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

Your comments and tips

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05 Jul 20, Mike mahaffy (USA - Zone 8a climate)
What is the most flavorful garlic? In Central South Carolina (Zone 8A), is hard neck, or softneck garlic, better to plant?
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28 Jul 20, John Madison (USA - Zone 9b climate)
Your notes say garlic is not recommended for zone 9 b. Why not? Thanks
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06 Aug 20, Anonymous (USA - Zone 9b climate)
Read the notes here and then think about your climate, weather and soil temperatures. If it says you need this this and that and you don't have those conditions then it is not likely to grow. Some crops are cool weather some need warm/hot temps.
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14 Sep 20, Jett Town (USA - Zone 9b climate)
I live in zone 9b and the commercial farmers harvest their garlic in June and July. Garlic grows well here. I believe that it is planted in January - the soft neck type.
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11 Aug 20, Dan (USA - Zone 7a climate)
I bought a pack of two christopher ranch organic garlic from grocery store. How do I know if it's soft neck or hard neck.
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13 Aug 20, Anonymous (USA - Zone 9a climate)
The Christopher ranch is only the company name, not the variety of garlic. Work out the variety name and google it or ring C R. Google the difference between soft and hard garlic.
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26 Aug 20, Robert (USA - Zone 9b climate)
When you break open the clove of garlic hardneck has a hard stem in the center. Softneck garlic does not. Most grocery store varieties are soft neck.
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24 Oct 20, Pita (USA - Zone 9a climate)
Commercial garlic is treated with something that keeps it from sprouting. I always grow my own garlic and I found out it's the softneck kind because it doesn't make scapes. Softneck garlic types have bigger cloves and last longer than hardneck types. I believe Christoper Ranch garlic is hardneck, but I'm not sure.
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29 Aug 20, Karen Mirikitani (USA - Zone 11b climate)
When do you add grass cuttings or dead leaves to the garden bed when growing garlic?
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31 Aug 20, Anonymous (USA - Zone 3b climate)
Work out if adding to the soil or as a mulch. Google it then.
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Showing 21 - 30 of 126 comments
See comments for all plants

It's best to plant hardneck garlic in zone 6B from the middle to late October or even early November. The key is you want it to be cold, consistently below 45°, at least every night time. The first freezing encounter triggers garlic to start producing roots and that would determine how healthy and large the plants grow. Keep in mind freezing above ground may not equal freezing below ground. If you plant it in too warm a time, like early October, it may stunt the growth. It may even rot the garlic if it's wet too long. You may be able to accelerate the process by keeping in the refrigerator for a few weeks I'm not even know people who have kept it in the freezer for a few days or longer hopefully triggering root growth. I haven't tried that so I don't know.

- Rich

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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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