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 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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28 Apr 10, peter (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi, We can supply organic Russian garlic seed if you need some. We are in Coffs area cheers Pete
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04 Nov 10, Garry (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hey i am after some Russian Garlic Peter,Can you help me out ? [email protected]
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29 Mar 10, Cathii (Australia - temperate climate)
@Donna & Mathew ... I tend to just pick up a few heads of garlic from green grocers or supermarkets. You can find some 'seed' suppliers at the Canningvale Markets on Bannister road.
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27 Mar 10, Donna and Mathew Anderson (Australia - temperate climate)
Could you please advise on where we can buy Garlic seed supplies from in Western Australia. Starting to get very frustrated. We feel we have just about exhausted all avenues. Your help would be greatly appreciated
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12 Apr 16, lenard mcglew (Australia - temperate climate)
we also would like to know where to purchase the Australian garlic [preferably]
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26 Jan 16, Deb Ross (Australia - temperate climate)
I live in the New England area, Australia.I live in Inverell; I am wondering what would be the best type of garlic to grow in this area. Cold winters and hot summers. Any advice would be welcomed. Deb
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14 Mar 10, Miranda (Australia - temperate climate)
When is the right time to plant garlic and soil preparation for Melbourne climate.
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28 Dec 09, Vicki (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Has anyone had any experience of garlic virus? Is is easy to recognise, and is it a problem anyway? I've heard that it may affect keeping qualities, and also that it can be spread by aphids and/or thrips. I planted several varieties this year, and some were starting to develop yellow "stripes" (lengthwise) on the leaves. I'm not sure if I should be using any of this to plant next year, or whether it's safer to buy new bulbs. If so, does anyone know where I can get certified virus-free bulbs?
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26 Dec 09, (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
my garlic seems to have a head of garlic seed that has shot from the plant that grew well. this started in oct . i have harversted it all. The head is purple and has about 50 tiny garlic bulbs in it and the size of a 50 cent piece i assume this is a head of seed
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19 Dec 09, Julie (Australia - temperate climate)
Well, the large garlic seems to have come good after all! I gave up on it and left it alone, but when I dug up a few, they had fomed cloves after all. I'm sure now that if I had continued to water them they would have split.
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Hi, we have been growing garlic now for 5 years on a pretty small scale, about 1 acre. Have been to field days, read literature & spent too many hours looking on the net. This has to be one of the most frustrating things I have ever been involved with. Some say it is swamp plant & you can't over water, others say to let them dry out a few times as it encourages growth. Heaps of fertilizer, very little fertilizer, sandy soil is best, loam is best etc. etc. Like an earlier post let the bulb tell you, ha ha. But it is true. For our purple garlic plant in March April with mild fertilizer, we use blood & bone. We water as you would any other plant, use a moisture meter or stick you fingers in the soil to see how dry/wet it is. Occasionally top dress with b&b. Pull one out every few weeks & see what it says. One thing that is common to all advice is to not water for the last 3-4 weeks (noted when the leaves start to turn yellow & die off) as this will produce a very slimy skin not easy to work with & hard to stop rot. Again pull one up & have a look at what it's doing, it will let you know same as a citrus, potato or anything else. Just takes time to get to know it. Hope this adds to the confusion, I know I still am.

- John

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