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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18 May 16, tracey (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate)
I live in pe. Would garlic grow in beach sand or must i ude potting soil? when is best time to plant. I have some cloves with new shoots i would like to try and cultivate
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02 May 16, itireleng mosekiemang (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
i am actually in Botswana. i am very much interested in farming by growing garlic. i am not sure if it is possible to grow it here. can someone give me ideas.
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13 Mar 16, debbie (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
the best way to firtilising carlic
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17 Mar 16, Bee-Pie (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Nitrogen. Add well rotted cow manure as a side dressing if you've already planted your garlic. When cow manure isn't available to me, I use Comfrey or worm tea.
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08 Mar 16, Estelle (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
After planted how long before fully developed
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17 Mar 16, Bee-Pie (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Approximately 200 days.
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09 Feb 16, Johan van der MERWE (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate)
were can i buy gaint garlic seed I am at Ermelo Mpumalanga South Africa
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18 Jan 16, ATHOL HAWKES (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate)
Thanks for the basics of Garlic planting on South Coast Natal - hot & humid. What about soil preparation ?, PH ?; Fertilizers etc?.
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17 Mar 16, Bee-Pie (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Nitrogen. Add cow manure as a side dressing.
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08 Jan 16, Louise (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
What type of soil and pH level for garlic? Do they like a lot of water We are on the south coast, kwa-zulu natal.
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Showing 101 - 110 of 163 comments
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We have put in about a 1/4 acre of Australian White garlic after successfully trialing some last year. We are growing it organically which means hand weeding and mulching with four kids in tow in the middle of winter. We plant in early May and harvest when only a few green leaves are left, the others having turned brown. We didn't fertilise and had great size cloves so we were lucky. I've heard it can be very site specific. We'd be happy to sell mail order bulbs come Dec/Jan when we harvest. If anyone knows of an effective dab-on organic herbicide please let us know, or if you have detailed info on how meticulous the weeding has to be, as the sites I've read say garlic does not compete well with weeds. The mulching really helped with the weeds last year and we found we didn't need to water as the mulch kept the moisture in (we have a nice wet block which also helps).

- Kylie

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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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