Garlic makes everything in life better. And since it’s pretty easy to grow your own, we thought it was time to write a guide for people who are just starting out on how to grow great garlic. Whether you’ve only got a windowsill or a whole garden bed spare right now, get some garlic in!.
This crop takes up very little space, and if you work it hard at the beginning, you can get huge yields. A year’s supply of organic, homegrown garlic for your household, from just a few square meters. Who doesn’t want that?.
The picture above shows the garlic we grew at our back door last year. It took only four square meters to grow. It’s delicious, it’s highly medicinal, and it’s so much cheaper to grow your own. Here’s how you do it.
Firstly, seek out a good source of organic, Australian garlic – preferably locally, if you can manage it. When garlic from other countries comes into Australia, it is often irradiated or sprayed with methyl bromide. It is usually not good for planting, and you shouldn’t eat it either.
Ok so there’s two main kinds of garlic – hardneck, and softneck. Hardneck garlic develops a hard central stem – these are the garlics that send up scapes (see below).
It’s better for hardnecks to grow in colder places, and they can handle heavy soil and wet feet better (though they do have their limits). Heads of hardneck garlic have a stem in the middle of the cloves, while heads of softneck garlic don’t have this stem.
Softneck garlic varieties do better in milder climates and make more cloves because they don’t have a stem in the middle. Even though they don’t usually have scapes, they do store the longest, in part because their skin is tighter and less papery.
There are seed suppliers that sell “seed garlic,” which is fine to use. But you can also use any good garlic, since all garlic is seed garlic. A lot of different organic farmers have given us garlic to plant over the years. You can get a bunch at your local farmers market or check online to see what’s available. Also, keep in mind that garlic will cost more as fall goes on, so it’s best to take care of this now. There’s a few sources at the end of this post.
You can save your own garlic seeds from last year if you grew some. This is a GREAT way to create a local strain that does best in your area over time.
When you get your garlic heads home, pick the biggest ones to use as seeds. The bigger the seeds, the bigger the crop that could grow from them. Then, break your garlic heads up into cloves, leaving the skins on. You can eat any small or wonky cloves right now. Then, put your valuable seed garlic cloves in a paper bag or cardboard box and keep them somewhere cool and dry until it’s time to plant them.
Garlic is a winter crop that grows best over the cooler months. If you live in a place where other things need to be picked from your garden before you can prepare the garlic bed, you have a good amount of time.
Some growers swear by planting at Easter, which can happen any time from the middle of March to early April. Others plant after Anzac Day (April 25), and still others plant whenever they can. The last day to plant is the winter equinox, which happens on June 21.
We like to do things “whenever we can,” but we try to get all of our garlic in by the end of April.
Planting garlic is a rewarding experience for any gardener. The pungent, aromatic flavor of homegrown garlic is far superior to store-bought varieties. With the right preparations, growing garlic can be an easy and productive endeavor. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about readying your garden beds for a bountiful garlic harvest.
Why Grow Your Own Garlic?
Before diving into the specifics, let’s overview some of the main benefits of growing garlic at home:
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Incredible flavor – The subtle nuances of flavor and aroma in fresh garlic are lost during commercial processing and long-distance shipping. Homegrown garlic has a robust, complex taste that enhances any dish.
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Ideal for storage – Cured properly after harvest, garlic bulbs can be stored for 6-8 months. This provides a year-round garlic supply.
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Health benefits – Garlic contains anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antioxidant properties. It supports cardiovascular health and immune function.
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Pest control – The pungent sulfur compounds in garlic help deter aphids, spider mites, fungus gnats, and other garden pests.
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Satisfaction of growing your own food – For many gardeners the reward of harvesting and enjoying homegrown produce is invaluable.
When to Prepare Garlic Beds
Timing is important when prepping your soil for garlic. Garden beds should be readied 4-6 weeks before the average first fall frost in your area. This gives the garlic cloves time to root and become established before winter dormancy.
In most regions late September through October is ideal for garlic bed preparation. If planting must be delayed, prep the beds as soon as possible within the recommended autumn planting window.
Site Selection and Sun Exposure
When selecting where to plant your garlic, choose a site that receives full sun – at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily. Morning sun is particularly important to dry the leaves and stems after morning dew or rain.
Garlic thrives in sunny locations and produces larger, more robust bulbs. Insufficient sunlight can result in stunted, undersized garlic bulbs.
Southern exposures near a wall or building are ideal, as they provide warmth that boosts growth.
The Importance of Well-Drained Soil
Proper drainage is one of the most crucial factors for growing healthy garlic. Excess moisture or standing water leads to bulb rot and disease.
Test your garden soil’s drainage by digging a 12-inch deep hole and filling it with water. If the water drains completely within an hour or so, the drainage is adequate. If water remains after several hours, the site has poor drainage.
Here are some tips for improving drainage:
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Incorporate organic compost which loosens heavy soils and retains moisture in sandy soils. Compost also nourishes plants and beneficial microbes.
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Create raised beds that elevate the garlic roots above excess moisture. Raised beds should be at least 6 inches high.
