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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08 Apr 10, Raji (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I planted organic garlic cloves which started to grow in the basket last year around June 22nd and harvested a healthy crop around December. Make sure the garlic cloves are from Australia and not imported - even better if it is organic.
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06 Apr 10, daga (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
i want to plant garlic now'. Is it right time? Pl advice. I am in melbourne.can i plant same bulb we used daily or can get seeds for this. Thanks
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28 May 13, Harry Butler (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Go for it right now and best to buy seed stock from your local nursery or mitre 10. Your first crop should have been in by now and subsequent crops up until mid June. You should be able to keep yourself in supply for the whole year with 3 crops well spaced. There is no excuse for buying the imported rubbish.
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23 Feb 13, Robert (Australia - temperate climate)
From Melbourne, born again organic gardner, just started on garlic late last autum here , a whole 2 bulbs! Good size and taste. Put some more in around late November, healthy but small bulbs, hower very tasty and nothing like the unadventurous supermarket variety. Looking forward to planting plenty this season.
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06 Apr 10, Chris (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
We planted 2 bulbs worth of cloves last winter and they were brilliant. Just buy them from the market - make sure they have some roots left on them, separate the cloves (don't peel) and plant pointy end up. We harvested 2 lots in Oct then Dec. The earlier ones were biggest, and I'm guessing that it was the stock that they came from which made the difference.
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05 Apr 10, minloo (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Where can I buy a commercial quantity of garlic seed??
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04 Apr 10, Lillie Hugill (Australia - tropical climate)
We eat lots of garlic, I put garlic in all my cooking,as such I spend a small forutne buying local garlic. I thought its best I grow my own. I am now in the same predicament as Donna and Matthew, I am strugglling to buy garlic shoots. Appreciate if someone could point me in the right direction please.
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04 Apr 10, Debra (Australia - temperate climate)
I'm in the same boat as Donna and Mathew - rural WA so markets aren't really a good place to buy, most shops only sell the chemically treated China garlic which won't germinate. Diggers have about 8 varieties of garlic but can't get them or potato to WA. Would like to be able to grow different varieties but can't get them locally anywhere. Help please - any seedlings I've seen have all been the plain white variety (Bunnings locally and Benara Nurseries will deliver)
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12 Jul 10, molly (Australia - temperate climate)
Garlic can be sent to WA, I've just ordered some, it does cost though... garlicfarmsales.com.au/ Just add the www. to the front of it cheers, molly
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12 May 10, tony (Australia - temperate climate)
hello,is there a good hot garlic verietiy that i can plant in the warmer months,such as summer.
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Showing 771 - 780 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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