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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26 May 09, patsy (Australia - temperate climate)
I have just put in my cloves but this time in large pots where tomatoes have just finished up. Soil was well fertilised home made from compost with added magnesium. Cloves are Australian as the Chinese are apparently bleached. Looking forward to great garlic, fingers crossed. Good for the chooks too. Natural wormer:)
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20 May 09, David (Australia - temperate climate)
Kembo: Power feed? something like seaweed solution? If so then you are wasting money! To make strong garlic water less frequently, when the cloves start to form let the plant dry out a couple of times. Not sure why you would want to though? Wet sweet garlic straight from the garden is superb.
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18 May 09, Sandy (Australia - temperate climate)
I may be moving house shortly, but would still like a crop of garlic this year. Can I plant garlic in pots, so I can take the plants with me? Selfishly, I don't want to leave them for the next occupants! Thanks.
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11 May 09, kembo (Australia - temperate climate)
Have planted a few cloves of garlic and they're sprouting nicely but wondering what else they need in the way of fertilizer. We power feed every 3 or so days and water regularly. Soils pretty good. We want to make sure they're good and pungent when they're ready to eat, any hints?
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04 May 09, Barb Burnet (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I have planted 2500 garlic cloves in prepared raised ( well drained soil) with lots of grass mulch . 4weeks later little shoots appearing daily. Needs warm sun and plenty rain.Good luck.
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19 Apr 09, kembo (Australia - temperate climate)
thanks for all the tips, haven't tried garlic but we love it so we're looking forward to growing our own :)
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18 Apr 09, brenda (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
The website of the organic garlic growers I bought my garlic from is www.snog.com.au They do mail order. (Super Natural Organic Garlic) Good luck.
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18 Apr 09, brenda (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
On the Gold Coast at present try to buy organic Australian garlic at the farmers markets. I just bought some in Noosa, so they should have it on the Coast.
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13 Apr 09, Patricia (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Hi Steve, I'm in Canberra and I didn't peel the individual cloves.
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13 Apr 09, Gerry (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Steve, no you don't need to peel garlic cloves before planting, just break up the head and plant individual cloves. Paula, try any specialty shop like spice shops, asian grocers, delicatessens, markets etc, you should be able to get decent local stuff for $30/kg or less. I have an arrangement with a small local supermarket who sell local garlic. They keep all of the loose cloves from the bottom of the garlic bin for me to buy less than 1/2 price.
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Showing 821 - 830 of 909 comments
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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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