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

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10 Apr 11, Melanie (Australia - temperate climate)
I've seen varying information on when to harvest garlic - some say let it flower, other advice says not to let it flower. Does anyone know which is correct?
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14 Apr 11, elfrieda (Australia - tropical climate)
i have heard that is best to harvest after the flowering when the stem dries up, similar to onions.
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05 Apr 11, Ian (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, you can purchase your seeds through the Diggers Club or Eden seeds. Details for both and other places to find seeds can be located through a search engine such as google. Good luck!
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03 Apr 11, Zora singh (Australia - arid climate)
Where from one can purchase the australian garlic varieties for planting in this season
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04 Apr 11, Alexis (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Zora - The Digger's Club sells garlic for planting (www.diggers.com.au), but it's not cheap, especially if you're not a club member.
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25 Mar 11, Dallas (Australia - tropical climate)
like coriander they thrive next to other plants, companions
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19 Mar 11, Gen (Australia - tropical climate)
Will My Garlic Grow? I am in Venezuela. Normally its 25C peaking at 35C and we go between humid and soggy. I planted a bunch of garlic cloves that had already sprouted in containers on my balcony. They get a half day of direct sun and I'm watering them about every day and a half (when the soil looks dry, before the other herbs wilt) After 2 weeks they all have 5 - 10 cm growth, two have leaves that look grass like the other 5 look sprouty still (they have one twisty stalk thing that hasn't quite separated into leaves ) Should I persist with my garlic or should I rip it out and put in something that has half a chance? It was just an impulse plant when I realized that I had a clove that had sprouted so no big loss if they are a disaster, but I would feel like a super gardener if I could make something other than mint and basil grow.
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29 Jan 11, Ilenora (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
My family uses a lot of garlic cooking, so several times I have tried to plant them, using cloves bought from the grocery store that started to sprout green shoots out the top. I've read on many sites that you can do this and it produces plants. But only a day or two after planting (straight into the garden) the green shoots shrivelled and the cloves quickly rotted and died. This happened, exactly the same, every time. Not one has survived. Why can't they grow? Would it be hot weather, over/under watering, poor soil conditions? I want to get some seeds and see if they work, but I'm not sure if they are going to be any more successful.
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06 Feb 11, Stephen (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Ilenora, I panted garlis brought from the shop (not Chinese) in early october and have just picked some to use in some spag bol and it is beautiful. We have had days of up to 45 degrees and our garlic seems to grow anytime I plant it, but it must not be shooting and do not overwater. Good luck.
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03 Feb 11, James (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi Ilenora, Try planting your cloves before they start shooting - they are too old and past their prime. Youll have more success that way. Plant them in March -> June. youll see a shoot come up in a month or so after planting (so dont be tempted to dig them up to look at their progress.) Also, dont plant chinese garlic from supermarket if you can help it - they have growth inhibitors on them to stop them from reproducing James
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Showing 721 - 730 of 908 comments
See comments for all plants

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.

- Ray S

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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. GardenGrow 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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