Growing Garlic

Allium sativum : Amaryllidaceae / the onion family

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

(Best months for growing Garlic in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • P = Plant cloves

September: Garlic can overwinter. Cover with a good layer of mulch . In areas where frost persists into March/ April, expect to harvest your garlic in June/July.

October: Garlic can overwinter. Cover with a good layer of mulch . In areas where frost persists into March/ April, expect to harvest your garlic in June/July.

  • 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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16 Jul 18, Ray S (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
You could certainly try planting now, the sooner the better because garlic needs to go through the cold to get a decent size to it. The plants are totally unaffected by frosts down to at least -12°C which is what we get here in July. Just for your information, I usually plant garlic late March for a November harvest. In Goulburn you could probably wait until April/May. Good luck with it.
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17 Jul 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
A saying - plant the shortest day of the year and harvest the longest day. 21st June - 21st Dec.
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15 Jun 18, Jeff Hann (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
During the garlic growing period. What fertiliser, how often & how much to use, please.
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16 Jun 18, Mike L (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
If you started with good rich soil then you don't need to add more fert. Any all round fert will do. 10-14 N 4-8 P 10-14K @ 2-3 teaspoons per 9 L of water. Or use an organic fert at the recommended rate.
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09 Jun 18, (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
I live in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. I would like to know if I can plant garlic, tomatoe and green pepper now that it is mid-june?This is my first time to plant vege.
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09 Jun 18, Juping (New Zealand - temperate climate)
How and when do you grow garlic from seeds? I live in Wellington. Thank you.
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02 Jul 18, Cathrine (New Zealand - temperate climate)
I live in Wellington and have garlic growing currently from clove. I like growing things from seed but growing from clove is far more efficient if it’s for a kitchen garden. I opted for organic garlic from Commonsense. Plant directly in situ pointed end up into a 5-7cm deep hole, July is ok, takes about 6 months before ready to harvest.
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25 May 18, vivien pietersen (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
Looking to start producing garlic and live in Eastern Cape (stutterheim). Would appreciate knowing the best variety to grow.. is shade cloth needed... many thanks
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23 May 18, Bill Govender (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
II live ion the north coast of KZN. When can I plant garlic for home use
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15 May 18, Jodie (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Can garlic grow in pots
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Showing 361 - 370 of 919 comments
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my Zone 10A garlic, all in rectangular containers 24" length x 7.5" width, x 6.5" height, is sprouting well also, with some shoots up to about two inches. I had several garlic bulbs I intentionally kept in my refrigerator for a couple months, divided them into cloves, peeled them to avoid mold and decay, and kept the separated cloves open to the light at room temperature until they started sprouting. When the majority had tiny green shoots, I selected the best cloves (solid, no spongy or discolored parts) and planted them shallow with the very top of the clove showing as per advice from an internet container gardening site. I am really being careful not to overwater and it looks like all the cloves sprouted green shoots, but after a couple weeks I did have birds pull up maybe eight out of thirty or so of the newly sprouted cloves, so I replanted the missing ones with a more cloves, then added about an inch more soil over the top, and so far the birds have not raided again with the cloves now about two inches deep. Lesson learned: the internet advice for container gardening to plant the cloves with the tip showing is an invitation to be raided by birds. Solution: plant deeper, maybe two inches below the soil surface, even in shallow containers.

- Dave in California Zone 10A

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