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Growing Garlic

(Allium sativum)

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
								P	P

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

P = Plant direct in garden where they are to grow.

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: Beets, Carrots, Cucumbers, Dill, Tomatoes, Parsnips
Avoid growing with: Asparagus, Beans, Brassicas, Peas, Potatoes

Almost ready to harvest
Garlic cloves
Young garlic shoots

Garlic is traditionally planted in cold weather and harvest in summer ("plant on the shortest day, harvest on the longest"). Plant the cloves (separated from the bulb), point upwards, deep enough to just cover with soil. A fairly tough and easy-growing plant. On better soil with regular watering you will get a better crop. On poorer soil, and forgetting to water them, you will still get some garlic, only not quite so much.

Leave a garlic to go to seed, and you will probably get plenty of self-sown plants the following year.

To keep for later use, dig up and leave to dry out for a day or so after the green shoots die down. To use immediately, pull up a head when you need it, or cut and use the green shoots.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Garlic

Cut the growing shoots or use the entire young garlic plants as 'garlic greens' in stirfry.

Your comments and tips

15 Apr 08, tiarem (Unknown climate): Can someone please supply a set of rules for growing garlic. I've not grown it before. My garlic has just shot and is looking healthy but I don't know if I have to fertilize or not, nor do I know how much water to give it
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17 Apr 08, Liz (Unknown climate): Garlic has a long growing season. The old saying "Plant on the shortest day and dig on the longest day" is the easiest way to remember how long. If it is planted in good soil you won't need to fertilize it. In the hot months water regularly, it doesn't like long dry periods.
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21 May 08, Leontine (Unknown climate): So when it says plant garlic cloves, you can just break up and plant the individual cloves that you get from the supermarket?
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30 May 08, Abbie (Unknown climate): You might not be able to plant the garlic from the supermarket depending on where it has come from. Most imported stuff is sprayed with all sorts of toxins, and many are sprayed with various growth inhibitors. Try getting some Australian garlic, or even better some organic garlic. Otherwise, try diggers.com.au as they have garlic for sale online.
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30 May 08, Chris (Unknown climate): Leontine, I second what Abbie said. I've tried to grow supermarket garlic. When it was cheap imported garlic it just rotted in the ground. Local stuff, when available, grew ok.
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07 Jul 08, Wayne (Australia - cool/mountain climate): Garlic I have grown purple Australian garlic over the past 4 years. I plant the toes on 1 April and pull bulbs early October.This works for my climate. It is trial and error on the pulling up, as too soon they will not keep. I have some bulbs if anyone wishes for me to send. Please email hobbfarm (at) yahoo dot com dot au
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15 Jul 08, Glenyss Richardson (Australia - temperate climate): Yes, hobbfarm I would love some corms/bulbs/ cloves or whatever garlic plant. It is great of you to offer. Australian garlic is best and not always easy to find. Thank you, glenyss r
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20 Jul 08, firsttimegardner (Australia - temperate climate): Sooo if you plant garlic in July it wont grow? are the rules for planting them in certain months hard and fast or can you get away with a couple of weeks here or there? Mind you i should have started last month, but now its towards the end of July... should i not bother?
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20 Jul 08, Chris (Australia - cool/mountain climate): Hi firsttimegardner. Garlic planted in July should grow ok. It apparently grows best with a few weeks cold to get it started. If you're planting it into spring you could pop it in the fridge (not freezer) for a couple of nights to arrange some chilling. These planting dates are a general guide and prompt to action, certainly not hard and fast rules.
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21 Jul 08, wayne (Australia - cool/mountain climate): Glenyss Richardson I still have a couple of bulbs left please tell me a postal address so I can send. They are starting to shoot so get them in quick
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Post a question, comment or tip about Garlic

Replying to:

Garlic I have grown purple Australian garlic over the past 4 years. I plant the toes on 1 April and pull bulbs early October.This works for my climate. It is trial and error on the pulling up, as too soon they will not keep. I have some bulbs if anyone wishes for me to send. Please email hobbfarm (at) yahoo dot com dot au

- Wayne

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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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