot Chocolate Mix, Hot Cocoa Mix
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Easy Homemade Hot Cocoa (for a crowd)

If you want to whip up a large batch of homemade hot cocoa (sans the packets or canister from the store) you can follow this recipe and make enough for twelve. If you don't have quite that many mouths, you can scale this recipe down as well. However, I actually like to toss the extra into my Harvest Right freeze dryer and store it in mason jars for a rainy day (literally!).

Ingredients for Homemade Hot Cocoa

The following recipe is great for a crowd (I'd say about 12 people) or for making in a large batch to freeze-dry to have a shelf-stable cocoa mix.

  • Sugar – just one cup is all this recipe needs! When you divide that by twelve servings, I'd say that's pretty low!
  • Water
  • Sea Salt – a little bit of salt actually makes sweet things taste a bit sweeter without having to add in any extra sugar.
  • Milk – raw milk is my favorite for hot cocoa, but really any milk will do, even milk alternatives like almond or coconut milk. Use what your family likes!
  • Heavy Cream (optional) – If you're looking for a very decadent hot cocoa, replace a couple cups of the milk with heavy cream! You won't regret it!

How to Make Hot Cocoa From Scratch

  1. In a large sauce pan on the stove add sugar and water. Turn heat to medium-high and stir to dissolve sugar.
  2. Add cocoa powder and sea salt and continue whisking as the mixture heats up. Remember, you do have sugar in there, so you don't want it to scorch or burn.
  3. Add milk and continue to whisk until the milk is just under a simmer. No need to bring to a simmer or boil, we just want it hot enough for drinking.
  4. Serve and enjoy! (My favorite mug is our new custom handmade pottery Pioneering Today Mugs here)
A mug with hot cocoa inside. Mug says Pioneering Today.

Homemade Hot Chocolate

Melissa Norris
Cocoa powder, real milk, sugar, and water come together for a creamy delicious homemade beverage
4.92 from 12 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 15 mins
Course Drinks
Cuisine America
Servings 4 people
Calories 382 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups whole milk you can use any type of milk you wish
  • 1.5 cups water
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup sugar increase or decrease to taste preference
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1 cup cream (optional)

Instructions
 

  • In a large sauce pan on the stove add sugar and water. Turn heat to medium-high and stir to dissolve sugar.
  • Add cocoa powder and sea salt and continue whisking as the mixture heats up. Remember, you do have sugar in there, so you don't want it to scorch or burn.
  • Add milk and continue to whisk until the milk is just under a simmer. No need to bring to a simmer or boil, we just want it hot enough for drinking. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Freeze Drying Instructions
  1. If making this for a large crowd or to have enough to freeze dry, times by three. Just warm the total liquid, no need to simmer if pouring into the freeze dryer.
  2. Place trays in freeze dryer (I have the medium size) and pour hot chocolate into the trays. Fill the middle trays of the freeze dryer more than the top and bottom trays to help keep the product from *poofing* out of the tray and making a mess. The middle trays don't tend to *poof* as much, so they can get filled fuller. 
  3. This takes up to 3 days to completely freeze-dry, it's not a quick one!
  4. Once the cocoa is completely freeze-dried, break off into chunks and run them through a food processor or high-powered blender until a fine powder. Transfer it to a mason jar with a lid and store it at room temperature until ready to use. (You can also vacuum seal the jar for it to last much longer if desired.)
  5. To use, simply add 8 ounces of hot water with 1.38 ounces of freeze-dried cocoa powder (roughly 6 3/4 Tablespoons of cocoa powder). If you want it nice and decadent, add a splash of cream to finish it off!

Nutrition

Serving: 12ouncesCalories: 382kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 8gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 18gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 100mgSodium: 180mgPotassium: 396mgFiber: 2gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 1171IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 257mgIron: 1mg
Keyword homemade hot chocolate
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
A woman holding a jar of freeze dried hot cocoa mix and a mug of hot cocoa.

How to Freeze Dry Homemade Hot Cocoa

If making cocoa for the freeze dryer, follow steps one through three above. However, you don't need to heat the milk up, just stir to combine then carry the pot to the freeze dryer and fill the trays while they're in the machine (don't try and carry full trays of liquid, trust me!).

