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

Post a comment or question Display Newest first | Oldest first, Show comments for USA | for all countries
02 Jun 11, Greg (Australia - temperate climate)
Thanks all - you were on the money. They've just started to poke their heads up!
Reply or Post a new comment
02 Jun 11, pete (Australia - temperate climate)
eh Greg, I had the same deal. the russians are comming through now after six weeks. Seems a week of frosts spurred them on.
Reply or Post a new comment
02 Jun 11, James (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi Greg, dont worry about the russian garlic, it will shoot up. Some take a little longer, some come up straight away. Youll find that they really like full sun - if they have shade during the day they will take a little longer to come up. If you have planted the bulbins (little nut like seed) they will probably not show until early spring, cheers
Reply or Post a new comment
17 May 11, arthur (Australia - temperate climate)
If you want to grow imported garlic purchased from a super market pick out a nice bulb feel around the cloves near the to top, if there is a slight swelling thats the one you want to buy.Get a small con.that will hold water 5mil deep quarter teaspoon thrive or seasol.leave for about three days.plant out 50mil deep.after 2 weeks my plants are now 80 ml high.
Reply or Post a new comment
24 May 11, Phe (Australia - temperate climate)
Thanks, I'm going to try this.
Reply or Post a new comment
10 May 11, Adam (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
One other company for great Garlic is garlicworld.com. They are based in Port Campbell in Victoria, Simon and his wife.I got some lovely Californis purple from them. Not sure if they'd have any left now. A couple of years ago, I got some Purple garlic which came from Chile. I really don't like to buy out of area stuff, but I figured it would be a one off, and haven't bought much since, except for the garlicworld stuff. Melanie, the garlic is ready when the top wilts and leans over, as Jen has said. Sometimes, the plant goes into flowering mode, but usually not, usually it just falls over. The stem that falls is the bit you use to tie it up with, so if you let it die too much, you won't get the protective outer skin, or something to plait it with. I tend to wait until it looks a bit ratty, but hasn't died completely, about a week or so after it keels over. Then I dig it up, don't pull it from the stem, I learned that lesson the first year.!! Hope this helps.
Reply or Post a new comment
02 May 11, Jen (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Hi melanie, Garlic is usally ready to harvest when the stalks brown off and lean over. If you are desperate for some fresh garlic you can harvest a bulb earlier but must put up with the bulb being smaler.... good luck ..it gets easier with every year
Reply or Post a new comment
25 Apr 11, Tony (Australia - temperate climate)
Just wondering what fertilizer i should use for the garlic after planting Kind regards Tony
Reply or Post a new comment
20 Apr 11, Bill (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Another source of organic garlic is Kookaburra Organics(google the name). They are based on the Sunshine Coast (Maleny/Conondale) in Queensland. We've just bought some from them for planting for the first time. They seemed very knowledgeable and definately very helpful.
Reply or Post a new comment
19 Apr 11, Garry (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have been growing my own Garlic for years..i got the first bulb from woollies..since then never had to buy any.
Reply or Post a new comment
Showing 711 - 720 of 908 comments
See comments for all plants

What is the most flavorful garlic? In Central South Carolina (Zone 8A), is hard neck, or softneck garlic, better to plant?

- Mike mahaffy

Please provide your email address if you are hoping for a reply


All comments are reviewed before displaying on the site, so your posting will not appear immediately

Gardenate App

Put Gardenate in your pocket. Get our app for iPhone, iPad or Android to add your own plants and record your plantings and harvests

Planting Reminders

Join 60,000+ gardeners who already use Gardenate and subscribe to the free Gardenate planting reminders email newsletter.


Home | Vegetables and herbs to plant | Climate zones | About Gardenate | Contact us | Privacy Policy

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.
We cannot help if you are overrun by giant slugs.