Growing Garlic

Allium sativum : Amaryllidaceae / the onion family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
    P P P P            

(Best months for growing Garlic in Australia - temperate regions)

  • P = Plant cloves
  • 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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20 Sep 22, Brian Simpson (USA - Zone 6b climate)
Pots are the best place to grow your garlic, make sure you give it lots of fertilizer and do not plan more then 3 garlic bulbs. I started growing ma few in pots this year and they already starting to grow or sprout out, and I'm planting some in pots in a few weeks. So to answer the question Yes it thrive in Pots, raised beds or a small inground garden. Come check out harvest for 2022 on social media
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14 Sep 22, Anonymous (USA - Zone 7b climate)
It says to plant now. It all comes down to how fertile your soil is and whether you water them enough. Pots require more attention.
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18 Aug 22, Clifford S Foy (USA - Zone 8a climate)
bOUGHT GARLIC FROM cOSTCO LAST YEAR AND IT BLOOMED BEAUTIFUL BUT NO GARLIC. wHAT i DID WRONG??
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04 Sep 22, (USA - Zone 6a climate)
Did you plant it the right time of the year.
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18 Aug 22, Kristi (USA - Zone 8b climate)
Hello, we’d like to purchase garlic to grow in FL zone 8b. Which types would you recommend? Thanks so much!
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06 Oct 22, Melinda Schwab (USA - Zone 8a climate)
We use Sam's Club garlic because it is cheap and quickly available.... ours were huge by May after we planted in October. We dug a deep rectangular in ground spot about a foot deep and filled the lower half with horse manure bedding and put blended sandy compost on top of the horse bedding manure (we actually planned on making a "hot bed"/cold frame there but termites usually destroy wood structures here at ground level) and our garlic were big as tennis balls! We recently tried planting in a bed that we didn't put a lot of fertilizer first and got VERY depressing results so I say go big or go home on nutrients in the bed first or you may be disappointed. I really do not think the type as much as the preparation of the bed is what gives the best results. We just wanted a lot of food for the least investment... you may have other goals. Either way... doesn't hurt to fluff up most anyplace with fresh soil/nutrients first.
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06 Aug 22, R Hulse (USA - Zone 7b climate)
There are several types of garlic, but the main two are hardneck and softneck. Hardneck is for colder climates and softneck is for warmer climates. Not sure about elephant garlic or any of the others but you can search the internet to find out what zones they grow best in.
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09 Jul 22, Terry Scott (USA - Zone 3b climate)
I'm confused, nothing is said about over wintering for garlic, I live in zone 3b. Can I do all the above prep and cover with hay in my plot?
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03 Jul 22, Rhonda Bowen (USA - Zone 6b climate)
Just to clarify what I think I understand…. If I buy one bulb of garlic and break it apart into individual cloves, I plant each clove and expect to get a growing bulb. Am I one the right track here?
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05 Jul 22, (USA - Zone 4a climate)
Yes one clove will then grow and produce a new clump of cloves.
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Showing 61 - 70 of 136 comments
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Heres an answer for garlic, I grow about 300 plants a year and get good results with about 90% of the cloves coming in at 5cm in diameter plus. Season. Garlic takes up to 9 months to mature. Plant in autumn, late March to May, harvest November to December. Clove selection. Plant only the largest cloves, at least the size of your top thumb joint, I have big hands so I plant cloves 2- 2.5 cm across. Its easy to eat the biggest and the best, its better to plant the biggest and the best. Spacing. I plant 15 - 18 cloves per square metre, 25cm apart in rows 25 cm apart. With 30 cm + paths between 4 rows. It's easy to crowd them, and the yield in terms of weight may be much the same, but bigger garlic are a lot more fun and much easier to use in the kitchen. Sunlight. Whilst garlic can tolerate low sun during the winter months it needs 8 hours direct sunlight during the early and late growth stages. So lots of clear sky when it's maturing, September onwards. If your nutrition is right, (and soil acidity is right) then water could be the problem. While not much water is needed in winter, the ground should be kept moist through the season, especially in spring. A shallow watering is best the roots don't go down more than 30 cm max. Once to twice week during the maturing season. We cant control the weather, but avoid flooding (and applications of nutirients) during the final few weeks to lessen the chance of fungus attacks and sprouting. Garlic likes a moderate amount of lime (dolomite), you can rely on the recommended amount at least two weeks before planting and once every three years. Maturity. Look for tops fading in colour, a weakening of the stem near the base and a flattening of the top of the bulb when (gently) exposed Thats a lot and there's a lot more. It's a labour of love and a lifetime. And I'm sure others will have other suggestions, this is just a framework of what has worked for me. Planting at the moment actually. Regarding shallots most of the above also applies but Im not much of an authority. Shorter season length, but most of the above applies. I plant under the same conditions as garlic but only a few dozen and get good results.

- Ken WIlson

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