I find that filling the middle trays of the freeze dryer more than the top and bottom trays helps keep the product from *poofing* out of the tray and making a mess. The middle trays don't tend to *poof* as much, so they can get filled fuller.

This is one of the lengthier recipes to freeze dry, I've found that my cocoa tends to take anywhere from two to three days to be completely freeze-dried and ready to powder.

Once the cocoa is completely freeze-dried, break off into chunks and run them through a food processor or high-powered blender until a fine powder. Transfer it to a mason jar with a lid and store it at room temperature until ready to use. (You can also vacuum seal the jar for it to last much longer if desired.)

To use, simply add 8 ounces of hot water with 1.38 ounces of freeze-dried cocoa powder (roughly 6 & 3/4 Tablespoons of cocoa powder). If you want it nice and decadent, add a splash of cream to finish it off!

Farmhouse Teas Gourmet Peppermint Cocoa Mix on a counter with candy canes around it.
Photo credit to Kayla Joy Creative

Quick & Easy Store-Bought Option

If you're not looking to make homemade hot cocoa from scratch, my best suggestion would be to have a few packs of these hot cocoa mixes from Farmhouse Teas on hand.

It's their brand new line of drinking chocolate and they taste incredible! In fact, my very favorite (Gourmet Peppermint Cocoa Mix – pictured above) actually has bits of organic crushed-up candy canes in there!

If you're looking for something very reminiscent of the store-bought brands (without the junk), that's my quick and easy recommendation.

More Gift in a Jar Ideas

10 Time-Saving Uses for a Wooden Bench Knife in the Kitchen

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If you're an avid baker, or you just like cooking with cast iron, you must have a wooden bench knife (I wish I'd known about these years ago)! It's a game-changer in the kitchen and will simplify your tasks and save you time!

Koa wood bench knife on marble counter top next to flour and egg dough

Why I Love Wooden Kitchen Tools

I do a lot more baking in late fall, early winter, right around the holidays. It was a few years ago that I started getting very frustrated with some of my must-have homestead kitchen tools.

Most specifically the little scraper that I have loved using to get stuck-on food off of cast iron pans. But because it was a plastic scraper, and because the best time to remove food from cast iron is when it's still hot (learn how to properly clean cast iron to maintain the seasoning here), so that scraper warped and didn't have a sharp edge anymore.

I asked my husband if he could make a wooden scraper that wouldn't warp and he did!

This got me thinking, I also love using a bench knife when baking bread or cutting through hard dough, but those handles are always so awkward, so while my husband was at it, I asked if he could make me a wooden bench knife as well! And he did!

I love these products so much for myself that I encouraged my husband to make a large batch of them to sell to the Pioneering Today Academy members, and wouldn't you know it, but that very first run of products sold out in 38 minutes!

So clearly I'm not alone in my desire for high-quality wooden tools! If we still have any in stock, you can purchase your own wooden scrapers and bench knives here.

black walnut wooden dough scraper on tea towel with homemade chocolate chip cookies cooling on rack

Ways to Use Wooden Bench Knives & Scrapers in the Kitchen

There are so many ways to use a wooden bench knife and a wooden scraper in the kitchen. Aside from cleaning my cast iron pans, here are some of my other favorite uses…

Koa wood bench knife and scraper on counter top with flour and pie dough

Pie Crusts

When you make the best homemade flaky pie crust recipe, it's enough for two double-crust pies, so I like to use the wooden bench knife to cut the dough ball into four equal quarters.

Also, sometimes when you roll out your pie crust you don't use enough flour and the crust can stick to the counter, run the wooden bench knife along all sides of the crust (or any spot that is sticky), to loosen it from the counter before folding it onto itself and transferring it to the pie plate.

Black walnut wooden dough scraper slicing through log of chocolate chip cookie dough

Cookie Dough

Around the holidays I bake a lot of cookies. Whether it's good ol' chocolate chip cookies, old-fashioned molasses cookies, great-grandma's WW2 carrot cookies, or any of these 16 Christmas cookie recipes.

