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 - sub-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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19 Sep 17, Fred (Australia - temperate climate)
If I harvest my garlic cloves in October can I store them til planting in April
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09 Nov 17, Dale (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Yes. Make sure they are healthy and are a good size.
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13 Sep 17, Saffron (Australia - temperate climate)
I have planted garlic 4 weeks ago I water them everyday, Prior to planting I seperate cloves, I'm wondering when they'll be ready ? It is getting into warmer weather here around 17-23 degrees everyday. Also the green leaves have become soft and are no longer upright they're so soft and floppy.
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14 Sep 17, Patrick (Australia - temperate climate)
I think Garlic takes a lot longer than 4 weeks to be ready (i think closer to 6 months)
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17 Sep 17, Tony (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
As the garlic profile says above, planting time was autumn. Pay attention to the saying: "Plant on the shortest day and harvest on the longest".
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26 Aug 17, Alan (Australia - temperate climate)
Planted garlic in June in pots and in vege patch. All plants growing well until 2 weeks ago when I started noticing yellowing of leaves any remedies please
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28 Aug 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
"Yellow tips are such a common garlic phenomenon that many consider it “normal.” They can be caused by any number of stressors: a hard winter, a warm spell followed by a freezing spell, mild nutrient deficiencies or imbalances, too much or too little water; a little of this and that. I don’t worry about yellow tips. My garlics usually get them. Everything I read says that unless they are extreme, yields should not be affected. However, yellow stripes, splotches, speckles, leaf curl, thickened leaves, purple veins, or other abnormalities indicate something more serious is going on: soil deficiencies, insect infestations, fungal growth." Google and read up about it.
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28 Aug 17, Darren (Australia - temperate climate)
If the leaves are yellowing, and look like they are dying, it is possible your garlic is ready.
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19 Aug 17, Charles Schembri (Australia - temperate climate)
Where can I buy garlic for planting.. Would be OK to plant now
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21 Aug 17, Mike (Australia - temperate climate)
From the notes on this page. "Garlic is traditionally planted in cold weather and harvest in summer ("plant on the shortest day, harvest on the longest"). Try Tooley Garlic. Google it.
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Showing 201 - 210 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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