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

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19 Oct 15, Suzette van Jaarsveld (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
Planted Garlic April 2015 Namaqualand 40km from the coast of Hondeklipbay.. When should I harvest? Plants started to fall to the ground/lay flat. What can be the reason.
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22 Sep 15, Sharoomadee Naidoo (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate)
Hi, when should I start planting garlic in MALAWI (Mulanje). Thanks.
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10 Aug 15, Pam (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
I buy my seeds online from Living Seeds which supply organic seeds and products. I have had great success with their seeds. I recently found another site called Organic Seeds, but have not as yet bought from them. Both sites have a large variety of all vegetables, Cape Gooseberry and other seeds. Both sites offer assistance from growing, to product use etc.
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02 Aug 15, PERCY KAGISO MARUMO (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
WHICH IS THE BEST GARLIC VARIETY THAT CAN BE GROWING IN BOTSWANA ?
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23 Apr 15, (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
I WANT TO GROW GARLIC IN NORTHERN BOTSWANA . WHEN CAN I START GROWING THE CLOVES AND WHERE DO I GET QUALITY CLOVES?
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21 Apr 15, july (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
I would like to buy a garlic seeds or bulbs and how do I go about it?
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29 Mar 15, faried (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
I would like to start in northen cape kuruman very hot summer and harsh winnter. Would like to put them under shady net
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29 Mar 15, Wessel Otto (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Can you please give me a webpage, with every details about garlic, type of fertilizer very important. What about chicken compost, is it enough. Thanks
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19 Dec 14, manie sequeira (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
my wife and i started a childrens home. is it possible to make money out of garlic on a peace of grownd 35m * 13m.
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19 Jan 15, Vivian (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
Hi, Yes you can. Try www.garlicgrowers.co.za Good luck. rds
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Showing 111 - 120 of 163 comments
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my Zone 10A garlic, all in rectangular containers 24" length x 7.5" width, x 6.5" height, is sprouting well also, with some shoots up to about two inches. I had several garlic bulbs I intentionally kept in my refrigerator for a couple months, divided them into cloves, peeled them to avoid mold and decay, and kept the separated cloves open to the light at room temperature until they started sprouting. When the majority had tiny green shoots, I selected the best cloves (solid, no spongy or discolored parts) and planted them shallow with the very top of the clove showing as per advice from an internet container gardening site. I am really being careful not to overwater and it looks like all the cloves sprouted green shoots, but after a couple weeks I did have birds pull up maybe eight out of thirty or so of the newly sprouted cloves, so I replanted the missing ones with a more cloves, then added about an inch more soil over the top, and so far the birds have not raided again with the cloves now about two inches deep. Lesson learned: the internet advice for container gardening to plant the cloves with the tip showing is an invitation to be raided by birds. Solution: plant deeper, maybe two inches below the soil surface, even in shallow containers.

- Dave in California Zone 10A

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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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