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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01 Sep 21, Melinda Schwab (USA - Zone 8a climate)
We always prepare our garlic beds in late September and the first week of October plant our garlic and have had great luck with this. Best of luck with yours this year! Hope this helps. ~Melinda
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29 Aug 21, (USA - Zone 7b climate)
It has a bit different times for 7b to 8a - you work out what is the best. Read and google about growing it.
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02 Jul 21, Vicki (USA - Zone 7b climate)
What is the best garlic to grow in Virginia Zone 7b?
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31 May 21, Mary Manion (USA - Zone 7a climate)
My first year growing German Red Garlic I bought from Burpee's and planted last early November, in 7A South Jersey, USA. Late frost, then huge temperature variations and a heat wave of 97 last week is doing us in! I have been careful to keep it watered. But suddenly after that lots of my spring greens bolted and my garlic- which did NOT flower- just started to fall over and turn yellow. I have left them in the ground as it was not supposed to harvest until mid July! Any chance it will spring back? Should I cut the stem off? Thanks for advice!
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12 May 21, Anonymous (USA - Zone 7a climate)
I always grow my garlic from grocery store garlic, if I have no planting cloves of my own. I am in zone7...it alwAys germinated and proceeds to grow beautiful large garlic! I ordered some a good while back from a reputable gardening site, and it did NOT do well...almost no bulbs,
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18 Feb 21, Wynny (USA - Zone 9a climate)
I live in zone 9a. It is Feb. 17. I would like to know (since I already planted the garlic today) when I can (or can't) harvest. Will I be able to harvest this year, or will I have to wait until next year?Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall?
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22 Feb 21, Anonymous (USA - Zone 10b climate)
Lucky for you, you're in the same climate zone as the famous garlic producing town of Gilroy, CA. I understand they plant around late October/November and harvest in June or July. I'm not sure what the result will be for you since you planted yours later and garlic needs a very long season. Try pulling them up in July. If your weather gets very hot before then I'd put some light shade cloth over the garlic to bring the temperature down a few degrees. You may find that your bulbs are smaller than you hoped for, or that it only makes one large clove instead of separate cloves. They should still be good, just not ideal. Then try planting again around Halloween and your garlic should be much bigger next year. Btw, I'm not sure why the chart says garlic shouldn't be planted in 9a. Certainly 9a on the West Coast can and does plant it.
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19 Feb 21, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Read the planting notes at the top of the page. Harvest times . Also it does not recommend planting garlic in your climate zone.
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07 Nov 20, Cici (USA - Zone 6a climate)
Other advise different from this is you can't just dry garlic for a day. Should be 2-3 weeks in shade with plenty of air circulation. Only way it will keep for 6-12 months depending on variety. I hang mine in an open shed/barn. Then trim off leaves and roots and store in cool dry place for long term storage.
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09 Nov 20, Anonymous (USA - Zone 9b climate)
You could dig up and dry for a day, but in storing them put them in an open tray only one bulb/clump deep. Don't store in a big clump - they will sweat and rot. Your suggestion is pretty spot on. I pull my shallot bulbs out and leave them in the sun for a week or two. Trim the top off and put them in a tray 40mm x 60mm about 50cm deep. Store in the shade so they have air flow around them.
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In my zone, because it's warm, you need to do cold stratification in the frig before planting. I tried before with store garlic and it didn't work, now I bought softneck, put in the frig a few weeks and they are doing great.

- Michelle

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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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