Growing Garlic

Allium sativum : Amaryllidaceae / the onion family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
                P P    

(Best months for growing Garlic in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • P = Plant cloves

September: Garlic can overwinter. Cover with a good layer of mulch . In areas where frost persists into March/ April, expect to harvest your garlic in June/July.

October: Garlic can overwinter. Cover with a good layer of mulch . In areas where frost persists into March/ April, expect to harvest your garlic in June/July.

  • Easy to grow. Plant cloves. Best planted at soil temperatures between 50°F and 95°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 4 - 5 inches apart
  • Harvest in 17-25 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Beets, Carrots, Cucumbers, Dill, Tomatoes, Parsnips
  • Avoid growing close to: Asparagus, Beans, Brassicas, Peas, Potatoes

Your comments and tips

20 Dec 11, Leslely (in West Victoria) (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hello, Want to know where to get garlic? Do you plant cloves or buy seeds? Only two of us, so how many to grow and preserve for the year? Any help out there would be much appreciated. Thanks.
20 Mar 13, Sandy Egan (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, We have been reading with great interest about growing garlic..as first timers, and are wondering if you currently are selling seeds..or bulbs.....and the price..not sure how you supply..or if this is the right time of year. Also any advice on cultivation, maintenance, soil type raised gardens required etc. Thanks ..hope to hear back. We are located in Victoria. Regards, Sandy
18 Jan 14, rodney olson (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
where do we buy Australian golden garlic is it also named Ananda gold?
10 Feb 15, Tony (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Where can I buy garlic seed to buy?
14 Jun 18, Peter (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Barbara, are you still in the market with your garlic? I'd love to get hold of some. Cheers! Peter
15 Oct 08, colin (Australia - temperate climate)
We have planted garlic for the first time this year, we thought we would try supermarket garlic which was china ,and it grew really well,also califorian late and spanish all gowing great
19 Oct 08, Maria (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I have something growing in my garden that I hope someone could recognise from my description. I thought it may be garlic as when i tear the leaves they smell like garlic. It comes out of the ground as one single stem with the leaves coming off the centre like onion or garlic, the stem is the thickness of a leek and it gets a purple flower head on the top almost the size of a tennis ball. Is this garlic, can i eat it?
22 Nov 10, jared (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
sounds like an ornamental Allium. If you feel the flowers are beautiful you can nurture the plant.
20 Oct 08, Jaci (Australia - temperate climate)
Maria, yes it sounds like garlic to me. You might not want to eat any plants that have gone to seed though as they may not taste as nice. If they haven't gone to seed, let the leaves yellow and die off before pulling them out of the ground to hang and dry for a few weeks before eating. This drying out allows the garlic bulb to form properly and separate into cloves.
22 Oct 08, warren (Australia - temperate climate)
I have planted italian red garlic and is looking great but it has shoots coming up through the centre which are actually each clove shooting from the bulb .Is this normal? I have friends growing it on commercial scale and theirs are doing the same .( My russian garlic is not doing this and is now pushing up its seed head already.) If this is not normal what do you do to get the bulb to stop shooting?
Showing 31 - 40 of 899 comments

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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