Growing Garlic

Allium sativum : Amaryllidaceae / the onion family

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

(Best months for growing Garlic in Australia - tropical 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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09 Oct 18, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Black garlic Black garlic is a type of aged garlic which is attributed to be browned by the Maillard reaction rather than caramelized, first used as a food ingredient in Asian cuisine. It is made by heating whole bulbs of garlic over the course of several weeks, a process that results in black cloves. The taste is sweet and syrupy with hints of balsamic vinegar or tamarind. See more online
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14 Sep 18, Sue (Australia - temperate climate)
I have a garlic that has green shoots coming out of each clove. Is it still possible to plant the cloves now in the South West of WA? Thanks
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14 Sep 18, Mike (Australia - temperate climate)
Read the first line in the notes here.
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06 Sep 18, Nikki (USA - Zone 5a climate)
When is the best time to plant garlic in Western Colorado and southeastern Utah
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06 Sep 18, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Have a look here, www.gardenate.com/plant/Garlic?zone=11 You can find planting information by using the Vegetables and Herbs tab, then setting your zone at the top of the page for your chosen vegetable.
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29 Aug 18, Ruth Munro (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Can you still plant garlic in late August in castlemaine?. Its still freezing here minus 3 at night.
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31 Aug 18, Sue (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
You could give it a try but I doubt there will be time for the bulbs to develop as all the energy will go into leaf development. In Daylesford we plant in April/May and harvest around December. They also seem to like moist, cool weather and hopefully we are running out of that. Last year though, the cockies took all the tops off mine around this time so they had to grow new leaves and we still had good bulb development so you could give it a try. Let us know how you go.
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30 Aug 18, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
It does suggest to plant April May - have a think about it.
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13 Aug 18, Michael (Australia - temperate climate)
Over the last couple of years I have had really poor garlic crops which I have put down to fusarium rot. I have since read that it is endemic to Australian garlic (shop purchased).Same this year , so I bought some Mexican or Argentinian stock, planted it in April and it grew beautifully, until most of it started to sprout shoots up the middle from the developing cloves. I left it until the middle of July then pulled it all up.to use as soft fresh garlic. Surprisingly about 10% of the plants were fully mature and dried well, also had a very good root system.Too much N2 climate change or just a warm Perth Autumn. My Australian garlic (March) is still struggling away Any other ideas
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14 Aug 18, Mike L (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Perth's climate is the opposite to East Coast - wet winter and dry summer. It says here plant April to June. It takes about 6 mths for garlic to grow. Maybe better to plant May or June - don't over fertilise it. It is variable weather - not climate change. Climate is the weather of 30 years.
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Showing 151 - 160 of 577 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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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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