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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28 May 13, Harry Butler (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Go for it right now and best to buy seed stock from your local nursery or mitre 10. Your first crop should have been in by now and subsequent crops up until mid June. You should be able to keep yourself in supply for the whole year with 3 crops well spaced. There is no excuse for buying the imported rubbish.
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23 Feb 13, Robert (Australia - temperate climate)
From Melbourne, born again organic gardner, just started on garlic late last autum here , a whole 2 bulbs! Good size and taste. Put some more in around late November, healthy but small bulbs, hower very tasty and nothing like the unadventurous supermarket variety. Looking forward to planting plenty this season.
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06 Apr 10, Chris (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
We planted 2 bulbs worth of cloves last winter and they were brilliant. Just buy them from the market - make sure they have some roots left on them, separate the cloves (don't peel) and plant pointy end up. We harvested 2 lots in Oct then Dec. The earlier ones were biggest, and I'm guessing that it was the stock that they came from which made the difference.
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05 Apr 10, minloo (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Where can I buy a commercial quantity of garlic seed??
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04 Apr 10, Lillie Hugill (Australia - tropical climate)
We eat lots of garlic, I put garlic in all my cooking,as such I spend a small forutne buying local garlic. I thought its best I grow my own. I am now in the same predicament as Donna and Matthew, I am strugglling to buy garlic shoots. Appreciate if someone could point me in the right direction please.
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04 Apr 10, Debra (Australia - temperate climate)
I'm in the same boat as Donna and Mathew - rural WA so markets aren't really a good place to buy, most shops only sell the chemically treated China garlic which won't germinate. Diggers have about 8 varieties of garlic but can't get them or potato to WA. Would like to be able to grow different varieties but can't get them locally anywhere. Help please - any seedlings I've seen have all been the plain white variety (Bunnings locally and Benara Nurseries will deliver)
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12 Jul 10, molly (Australia - temperate climate)
Garlic can be sent to WA, I've just ordered some, it does cost though... garlicfarmsales.com.au/ Just add the www. to the front of it cheers, molly
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12 May 10, tony (Australia - temperate climate)
hello,is there a good hot garlic verietiy that i can plant in the warmer months,such as summer.
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03 Apr 10, cees koeman (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
what is the best variety of garlic to plant in the high country 1200meters above sealevel .Snowy mountains of NSW. and where do I buy ? I want to start now! Thanks ,Cees.
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02 Apr 10, lee (Australia - temperate climate)
hi, we would love to grow organic garlic but i have no idea where to buy seeds/bulbs,can you buy them online,we are in port macqurie,will they grow in our climate?
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Showing 451 - 460 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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