Growing Garlic

Allium sativum : Amaryllidaceae / the onion family

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

(Best months for growing Garlic in Australia - cool/mountain 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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22 Nov 11, Chandra Akhil (Australia - temperate climate)
Hello Barb Burnet ! When you are ready to sell your Golden Australian Garlic seeds please let me know I will be interested to buy some. My email contact is [email protected] Looking forward to hear from you. Regards Chandra Akhil.
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22 Nov 11, Chandra Akhil (Australia - temperate climate)
I just want to make a comment on Brianna Dall's comment dated 22 Aug. 11. where she said that "the import stuff has been treated to not germinate". With all due respect to Brianna that is not so. I have used the "import stuff" on numerous ocassion in my garden and it has germinated well.
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11 Apr 14, Kare McPhee (Australia - temperate climate)
Where did you buy your Chinese Garlic? Would like to purchase some that actually grows.
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13 Feb 12, Sammy (Australia - temperate climate)
Me too they work extremely well this is my second year I have been using supermarket bought Chinese garlic
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16 Nov 11, Barb Burnet (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
This year my beautiful aussie golden garlic." the pearls of life' has grown better than ever. And it has been very wet down here. planted iin March and pulled all in Oct. ! sadly I will have to move so will have to sell most of my garlic seed. over the years of growing same seed in different states,.. healthy soil, lime ,& blood and bone. and love.
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17 Jan 12, Cynthia (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi Barb, I would love to buy some garlic seed from you. please email me [email protected] Thanks!
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28 Oct 11, Bruce (Australia - temperate climate)
Yes plant them! They should grow. Normally they shoot in autumm and are starting to dry off now ready for harvest next month.
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18 Oct 11, angela (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Greg,I bought a heap of garlic from a shop and havent used it,it is now October can I plant the shooting bulbs or do I just throw them away?Seems a waste.Thank you
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22 Aug 11, Brianna Dall (Australia - temperate climate)
Janis you can buy Garlic 'seed' gloves at any good garden nursery. Or if your local green grocery sells local Australian garlic you can just break off the gloves and plant those. It need to be Australian garlic, the import stuff has been treated to not germinate.
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27 Jul 11, Ross Turner (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
It would appear that I am too late to get russian bulbs for planting this year from commercial supplier. If there is anyone near Ipswich in Queensland who is able to spare a couple of cloves, I would be very grateful.
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Showing 381 - 390 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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