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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18 Sep 22, John Downey (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I planted Australian Purple Garlic. Think it's the wrong variety. Grew ok..I think? But has been fairly static for a while. Confusing reading on garlic. Some say plant march and harvest in September.7 months. Most others say it's a 9 month crop. Any advice please. Tia John.
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21 Sep 22, Ruth Lauster (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Hi John, we have been growing hardneck garlic near Barrington Tops for around 8 Years now, found Tasmanian Purple growing best in our climate (700m above sea level), generally hardnecks grow better in cooler climates as oppose to softnecks, generally its a good idea to try a variety of cultivars to find the one that suits your location best! Penny Woodward is an expert, I refer to her books and this website might help https://www.australiangarlic.net.au/
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19 Sep 22, (Australia - tropical climate)
They say plant shortest day and harvest longest day. Maybe sub-tropical plant late April to June. Plants don't grow much in July August - weather cold)
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09 Sep 22, Donna (USA - Zone 7b climate)
I’m in 7b. Will garlic thrive in pots and standing gardens?
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20 Sep 22, Brian Simpson (USA - Zone 6b climate)
Pots are the best place to grow your garlic, make sure you give it lots of fertilizer and do not plan more then 3 garlic bulbs. I started growing ma few in pots this year and they already starting to grow or sprout out, and I'm planting some in pots in a few weeks. So to answer the question Yes it thrive in Pots, raised beds or a small inground garden. Come check out harvest for 2022 on social media
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14 Sep 22, Anonymous (USA - Zone 7b climate)
It says to plant now. It all comes down to how fertile your soil is and whether you water them enough. Pots require more attention.
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18 Aug 22, Clifford S Foy (USA - Zone 8a climate)
bOUGHT GARLIC FROM cOSTCO LAST YEAR AND IT BLOOMED BEAUTIFUL BUT NO GARLIC. wHAT i DID WRONG??
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04 Sep 22, (USA - Zone 6a climate)
Did you plant it the right time of the year.
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18 Aug 22, Kristi (USA - Zone 8b climate)
Hello, we’d like to purchase garlic to grow in FL zone 8b. Which types would you recommend? Thanks so much!
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06 Oct 22, Melinda Schwab (USA - Zone 8a climate)
We use Sam's Club garlic because it is cheap and quickly available.... ours were huge by May after we planted in October. We dug a deep rectangular in ground spot about a foot deep and filled the lower half with horse manure bedding and put blended sandy compost on top of the horse bedding manure (we actually planned on making a "hot bed"/cold frame there but termites usually destroy wood structures here at ground level) and our garlic were big as tennis balls! We recently tried planting in a bed that we didn't put a lot of fertilizer first and got VERY depressing results so I say go big or go home on nutrients in the bed first or you may be disappointed. I really do not think the type as much as the preparation of the bed is what gives the best results. We just wanted a lot of food for the least investment... you may have other goals. Either way... doesn't hurt to fluff up most anyplace with fresh soil/nutrients first.
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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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