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 New Zealand - cool/mountain 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

17 Feb 13, DARREN (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi I was wondering what type of garlic you planted and where you got it from not all garlic is suited for growing in all areas.Some like cooler areas whereas in brisbane I grow a garlic siuted for my area.I feel this may have been your problem.Try green harvest they have a few variety wich may work better for you.
06 Dec 12, adam (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Hi Cheryl. Usually if the garlic is not formed into cloves, it's because the garlic has been dug too early. I usually dig mine once a couple of the leaves have gone yellow, and are clearly dying, but the middle few leaves are still green. The timing is different every year because of rain, dryness etc. This year i planted in March, but had to dig early because some were going mouldy. You just can't tell. Could that have been it.? But you can just eat it as normal. It's the good thhing about garlic, you can eat it no matter what it looks like.
12 Nov 12, Janet Catesby (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have just harvested my first crop of garlic and I cut off the stems (probably should not have) and cleaned them and left them in a dry bowl to dry out. I noticed today that they are sprouting! Help.
13 Nov 12, (Australia - temperate climate)
Next year just dig them up leaving the soil on them and lay the whole plant out on a rack to dry in the shade outside but out of the rain.When the tops are completly dry just pull them off and rub the soil off the bulb.
02 Nov 12, Amber (Australia - tropical climate)
Hi I would like to no what dose it mean when the stem of my garlic gets round polps in it. Its like it is growing more garlic up the stem.
25 Jan 13, Jennifer (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Amber, this is the garlic plant's other option for reproducing. You can plant the bulblets and they will turn into a garlic.. They need12 month longer than the garlic grown from cloves.
21 Oct 12, (Australia - tropical climate)
I find it very difficult to get Australian garlic in my local area of Lismore NSW. How hard is it to grow in our area which is the Northern Rivers.
16 Jan 13, Anita (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hiya, I'm also in Lismore :) Have you found any good sources of garlic yet? I'm having visions of planting huge amounts of garlic all around my new fruit orchard- both for fun and pest control :)
28 Oct 12, Vai (Australia - temperate climate)
You should have no problem. Just choose the right type of garlic. Diggers Club (www.diggers.com.au) sells a variety called Southern Glen which is suitable for warmer climates. I'm growing the same even though I'm in Melbourne and mine are about to be harvested. Good luck.
12 Oct 12, Rupa bodasing (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate)
I live in Kzn,on the North coast,i would like 2 knw da best time for planting garlic
Showing 651 - 660 of 908 comments

It is a bit of trial and error. Have good draining soil. Little plants need little waterings more often, daily, big plants a lot more water less often, 2-3 times per week. General rule dig down into the soil 50-70mm to see how moist the soil is. You will quickly learn that say a crop of lettuce might need 60 sec of watering. Whereas some mature tomatoes plants need 2-3 minutes.

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