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 Oct 11, Stokkers (United Kingdom - cool/temperate climate)
Just wondering. Have any of you started garlic off in modules rather than straight in? I have seen onions started off this way.
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02 Oct 11, elise de Villiers (USA - Zone 5a climate)
Hello! We are in the Toronto, Canada area. We have some lovely garlic seeds - when do we plant these? And by which moon would it be ideal? Many thanks
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22 Aug 11, Brianna Dall (Australia - temperate climate)
Janis you can buy Garlic 'seed' gloves at any good garden nursery. Or if your local green grocery sells local Australian garlic you can just break off the gloves and plant those. It need to be Australian garlic, the import stuff has been treated to not germinate.
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04 Aug 11, (USA - Zone 5a climate)
what type of slow release organic furtlizer works best for garlic
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27 Jul 11, Ross Turner (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
It would appear that I am too late to get russian bulbs for planting this year from commercial supplier. If there is anyone near Ipswich in Queensland who is able to spare a couple of cloves, I would be very grateful.
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13 Jul 11, (Australia - arid climate)
If you have divided the bulb into cloves, plant in the ground with the pointy end upwards about 10 mm from the surface. Bruce
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11 Jul 11, Kate (Australia - temperate climate)
Trying my first lot of garlic; russian and another darker organic one. Do I need to do anything to the cloves before I plant them?
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01 Jul 11, Cygnetian (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I heard an interesting-sounding garlic-growing tip recently (unfortunately just too late for my plantings this year), which was to *not* firm down the soil/compost (or whatever you plant them in) at all, the idea being that the bulbs will grow bigger that way since they *(& their roots, I guess) aren't tightly packed into the growing medium.
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14 Jul 11, sara drummond (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I planted some in June but I aim to put some more in. bought the purple argentinean pack from safeways I know it mid July but I will give them a go today and see what happens in Novemver/December I will take your idea on board to keep the soil cover loose ... having fun in the garden sara
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17 May 11, Greg (Australia - temperate climate)
I planted three varieties of garlic about four weeks ago, including the (large) Russian garlic variety. The other two all came up after about two weeks, but not a single sign of the Russian has come up. Does it normally take longer to come up or have I got a dud batch?
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What is the most flavorful garlic? In Central South Carolina (Zone 8A), is hard neck, or softneck garlic, better to plant?

- Mike mahaffy

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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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