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Plant garlic in mounded rows about 6 inches high to improve drainage.
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Avoid low-lying areas where water tends to collect.
Container gardening is another excellent option, allowing complete control over soil quality and drainage. Be sure containers have drainage holes to prevent waterlogged conditions.
Preparing Garden Soil
Preparing your existing garden soil is the first step in readying beds for planting garlic. Here’s an overview of the key tasks:
Remove weeds/debris – Eliminate weeds, spent crops, and plant debris. Weeds compete for nutrients, so weed removal is critical.
Loosen the soil – Use a spading fork or tiller to loosen the top 12 inches of soil, removing any compacted layers. This enables the garlic roots to penetrate deeply.
Add organic matter – Incorporate 2-4 inches of aged compost, rotted manure, peat moss, or other organic material. Organic matter improves nutrient levels, moisture retention, and drainage.
Check soil pH – Test your garden soil’s pH, which should be between 6.0-7.0 for optimal garlic growth. Adjust pH if needed by adding garden lime (to raise pH) or sulfur (to lower pH).
Mix in fertilizer – Apply an all-purpose organic fertilizer and work it into the soil per label instructions. This gives garlic the nutrients it needs for vigorous growth.
Create planting beds – Shape the prepared soil into raised rows or beds. Raised beds should be at least 6 inches high and 12-24 inches wide.
Water thoroughly – Give beds a deep watering to moisten soil and settle it before planting. Garlic cloves need consistent moisture to establish roots.
Growing Garlic from Sets vs Seeds
There are two methods for starting your garlic crop:
Garlic sets – Sets are pre-formed bulbs broken into individual cloves for planting. This is the most common and foolproof method. Sets can be purchased from garden centers or seed companies. Always use fresh sets each season for best results.
Garlic seeds – These are small bulbils that sometimes grow atop the garlic scape. Bulbils take 2 years to form mature bulbs, so this method requires patience. Start bulbils in containers before transplanting into garden beds.
Garlic sets are recommended, especially for beginners. Sets adapt to local growing conditions and produce bulbs in one season.
Companion Planting with Garlic
The strong scent of garlic can act as a natural repellent and pest deterrent for certain insects and animals. Interplanting garlic with other vegetables and herbs takes advantage of these pest-fighting qualities.
Here are some great companions for garlic:
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Tomatoes, peppers, eggplants – Garlic deters aphids, spider mites, cabbage loopers.
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Carrots, lettuces – Garlic’s scent confuses carrot flies.
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Cucumbers, squash, pumpkins – Repels cucumber beetles, squash bugs, ants.
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Basil, parsley, chamomile – Masks scent of vegetables from pests.
On the other hand, garlic should not be planted near peas or beans, as the flavor can negatively impact their growth.
Planting Garlic Sets
Once your beds are prepped, it’s time to plant the garlic! Follow these guidelines for planting garlic sets:
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Timing – Plant 4-6 weeks before first expected fall frost.
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Spacing – Plant cloves 4-6 inches apart in all directions.
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Depth – Plant cloves 2-3 inches deep with pointed tips facing up.
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Orientation – Plant the cloves root-side down and pointy tips up.
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Pressure – Press each clove firmly into the soil to prevent floating.
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Watering – Water thoroughly after planting and keep soil moist until sprouting.
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Mulching – Apply 4-6 inches of mulch over beds after planting to insulate for winter.
With proper soil preparation and attentive planting, your garlic is now off to a great start!
Ongoing Garlic Bed Care
Caring for your garlic beds does not stop after planting:
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Weed control – Use mulch to suppress weeds. Hand-pull any weeds to eliminate competition.
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Watering – Garlic needs about 1-2 inches of water weekly. More during dry or hot periods.
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Fertilizing – Side-dress garlic in early spring with a nitrogen-rich fertilizer to boost growth.
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Pest management – Watch for signs of leek moth, thrips, onion maggot. Remove by hand or use insecticidal soap sprays.
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Harvest – Harvest garlic in mid-summer when the bottom 3-5 leaves turn brown. Cure bulbs for long-term storage.
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Crop rotation – Rotate garlic to a different bed each year to prevent disease buildup.
With attentive care throughout the growing season, your garlic will produce its very best.
Troubleshooting Common Garlic Problems
Even when beds are properly prepared, garlic can still encounter issues. Here are some common problems and solutions:
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Poor emergence – Ensure adequate soil moisture. Mulch for insulation. Replant cloves in spring if needed.
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Stunted plants – May indicate inadequate sunlight, fertility, or drainage issues. Test soil and amend as needed.
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Rotting bulbs – Improve drainage and avoid overwatering. Allow soil to dry between waterings.
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Pest damage – Inspect plants frequently and remove pests manually. Use insecticidal soap if infestation is severe.
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Small bulbs – Harvest on time before bulbs start dividing. Improve sun exposure and soil nutrition.
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Fungal diseases – Improve air circulation. Rotate planting sites. Remove and destroy infected plants promptly.
