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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01 Jul 09, Al (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Is garlic a good companion plant for potatotes? Or should potatoes grow in their own space?
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23 Jun 09, Garry (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
The aussie garlic seems to grow well in Coraki.Nth NSW.
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08 Jun 09, potato queen (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
aussie Garlic season starts again in Aug/Sept. Aussie garlic has small cloves unless you buy the Russian (elephant) garlic (still Aussie) which is related to leeks. Chinese garlic looks better because it has been bleached and sprayed with a sprout deterent (which is why you wont grow cloves from Chinese garlic only green shoots). Aussie garlic is better for you & supports our ecomony (it is expensive because we only grow 10% of the garlic we use , our farmers are not subsidised and can charge for the good quality they produce).
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29 May 09, Tricia (Australia - temperate climate)
I want to plant some garlic, but Im really confused as to what type! I have bought some local garlic as well as chinese, the chinese cloves look so much better and the local is very small! help!! can someone tell me the difference between them apart from looks?
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26 May 09, patsy (Australia - temperate climate)
I have just put in my cloves but this time in large pots where tomatoes have just finished up. Soil was well fertilised home made from compost with added magnesium. Cloves are Australian as the Chinese are apparently bleached. Looking forward to great garlic, fingers crossed. Good for the chooks too. Natural wormer:)
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20 May 09, David (Australia - temperate climate)
Kembo: Power feed? something like seaweed solution? If so then you are wasting money! To make strong garlic water less frequently, when the cloves start to form let the plant dry out a couple of times. Not sure why you would want to though? Wet sweet garlic straight from the garden is superb.
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18 May 09, Sandy (Australia - temperate climate)
I may be moving house shortly, but would still like a crop of garlic this year. Can I plant garlic in pots, so I can take the plants with me? Selfishly, I don't want to leave them for the next occupants! Thanks.
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11 May 09, kembo (Australia - temperate climate)
Have planted a few cloves of garlic and they're sprouting nicely but wondering what else they need in the way of fertilizer. We power feed every 3 or so days and water regularly. Soils pretty good. We want to make sure they're good and pungent when they're ready to eat, any hints?
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04 May 09, Barb Burnet (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I have planted 2500 garlic cloves in prepared raised ( well drained soil) with lots of grass mulch . 4weeks later little shoots appearing daily. Needs warm sun and plenty rain.Good luck.
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19 Apr 09, kembo (Australia - temperate climate)
thanks for all the tips, haven't tried garlic but we love it so we're looking forward to growing our own :)
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Showing 491 - 500 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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