Garlic is the easiest crop you will ever grow — plant a clove in autumn, ignore it for months, and dig up a whole bulb the following summer. It asks for almost nothing, stores for months, and home-grown garlic is plumper and more flavourful than the imported bulbs in the shops.
The one thing garlic needs is a cold spell: it is planted in autumn so the cloves experience winter cold, which triggers them to split into bulbs.
Garlic at a glance
| Growing factor | What garlic need |
|---|---|
| Sun | full sun |
| Soil pH | 6.0–7.0 |
| Days to germination | 7–14 |
| Days to maturity | 180–240 |
| Spacing | 6 inches |
| Water needs | low |
| Cold tolerance | hardy |
| Family | Amaryllidaceae |
Starting seeds
This is a direct-sow crop: the seed goes straight into the garden where it is to grow, and the plants are not transplanted. Prepare a fine, weed-free seed bed, sow at the depth shown on the seed packet, and keep the bed evenly moist until seedlings appear — expect germination in 7–14 days.
Sow too early into cold, wet soil and germination stalls; sow too late and the plants run out of season. Use our frost-date calculator and the hardiness-zone finder to place your sowing window. Zones 11–13 are frost-free, so sowing windows there are set by heat and rain rather than frost — check your local extension service.
Garlic is grown from cloves, not seed: break a bulb into individual cloves and plant each one pointed end up in autumn, so it roots before winter and experiences the cold it needs to form a bulb. Plant in free-draining soil — garlic hates sitting wet over winter — and mulch the bed lightly to protect it from hard frosts. Use planting stock from a garden supplier rather than supermarket bulbs, which may be treated to stop them sprouting.
Transplanting and planting out
Garlic is not transplanted; it goes straight into its final spot in autumn. Space cloves at their proper spacing in rows, and keep the bed weed-free through winter and spring, since garlic competes poorly with weeds. In spring, feed lightly if growth is slow and water during dry spells, but ease off watering as harvest approaches so the bulbs cure well.
Space plants 6 inches apart — crowding is one of the commonest causes of small harvests. Our plant-spacing calculator works out how many plants fit your bed.
Soil and feeding
Garlic grow best in rich, well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter. Dig in compost before planting: it improves heavy soil, helps light soil hold moisture, and feeds the soil life that feeds your plants. Aim for a soil pH of 6.0–7.0 — a simple soil test will tell you where you stand, and garden lime or sulfur can nudge pH up or down over a season, so test before you amend rather than guessing.
Feed lightly and steadily rather than in one heavy dose: too much fast nitrogen late in the season pushes leafy growth at the expense of the part you eat. Our fertiliser calculator works out amounts for your bed size, and the soil-volume calculator tells you how much mix a new bed needs.
Watering
Water needs are low, so this crop is more forgiving of a missed watering than most. Water deeply but infrequently, letting the soil dry a little between waterings, and avoid keeping the foliage wet.
Water at the base of the plant, in the morning, so the leaves dry quickly and the water reaches the roots. Our watering calculator gives a starting point for your bed size, and the watering schedule generator can build a routine around it. A mulch layer cuts evaporation and keeps moisture even.
Sunlight and temperature
Garlic need full sun — a spot that gets sun for most of the day. Our sunlight calculator can check your spot.
This crop is rated hardy for cold tolerance, so it stands up to frost and even light freezes, and it is at its best in the cool seasons. In Zones 11–13, which are frost-free, heat rather than cold is the limit — grow it in the cooler months, with afternoon shade in the hottest weather. Our hardiness-zone finder will confirm your zone, and the frost-date calculator gives you the frost dates to plan around.
Pests and diseases
The pests and diseases most often reported on garlic are aphids, slugs, cutworms. Healthy, well-watered plants resist attack better than stressed ones, and rotating beds so the Amaryllidaceae family does not repeat in the same spot helps keep soil-borne problems down.
- Aphids — small sap-sucking insects on new growth; wash off with a strong jet of water and encourage ladybirds.
- Slugs — chew ragged holes in leaves at night; water in the morning so the surface dries by evening.
- Cutworms — caterpillars that chew through young stems at soil level; a cardboard collar around each stem protects it.
Inspect plants weekly, especially leaf undersides, and act early. Our pest-identifier helper can help identify what you are seeing.
Companion plants
Good companion plants for garlic include:
- Marigolds — their roots discourage some soil pests
- Basil — attracts pollinators
- Onions — their scent is said to confuse pests
- Lettuce — shallow-rooted, fills gaps without competing
Our companion-planting finder can suggest more pairings for your bed plan.
Harvesting
Garlic is ready when the lower leaves yellow and the top leaves start to flop — lift a test bulb to check that the cloves have filled out and the wrapper is tight. Lift on a dry day, leave the bulbs to dry in the sun for a few days, then cure them in a warm, airy place until the necks are dry. Only well-cured garlic stores well; braid it or hang it in a cool, dry place and it will keep for months.
Expect the crop to be ready about 180–240 days after sowing, though weather and variety shift that window by a week or two either way. Our harvest-date calculator works out your expected harvest date from your sowing date, and the vegetable-yield estimator can estimate how much a bed should produce.
Common problems and fixes
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Small bulbs with no separate cloves | planted too late in spring, or not enough cold | Garlic needs a cold period to split into cloves, which is why autumn planting works best. |
| Bulbs rotting in the ground | wet, heavy soil over winter | Garlic needs free-draining soil. |
| Soft bulbs in storage | harvested too late or cured badly | Lift garlic as soon as the lower leaves yellow, and cure it thoroughly in a warm, airy place before storing. |
Small bulbs with no separate cloves
Garlic needs a cold period to split into cloves, which is why autumn planting works best.
Bulbs rotting in the ground
Garlic needs free-draining soil.
Soft bulbs in storage
Lift garlic as soon as the lower leaves yellow, and cure it thoroughly in a warm, airy place before storing.
Frequently asked questions
When should I plant garlic?
Sow once the soil is workable in spring — this crop is rated hardy for cold tolerance, so it can go in early. For zone-specific timing, see zone 3 or zone 6, and check your local extension service for the dates that fit your area.
How long do garlic take to grow?
Garlic take 180–240 days from sowing to maturity, and seed germinates in 7–14 days. Weather and variety shift the harvest window by a week or two, so judge readiness by look and feel rather than the calendar alone.
How far apart should I plant garlic?
Space plants 6 inches apart — that is the room a mature plant needs, and crowding means poor airflow and small harvests. Our plant-spacing calculator works out how many fit your bed.
Can I plant garlic from a supermarket bulb?
You can, but it often disappoints: supermarket garlic may be treated to stop it sprouting, and it may not be suited to your climate. Planting stock from a garden supplier is chosen for growing and usually gives bigger, better bulbs.