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

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15 Mar 23, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Buy from a nursery Bunnings Boondie Seeds or on the internet. Plant soon late April to June.
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07 Mar 23, Emma (Australia - tropical climate)
Good afternoon, I am trying to find a supplier for SOFT NECK GARLIC to plant in a home garden not commercial, I live in Far North QLD in the Tablelands (Dambulla). Would like some information as to time to plant or any other types of GARLIC that would grow well here. Thanking you in advance!
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10 Mar 23, Rod (Australia - temperate climate)
Emma, try Tasmanian gourmet garlic. They sell to people up here like us. If you're in Danbullah you are probably subtropical or temperate (like us at Lake Eacham). They have some great information on their website as well. Start of May is the time to plant, depending on how wet it is.
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21 Mar 23, Emma Vela (Australia - tropical climate)
Thank you ROD from Lake Eacham for your information, cheers.
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05 Mar 23, (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
The temperature in the freestate goes down to minus 10 ⁰c and 39 ⁰c in summer. Can i plant garlic to grow during the winter here?
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29 Oct 24, Christo (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate)
I am in bloemfontein.planted in February and starting to harvest now in oktober
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16 Mar 23, Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
I generally have garlic in my compost -- little bits that have maybe rotted a bit, and I can't even imagine how they grow -- but anyhow ---- I dig kitchen scraps directly into the garden over winter. Winter here gets down to about -10c for short periods of time (several nights in a row, for half a dozen hours at a time) -- generally winter temps are closer to -3c at night. Anyhow, come spring the areas where I have dug in kitchen scraps directly into the garden are usually sprouting : potatoes and garlic (among other things). So despite that I am actually planting garlic in winter, it will not grow until spring. I also grow garlic via the two year method (collecting seeds called bulbils - planting them immediately upon collection (so fall) )-- they grow in spring -- and then next year, they grow the garlic. Depending on the TYPE of garlic you are growing you can get 60 or more bulbils from one flower -- so this is economical if you have the SPACE. Again, the garlic is overwintered directly in the garden. In my area/zone, you have to yank out garlic if you don't want it -- because it just seems to grow and grow (same thing with fuchsia and potatoes).
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06 Mar 23, (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate)
It says to plant Feb to April.
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03 Mar 23, Clement Lephallo (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Good evening everyone. I'm in Lesotho where we have high summer rain fall and cold winter. I want to plant garlic therefore I would like to know the right season to start planting garlic.
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26 Mar 23, thabang mapetja (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
I am also in Lesotho, last year I planted it in early March and harvested end of October.
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Hi Newbie here to garlic I'm in 5a zone northern state in USA Garlic says best in our zone to plant in September and October but it says 17-24 weeks to harvest yet it says it needs a temperature of 50 to 90ﾟ That would put it into our Winter season shortly after planting them can someone explain maybe I misunderstanding What it is saying. Thank you (Gardenate reply : I have added the information that explains what to do if planting late in the year)

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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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