There's always a potluck, holiday event, school production, or gathering with friends and I like bringing along a plate of homemade cookies as a hostess or thank you gift.

But let's be honest, the holiday season can quickly get filled up with so many “places to go” that making another batch of cookies is the last thing I have time for.

What I've learned to do is make up a few large batches of cookie dough of various kinds ahead of time. I shape the dough into a log and freeze it, then when I want to bake a few cookies, I take my wooden scraper and cut off discs of cookie dough, place them on a cookie sheet and bake them up!

This not only saves me so much time, but it allows me to bake up just a few of each kind of cookie, making a fantastic cookie platter.

Bonus tip: many cookies taste better with some chill time, it allows the flavors to deepen.

Wooden bench knife scooping onions up and putting them into a bowl.

Vegetables

The large bench knife comes in very handy when chopping up a lot of vegetables that need to be transferred to a bowl or pot. You can just scoop them up with the bench knife and transfer them with ease (especially if little ones are helping in the kitchen and you don't want them handling a sharp knife blade yet).

Smashing Garlic

I can never have enough garlic! Basically, if a recipe calls for one clove, you know I'm adding at least 3-5. This is another great use for my large wooden bench knife.

Layout all those cloves of garlic on the counter, then take the bench knife and give them a good solid whack. All the cloves are crushed and the paper falls off with ease.

When canning salsa this saves so much time!

wooden figured maple bench knife cutting pastry dough on counter top

Bread Dough

Where this wooden bench knife really shines is when making loaves of my homemade no-knead artisan bread. Because that dough is a very wet dough, it sticks to your hands a lot. That's just the nature of no-knead recipes.

But using my wooden bench scraper keeps my hands much cleaner, and the dough doesn't tend to stick to the bench knife as much as my fingers.

I also use the bench knife to create tension on my loaf of bread, as well as to scoop the bread up and out of the pan and onto the cooling rack.

Wooden maple bench knife scraping flour and dough off counter top

Easy Clean Up

After working with any kind of dough on your countertop, there's surely dough residue left over. If you try cleaning it up with a washcloth, the dough just gets gummy and your washcloth is a mess. I love how easily the bench knife or the dough scrapers clean off the counter!

If you're not fully convinced of your need for a wooden bench knife and a dough scraper, then let the products speak for themselves. Go check out my store and see all the products I have to offer!

wooden maple bench knife scraping scone done off of floured countertop

Even More Uses

  • Cutting scones, pastries, or other dough.
  • Cutting Pasta
  • Making gnochi
  • Transfering raw dough items (sugar cookies, biscuits, scones) from the counter to the baking sheet.

There's virtually no limit other than your own imagination!

Sliced loaf of bread in linen bread bag on cutting board

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How to Braid Garlic (Step-By-Step Photos)

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One of the things our pioneer forefathers did well was preserving their harvest. There is no sense doing all the hard work of growing a crop if we don't preserve it to last.

A bunch of garlic that's been braided.

I like a crop that is also pretty to look at. Those jars of jams and jellies lining my pantry sparkle as bright as any jeweled necklace to me.

Our first year with garlic, we planted the hard neck variety, not realizing you couldn't braid it.  Live and learn. With over a decade of growing garlic under my belt, I've learned a lot and share it in how to plant garlic here.

My predominant garlic crop is the soft neck, specifically Inchelium Red, (here's how to harvest garlic for long-term storage). I do plant a few hard necks to use first in the fall.

Scissors trimming off the dried roots of a bulb of garlic.

After your garlic has been cured for at least two weeks in dry weather (or four weeks in wet and humid weather), it's time to get it ready for braiding. Cut off the roots and rub as much of the leftover soil off as possible.

A head of garlic that has the roots trimmed off.

Take the two leaves closest to the bulb and peel them back. You'll peel off the dirty outer layer. Don't remove any more skin as this helps lock in the flavor.

A woman's hands showing how to braid garlic.
A woman's hands showing how to braid garlic.
A woman's hands showing how to braid garlic.