With attentive care and quick corrections, potential issues can be managed before they escalate.
Key Tips for Success with Garlic
Follow these best practices when preparing your beds and growing garlic:
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Preparing your garlic bed
First, pick a spot that gets a lot of sun. Garlic needs a lot of sun, and as it grows through the winter, finding an extra sunny spot can make a big difference.
Garlic grows best in soil that drains well and has a lot of compost. It also needs a lot of sunlight. You will be well on your way if you can figure out how to give these things to your crop.
Because garlic has a small root zone, making sure your bed is ready will make a big difference in how much garlic you get. The garlic’s roots need to be able to easily move through the soil food web to get all the nutrients they need. If you take the time to properly prepare your garlic bed, you will get a better harvest and find it easier to pull weeds.
There’s many (so many) ways to prepare a garden bed for garlic, from no-dig to double-dig. Our preferred method is biointensive bed prep, because it’s so space efficient. If you follow the steps in this guide to make a biointensive bed the right way the first time, each new crop will only need a light fork and a sprinkle of more compost to keep the bed well-drained and full of nutrients.
Garlic also takes a fair while to grow – around the 6 month mark. Because of this, we usually plant it in a block so that it doesn’t get in the way of other crops we grow on our homestead. You can plant it next to fast-growing plants like radishes or lettuce that will be picked long before the garlic does. This will cover the soil and give you an extra crop, but garlic doesn’t like having its roots disturbed, so we don’t do that.
Ok let’s go. You have two main options, if you’re planting a block of garlic: offset or rows. Last year, we planted across a 4 square meter bed in an offset grid (a diamond pattern) of 15 cm. It worked fine, but it wasn’t as easy to weed or mulch as it would have been with rows.
Our friend Hannah mentioned the other day that she planted her garlic in rows with super close spacings (10cm) at her homestead in Hobart last year, which made for easy weeding + mulching + tending. This year we’re doing one bed of each, to compare harvests.
There is no right or wrong way to plant in a wide bed; a planting board is always a good idea. When you plant, plant, plant while standing on a wide board, you don’t pack down the soil too much.
Plant your garlic cloves one-thumb deep. Yes, a whole thumb. Not a half thumb, or a kids thumb, but a whole thumb. This will make sure that the garlic head stays deep underground and gets all the nutrients it needs.
We would recommend that, after planting, you don’t mulch the bed at this stage. Because garlic takes so long to grow, getting rid of a few weeds early will help a lot. If the whole area is mulched, you won’t be able to get rid of small leaves easily. Wait a few weeks. The bare soil will also allow it to heat up a bit, which will help germinate the garlic.
However, we suggest that you cover the bed with a shadecloth until the garlic pops and the first green leaves appear. This is because birds are hungry in the fall and will not eat your garlic, but they can make a mess of your nicely prepared bed while looking for worms and food. It also keeps the soil moist, stops weeds from growing, and raises the temperature of the soil to help the garlic sprout.
If you live somewhere like us, where winters are mild and wet, your garlic will not need much water over the winter. If it hasn’t rained all week, water the patch, otherwise leave it. Once spring temperatures rise, water twice a week if it hasn’t rained.
We’d recommend weeding twice before laying down mulch on your garlic beds. Weed the first time when the first little weed leaves emerge – this is easiest done with a gung hoe or similar tool, as you can cut off the weeds in their early stages, while maneuvering around your garlic crop, and makes for a quick task.
We weed once, wait for the next batch of seeds to sprout, and then weed again when the weeds have two leaves. After that, we mulch the area well. Mulching also helps keep the soil moist, and the garlic is already fully grown and on its way, so it won’t get smothered.
Besides making sure your garlic gets enough water, you might want to show it some extra love during its long growing season.
A different type of extra nutrients are added to our garlic about once a month. These include worm juice and diluted seaweed fertilizer tea (how to do this here). More minerals, more healthy garlic, more awesomeness.
First harvest – scapes
[This scape bit applies only to hardneck garlic growing, softneck garlic doesn’t generally send up scapes. Sorry, softneckers…]
Ok zoom forwards to spring – early or late spring, depending when you planted. Your garlic is tall (in a garlicky way, maybe 40 cm high), and each plant has a solid green stalk that grows up and then curls back on itself. This is the garlic scape, and it is darn fine tucker.
The stem of the garlic flower is called a garlic scape. If you leave it to grow, it will turn into a flowerhead and eventually seeds. These flowers are pretty and tasty, but they drain the bulb of a lot of energy, so we eat them as scapes.
Scapes can be harvested at any stage, though they will get woodier as they get older. Cut them off as far down as you can without damaging the garlic’s leaves.
Garlic scapes are delicious chopped and used in place of garlic or onion in a multitude of ways. Sometimes we pickle them whole, which is mindblowingly delicious, but mostly they end up freshly chopped into our breakfast eggs, because by spring we’re garlic deprived and longing to eat them as fast as we can.
Planting Fall Garlic Made Quick & Easy: All the Steps From Soil Preparation to Planting Cloves
FAQ
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