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

19 Oct 13, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Garlic cloves were planted late March early April due the very wet soil. Location Killivan Qld . Wondering why No flowers have appeared yet. Usually harvest in November.
01 Sep 13, BABUGHIRANA (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
CAN I GET GARLIC SEEDS HERE IN UGANDA? BECAUSE THE PEOPLE I HAVE SEEN TELL ME BULBS MUST BE KEPT FOR ATLEAST 1YR BEFORE PLANTING AND I WANT TO QUANT THIS YEAR
28 Aug 13, Rebecca Nankya (USA - Zone 13b climate)
Can i grow Garlic in Uganda ? In which seasons and how to plant.
17 Aug 13, fred (Australia - tropical climate)
what is the best variety of garlic to grow in NQLD for commercial production
29 Oct 13, allen (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
i grow purple stripe at childers qld i have found it easy to grow.harvesting late aug.i have 50000 seed to plant this year. allen
12 Aug 13, (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate)
can garlic be planted under shadenet
07 Aug 13, gino (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
hi all am i to late to plant garlic this weekend comming ? thanks for your advice.
30 Jul 13, Rick (Australia - temperate climate)
Is it too late to plant Garlic now?
07 Aug 13, Kevin (Australia - temperate climate)
Probably is too late,I always plant in March,however it does depend on your soil temperature,why not plant them nothing to lose and cover with black plastic which will raise the Temp of the soil. As soon as the green shoots come through remove the cover.
28 Jul 13, Jo (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi All, First time planting garlic. Cloves in start of June, came up beautifully, but the leaves (some - not all) are yellowing and they dont look happy. We have had a run of seriously horrible frosts - would that do it ?. thanks
Showing 621 - 630 of 919 comments

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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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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