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 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
  • Mature cured garlic
  • Almost ready to harvest
  • Garlic cloves
  • Mature cured garlic
  • Young garlic shoots

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

17 Jul 23, Karen sakas (USA - Zone 10a climate)
Trying to get an answer I’m in west palm beach Florida zone 10. I want to grow garlic. Can I?
11 Nov 10, Gail Ceresia (USA - Zone 5a climate)
How deep shoul garlic be planted. Should I plant the cloves 6 inches deep or 2 inches deep?
28 Sep 20, Joe Trzcinka (USA - Zone 5a climate)
I have had excellent luck planting just about 2 inches deep and 6 to 8 inches apart. I do cover with a few inches of chopped leaves or straw to protect from freeze
04 Aug 11, (USA - Zone 5a climate)
what type of slow release organic furtlizer works best for garlic
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
06 Nov 11, Marlene Allen (USA - Zone 8b climate)
I am trying to find a garlic farm that could supply a larage grocery store. I went to my Krogers store in WIllis , Texas and their garlic was from China. Thank you for your service
07 Jul 14, Julie Carville (USA - Zone 7a climate)
I bought mild garlic, but it is hot and wasn't supposed to be. Is this because I didn't water it steadily or enough, the soil, or some other reason that non-not garlic is hot (taste wise) when I harvest it.
17 Jan 16, Becky (USA - Zone 9b climate)
I live in Ponte Vedra (about 15 miles south of Jacksonville Beach). I grew a little bit of garlic last year in our raised garden bed. It didn't seem to have a lot of flavor. I see that you don't recommend garlic for zone 9B. Why is that?
05 Apr 21, Jack Benimble (USA - Zone 9b climate)
It gets so hot in 9b you have to have a shaded area that receives sunlight. 8 hours in the blazing Florida sun cooks the soil and roots. The hot temperatures that can begin as early as March-April heat up the soil and accelerates growth too quickly which results in smaller bulbs
14 Nov 17, Brittney Benèa Byrd (USA - Zone 9a climate)
I live in Zone 9a. Has anyone had any luck planting garlic in zone 9a? I am going to give it my best shot - it's in my refrigerator. Been reading about vernalization. If it would cool off here for any extended length of time I hope to get my cloves planted.
Showing 1 - 10 of 132 comments

Change the zone at the top of the page to USA -9a (If that is correct for you) - then find onions in the Vegetables and Herbs tab. Do the same for Garlic. You will get an idea of suitable planting times in your zone.

- Liz

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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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