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

23 Nov 08, Susie (Australia - temperate climate)
I also have the same problem as Wayne ... single bulb like an onion and the tops have browned off. I purchased the plant at a local Nursery (Melbourne). I look forward to hearing from anyone on this. I am a first time garlic grower.
16 Nov 08, Jodie (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, could anyone tell me where I can find Australian garlic online?
14 Nov 08, Rosie (Australia - temperate climate)
So happy to have found this site!! I have planted garlic for the first time and it is just starting to flower- i remember reading somewhere that if I cut the flower off the energy which would have been used for the flower goes down into the bulb and makes the garlic stronger. Is this an old wives tale or true??
11 Nov 08, Wayne (Australia - temperate climate)
I planted garlic in march this year and the tops have already statred to brown off. I am in Sydney is this normal??? secondly i pulled up one plant which was only one bulb, the same shape as an onion! where are all the small cloves to make up my bulb???
11 Nov 08, christine bryant (Australia - temperate climate)
I have been growing garlic in north east Victoria for 15years. I grow new Zealand purple and also Russian. I love the flavour of NZ purple and I love the size of the Russian for using in making tomato sauce as it is so big sometimes you only need one clove.So much easier to chop than the other. Nearly every year I get caught with November rain just when I am ready to harvest and lose three quarters of my crop but I think this year I've got it right. I used to grow huge quatities for years but noone ever wanted it so now I am down to just enough for the family.I jar a lot of it in good cold pressed olive oil to have lots for over winter. Any advice needed I'm more than happy to reply cheers chris.
30 Dec 14, Alison Mahony (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Chrisitne, My hubby Hugh and I live in Wangandary and are experimenting with raised garden beds with great success. However, we would like to branch out to larger scale crop of garlic. it would be great to chat with you if you dont mind. Alison
14 Oct 12, Reg (Australia - arid climate)
Hi Cristine I`m a first time grower this season Could you enlighten me with what they mean when they refer to side shooting in garlic, do the shoots grow out the side of the bulb ?I have garlic that is sprouting shoots out the top around the flower stem , have you seen this before? Thanks Reg
29 Oct 08, Jess Harvie (Australia - temperate climate)
I have planted some garlic but I have no idea what type it is, but how many heads of garlic should I expect to get off 1 plant?
27 Oct 08, Chris (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Jane, it's best to plant garlic at the coldest time of the year. Chill the bulbs in the fridge if you don't get really cold weather.
27 Oct 08, Grahame (Australia - temperate climate)
Warren, I have had the same thing happen in some of my red garlics this year. I grow quite a lot and I have them in different beds and soil types this year. The ones that are shooting seem to be the ones in the richest soil and the ones that are getting a lot of water. I suspect too much water is causing the problem but I can't be sure. It's probably time to back off on the water anyway and let them concentrate on setting bulbs. Jane, I reckon late march is the best time to get your garlic in. If you want to grow lots or a few different types I suggest getting some seed garlic. But if your not too concerned about what type you want, find some you like in a good greengrocer - locally grown if you can. I'd steer clear of the imported stuff if I were you as it is treated with all sorts of nasty stuff! Good luck
Showing 531 - 540 of 577 comments

The ones that work best in my region (Brisbane city) are Glen Large. These have been specifically bread to grow well in SE Qld and in the warmer regions. I plant them in raised beds, raised plastic planter boxes from bunnings $20 (about 40cm by 70cm). Keep the cloves in the fridge for about 2-3wks, start planting from late march and finish by early to mid April. Harvest around October.

- Lucas

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