Growing Garlic

Allium sativum : Amaryllidaceae / the onion family

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

(Best months for growing Garlic in Australia - sub-tropical regions)

P = Plant cloves

Easy to grow. Plant cloves. Best planted at soil temperatures between 10°C and 35°C. (Show °F/in)
Space plants: 10 - 12 cm 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

Garlic is traditionally planted in cold weather and harvested 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 but in 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, maybe just a single large bulb.

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 stir-fry.

Your comments and tips

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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12 Apr 15, Richard (Australia - temperate climate): Hi, I am just a beginner at this and will thank you for any assistance In growing garlic. I believe the season for growing garlic is Apr -Jun Or there thereabouts . I will be grateful if you can send me some of your garlic bulbs. Thanks. And regards. Richard (Check under plant names for your zone. We do not supply seeds -Liz)
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08 Nov 19, Chris Dawson (Australia - temperate climate): No Richard, that is not the growing season for garlic. People plant the cloves in April to June. We normally harvest around November to December. The old farmers used to say plant on the shortest day (June 21) harvest longest day (December 21).
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06 Mar 17, Tony (Australia - temperate climate): I haven't planted garlic before. Would love some bulbs to try at planting
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05 Apr 17, Sakinah (Australia - temperate climate): Hi there, I know it has been years since you posted about these garlic cloves. But I will try my luck anyway. I have been trying to grow garlics for the past few years but they all eventually rot here in Adelaide. I can give you my address or send to you a prepaid envelope; and I am willing to pay to cover your costs too. Thanks so much!
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09 May 18, Brenton (Australia - temperate climate): I am also in Adelaide, and wanting to try Garlic. Hopefully you will still get this (as it's been over 12mths since you posted). Being in Adeliade, may I ask when you plant/harvest, and any other ideas that may assist me (ie glass house/ in the open/ type of fertilizer if used - natural (cow/horse/chicken etc), and any other tips you would suggest. Regards.
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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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Heres an answer for garlic, I grow about 300 plants a year and get good results with about 90% of the cloves coming in at 5cm in diameter plus. Season. Garlic takes up to 9 months to mature. Plant in autumn, late March to May, harvest November to December. Clove selection. Plant only the largest cloves, at least the size of your top thumb joint, I have big hands so I plant cloves 2- 2.5 cm across. Its easy to eat the biggest and the best, its better to plant the biggest and the best. Spacing. I plant 15 - 18 cloves per square metre, 25cm apart in rows 25 cm apart. With 30 cm + paths between 4 rows. It's easy to crowd them, and the yield in terms of weight may be much the same, but bigger garlic are a lot more fun and much easier to use in the kitchen. Sunlight. Whilst garlic can tolerate low sun during the winter months it needs 8 hours direct sunlight during the early and late growth stages. So lots of clear sky when it's maturing, September onwards. If your nutrition is right, (and soil acidity is right) then water could be the problem. While not much water is needed in winter, the ground should be kept moist through the season, especially in spring. A shallow watering is best the roots don't go down more than 30 cm max. Once to twice week during the maturing season. We cant control the weather, but avoid flooding (and applications of nutirients) during the final few weeks to lessen the chance of fungus attacks and sprouting. Garlic likes a moderate amount of lime (dolomite), you can rely on the recommended amount at least two weeks before planting and once every three years. Maturity. Look for tops fading in colour, a weakening of the stem near the base and a flattening of the top of the bulb when (gently) exposed Thats a lot and there's a lot more. It's a labour of love and a lifetime. And I'm sure others will have other suggestions, this is just a framework of what has worked for me. Planting at the moment actually. Regarding shallots most of the above also applies but Im not much of an authority. Shorter season length, but most of the above applies. I plant under the same conditions as garlic but only a few dozen and get good results.

- Ken WIlson

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Growing Garlic

Allium sativum : Amaryllidaceae / the onion family

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Garlic

Your comments and tips

Gardenate

Keep your garden growing - see what to plant right now

Growing Garlic

Allium sativum : Amaryllidaceae / the onion family

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Garlic

Your comments and tips

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