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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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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Showing 461 - 470 of 577 comments
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Lucky for you, you're in the same climate zone as the famous garlic producing town of Gilroy, CA. I understand they plant around late October/November and harvest in June or July. I'm not sure what the result will be for you since you planted yours later and garlic needs a very long season. Try pulling them up in July. If your weather gets very hot before then I'd put some light shade cloth over the garlic to bring the temperature down a few degrees. You may find that your bulbs are smaller than you hoped for, or that it only makes one large clove instead of separate cloves. They should still be good, just not ideal. Then try planting again around Halloween and your garlic should be much bigger next year. Btw, I'm not sure why the chart says garlic shouldn't be planted in 9a. Certainly 9a on the West Coast can and does plant it.

- Anonymous

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