Growing Garlic

Allium sativum : Amaryllidaceae / the onion family

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

(Best months for growing Garlic in Australia - cool/mountain regions)

  • P = Plant cloves
  • 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

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31 May 14, Craig (Australia - temperate climate)
If you are buying garlic in the supermarket only choose australian or they will not sprout. the aussie garlic is purple/white the chinese will not sprout as they are treated for pests and insects. They do not grow as large as the foreign products but if you use a liquid vege feed and a bit of seaweed liquid you cant miss out. Be patient, they take a good 6 months just have a small dig and see if they look big enough. usually as the stems die off they are done but they are also great to cook with and it wont hurt if you cut a few.
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30 May 14, Osman (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate)
1. When is the best time to plant garlic to Northern Kenya 2. How long will it take from the planing date to the harvesting date 3. What type of Garlic is the best to plant in Northern Kenya I will appreciate your answers please Thank you
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23 May 14, John (Australia - temperate climate)
I have grown garlic a few times but am disappointed with the size of the cloves that I get. Do the plants need to have regular watering (ie keep moist) and do they need to be fertilized regularly. What type of fertilizer is best for garlic. My cloves are about half the size of commercial garlic.
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01 Jun 14, Barry (Australia - temperate climate)
No John, This is just a reflection of poor soil. I recommend digging up all of your soil and removing it. Then replace it with quality soil. I had this problem and now my garlic balls are huge.
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18 May 14, Mel (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I live coastal sydney and decided to plant some garlic I bought online in styraohoam boxes so far 3 weeks later they have not sprouted it been a bit wet but I prepared the soil with compost potting mix dynamic lifter and sheep manure so thought my soil would be suitable does anyone have any idea what went wrong
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02 Jun 14, Alex (Australia - temperate climate)
hi Mel, I did the same - bulbs in styrofoam boxes. I don't remember how long they took but it was a while, I had given up on them when suddenly some beautiful green shoots came up :) Give yours a bit longer, you might get a nice surprise :)
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18 Jun 14, Mel (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Thank You! and you were right. A little impatient I think, they finally came through and are now going strong. The only thing is in my panic I planted more in between and now they are a bit crowded but oh well all a learning curve I guess :)
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17 May 14, Tom (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
where in south africa can i find a reliable supplier of garlic seeds for commercial growing..
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01 Oct 14, S (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Try Garlic Growers Association South Africa. www.garlicgrowers.co.za
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12 May 14, Jose Alvares (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
I planted garlic in March The 3th how long do I need to pick it Johannesburg
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This is a transcript of a article on growing garlic in central Australia (desert). It is on ABC Rural News and may be a help to you. Trials reveal potential for garlic-growing in Northern Territory Posted 7 Oct 2016 MAP: Alice Springs 0870 A trial exploring the capabilities of seven garlic varieties in the red centre is showing some early positive results. Seven varieties of garlic are being trialled at the Northern Territory's Arid Zone Research Institute (AZRI), alongside the standard industry garlic variety, Glen Large. The Alice Springs environment will demonstrate how varieties that have never been grown commercially in the Northern Territory respond to extreme cold and extreme heat. Central Australian Horticulture Development Project manager and researcher Stuart Smith said despite challenges such as poor water quality, the results so far had been positive. "We're hoping, because we're just south of the Tropic of Capricorn, we're just a bit a little subtropical, that we're in the right area," he said. "We've got the right heat profile, right day length and we're able to grow some good bulbs. "If it'll grow here, it'll grow anywhere. "Central Australia is a bit isolated from the rest of Australia so it doesn't have the pests and diseases of the other garlic-growing areas." Plan to get garlic onto market early in season Mr Smith believes there is a market opportunity for garlic that grows early in the traditional growing season. We thought we could get a few varieties to come early on the market, so we can get some good prices for them and replace the imported garlic," he said. The first successful harvested trial crop has reached a stage of maturity that would be ready for market. "It's got a code name called AF. We're getting some good-sized bulbs out of this," Mr Smith said. "I estimate we're getting 6-8 tonnes per hectare." The DPI's Stuart Smith and agriculture minister Ken Vowles stand in a field of garlic PHOTO: Stuart Smith and Primary Industries Minister Ken Vowles discuss the garlic crop trial near Alice Springs. (ABC Rural: Katrina Beaven) Mr Smith said the early trial results were encouraging despite poor water quality and salty soils. "We have to keep watering them pretty constantly to keep moving the salt out of the root zone," he said. "The water we're using at AZRI is pretty low quality. "Most of the water other people are using in horticulture around the Central Australian region is a lot better quality than this." Mr Smith said the research results would also add value to what was being learned by a grower at Orange Creek Station, south of Alice Springs, who is conducting a commercial garlic trial this year.

- John

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