Now take three bulbs of garlic, bulb side at the top with the stems hanging down. Tie them together near the bulb. This is the start of your braid. Take a bulb and lay it on the center stem and add the stem to it. Now cross over your right side stem.

A woman's hands showing how to braid garlic.
A woman's hands showing how to braid garlic.
A woman's hands showing how to braid garlic.

Take a bulb, place it to the right of your center bulb, pulling the stem down the center. Cross over the left stem to the center. Place a bulb on the left side of the center bulb and pull the stem to the center. Cross over top the original center stems.

Always add the new bulb stem to the center of your braid.

A woman's hands showing how to braid garlic.

Repeat this process to the end. Once all bulbs are in place, braid the stems (they'll be quite a handful) into a braid and secure with twine. Cut off the remaining stems so just your braid is showing.

Braided garlic hanging on the wall in a kitchen.

Now hang it up in the kitchen for easy access and a gorgeous piece of decoration.

Store the remaining braids out of direct light, a back pantry is wonderful, ideally in temps between 60 and 65 degrees F with low humidity.

Do you have a favorite crop or harvest you like to put on display? Do you have a favorite variety of garlic?

How to Plant Garlic (Fall Garlic Planting)

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Learn how to plant garlic in the fall for a fantastic garlic harvest the following summer. I'm sharing how to properly plant garlic, when to plant it, and the specifics for growing garlic from a clove.

A basket of garlic next to a garden bed that has been mulched.

Why I Love Growing Garlic

Is there a better herb to grow at home? I think not! The humble garlic clove has so many uses, from an essential ingredient in my homemade fire cider to one of my favorite medicinal herbs to grow at home.

I love that garlic is one of the plants you plant in the fall after the garden has generally stopped producing, then it does its thing, all on its own, early spring and summer.

If you've never had homegrown garlic before, just like anything else, you just won't believe how delicious it is!

A garlic clove in the soil.

Can I Grow Garlic From a Clove?

Yes! Growing garlic from a clove is exactly how you grow garlic. It's important that you plant your clove in the ground the correct way, so keep reading to find out exactly how to plant garlic cloves.

One tiny garlic clove planted in the fall will form an entire head of garlic the following summer.

Garlic shoots coming up through the soil being watered with a red watering can.

How Long Does Garlic Take to Grow?

Here in the Pacific Northwest, we plant our garlic in early to mid-fall, when the ground is still workable, preferably before any snowfall has occurred. Garlic harvest isn't until early summer the following year, but that doesn't mean it's growing that entire time.

One might say garlic takes 9-10 months to grow, but truthfully the garlic grows for a month or so once planted, creating a tiny shoot, then the rest of the growth happens early spring until harvest.

You can add a nice thick layer of mulch or straw over the garlic just after the tiny shoots have emerged. If you're planting extra late in the year and the threat of snow is imminent, you can also mulch right after you plant. I prefer to do everything at once so we add our straw right at planting time.

A hoe digging a trench in a garden bed.

What Month Do You Plant Garlic?

Traditionally, October is a month of harvest. But in the Pacific Northwest (and many other parts of the country) October is the month you plant garlic for a summer harvest.

We plant our garlic the first week of October, but if the ground hasn't frozen or endured a deep frost, you're safe a few weeks in. The rule of thumb is to plant garlic two weeks before and up to two weeks after your first frost in the fall.

A basket of harvested dried garlic.

What Garlic is Best to Plant?

You'll need to decide if you want to plant soft-neck or hard-neck garlic. We prefer soft necks so we can braid them to hang in the kitchen. Plus, soft neck has a longer shelf life.

Hardneck garlic cannot be braided and has a much shorter shelf life, but it usually has a stronger more complex flavor.

In the photo above you can see a variety of each. The soft-neck garlic is the braids (and larger heads), the hard-neck garlic is the smaller single bulbs..

Some people choose to grow a variety of garlic, soft-neck garlic for long-term storage, and hard-neck garlic for turning into homemade garlic powder or using it medicinally.

My favorite is soft neck Inchelium Red Garlic, it stores incredibly well, is very prolific (lots of cloves per bulb), and is considered a gourmet (aka delicious) garlic.

How Much Garlic Should I Plant Per Person?

This depends on how much garlic you eat. We tend to be if a recipe calls for one clove let's use at least three type of people.

The average recommended amount is 15 bulbs per person. Find out more on How Much to Plant Per Person for a Year's Worth of Food here.

Soaking Garlic Before Planting

Many people wonder whether or not you need to soak garlic before planting. And after a quick search on the interwebs, there is much recommended for this step.

My answer may differ from many recommendations out there, but here are my thoughts on soaking or not soaking garlic before planting…

  • The reason most people soak their garlic seed in water mixed with baking soda is to kill any potential fungal disease on the cloves before planting. However, certified seed garlic is tested and guaranteed to be free of fungal disease, therefore there is no need to soak certified seed garlic.
  • If you're not sure if your garlic has been contaminated with fungal disease, my recommendation would be to try finding certified seed garlic and not planting the questionable garlic.
  • If you don't have any other options for planting garlic, I would recommend planting those cloves in a separate area, away from your main crop garden, in a container or something small where you can dispose of the soil if it turns out your garlic was infested. (A kiddie pool is a great inexpensive option!)
  • Here in the damp and rainy Pacific Northwest I would never soak my garlic because we already have very damp soil in the fall, so soaking my garlic and then planting it into damp soil is just a recipe for mold or rotting cloves.
  • The one and only caveat where I could possibly see the reason behind soaking garlic before planting is if you live in a very dry climate. But even then, I would just recommend making sure your soil stays adequately mulched, amended, and watered well to stay damp enough for the garlic to begin to sprout.

Where Do I Buy Seed Garlic?

I recommend you purchase your seed garlic from a local grower if possible. Most store-bought garlic has been sprayed so it won't sprout in the store, meaning it won't sprout in your soil either.

We bought our initial seed garlic from a local farming store, which stocked garlic that was grown on a local farm. Plus, local farmers know which varieties will grow best in your climate and area.

However, I've also since found and ordered (I like to try out a few new varieties each year) this organic garlic seed farm.

Softnecked garlic is usually easier to grow.

Once you've grown a garlic crop, you can save some bulbs from your own harvest to plant the next year. Just remember, one clove of garlic will equal a bulb of garlic. Keep reading below for tips on getting the best quality garlic heads year over year.

A woman's hand holding a clove of garlic.
A hand placing a garden clove into the soil.
A long garden row planted with garlic cloves.

How Do You Properly Plant Garlic?

  1. Break the cloves apart and remove any loose paper. Don't remove all the paper though, you don't want the actual garlic showing, that paper is a nice protective layer.
  2. Plant the garlic clove with the fat end down in the soil (the part that is closest to the root from your main bulb).
  3. Plant each clove with about two inches of soil covering it from the tip of the clove.
  4. Keep cloves six to eight inches apart in all directions.
Three kids adding straw mulch onto a garden bed.
A garden bed that has been mulched with straw.
A garden bed where garlic is planted covered in straw mulch.

Garlic Planting Tips for Success

  • Be sure your soil is well-draining. In the past, we've used raised beds. After tilling down deep and heavily composting with dried cow manure, we now plant in our in-ground garden beds.
  • Weed free is a plus as garlic doesn't like to compete for space.
  • Mulch – Once your garlic has sprouted, mulch around the green shoots (it's fine if you mulch with straw right at planting time). After your first hard frost (green shoots will wither), mulch with straw over the entire bed.
  • Pull mulch in the spring – Once temperatures are warming up and you begin to see new growth on the garlic, you can pull the mulch back from the new shoots to allow for more sunlight to get through.
A garden bed where garlic is planted covered in straw mulch.

When Do I Harvest Garlic?

I have two other posts with more information on how to harvest garlic and how to braid and store garlic for long-term storage.

For now, I hope you get some garlic in the ground this year, for most places, it's not too late! If you have mild winters, you can even plant in late winter or early spring (or if you forget, I've planted as late as February with success but don't recommend waiting that long as a principal).

Do you plant winter crops? Have you planted garlic before?

Garlic curing on a screen.

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