Starting your veggie paradise or growing an existing one? Garlic is a must-have.
Yes, garlic is a vegetable. It belongs in the same family as onions, shallots, leeks, and chives — our kitchen dream team!
Widely cultivated across Australia, garlic is surprisingly easy to grow at home. All you need are healthy cloves, nutrient-rich soil, and a sunny area.
In this blog, we’ll guide you through everything you need to know to start your garlic empire.
Let’s get clove-planting!
When To Plant | Getting Ready to Plant | How to Plant | Where to Grow Garlic | Growing by City | Care Tips | Common Problems | How to Harvest
All About Garlic
Garlic, or Allium sativum, is a bulbous flowering plant. It’s highly versatile — a culinary superstar, a natural antibiotic, and even a cholesterol-lowering agent.
Its bulbs grow underground, but above the soil, the plant displays long, grass-like leaves reaching 30-60cm tall.
Different garlic varieties come in a mix of colours and aromas, making them fun to grow and cook with! There’s white, brown, and reddish garlic, with subtle to strong flavours.
Some varieties produce a flower stalk called a “scape,” which has a mild flavour perfect for cooking!
When To Plant Garlic In Australia
For most of Australia, the best time to plant garlic is in autumn. The cool weather during March and April helps garlic bulbs grow faster.
In regions with colder winters like Victoria and the southern part of New South Wales, hardneck garlic varieties may be planted in spring.
Getting Started With Growing Garlic
Pick the right variety and set up the ideal growing conditions to give your garlic the best start.
Let’s get ready for planting!
Picking the right garlic variety
Choose a variety that thrives well in your area. In general, hardneck garlic is ideal for cooler regions while softneck garlic thrives in warmer climates.
Some gardeners also prefer specific flavours or cultivars that produce bigger garlic bulbs.
If you need advice and hands-on help, consider reaching out to local gardening professionals. They can take the garlic guesswork out of the way!
Preparing the soil
Garlic loves loose and free-draining soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH (6.0-7.0). Steer clear of dense clay or overly sandy soil — sandy loam is its perfect match.
Boost the soil by mixing in organic fertiliser, like compost or aged manure, 2-4 weeks before planting.
Don’t forget to clear out any weeds so your garlic has all the space it needs to grow.
Providing adequate light
Garlic thrives with 6-8 hours of full sunlight daily, so choose a spot with plenty of sun!
If growing indoors, make sure it’s placed near a bright window.
A grow light can help if sunlight is scarce, but keep in mind that the plants may not be as robust.
Ensuring proper spacing
Avoid planting garlic cloves too close to each other.
Space your garlic cloves 10-15cm apart when planting, and leave 25-30cm between rows to make enough room for fully grown bulbs.
Understanding the ideal climate
Mild winters and warm summers are perfect for garlic.
It benefits from a chilly spell that triggers bulb formation but can struggle with extreme heat or frost.
With moderate temperatures throughout the growing season, your garlic will grow into plump bulbs.
How To Plant Garlic
Garlic grows from individual cloves. To start planting, choose a firm bulb with bushy roots.
Next, separate the bulb into cloves, keeping the papery skin intact.
Pick a bright, sunny spot. If space is tight, use pots and grow indoors near a window.
Once the area is ready, push each clove 2-5cm into fertilised, well-drained soil with the pointy end facing up. Space the cloves 10-15cm apart to give them enough room to grow.
Finally, apply a light layer of organic mulch and water thoroughly.
Once planted, garlic is easy to care for and faces very few pests.
Just keep the soil moist (but not soggy) and apply fertiliser every 3-4 weeks to keep the plants happy.
Where To Grow Garlic
Sunlight is important for your bulbous friends, whether you’re growing them outdoors, in pots, or inside your home.
Growing garlic outdoors
Proper drainage is the biggest concern for outdoor garlic plants, as excessive moisture can lead to root rot. Raised beds or containers with draining holes can help prevent this.
Also, make sure your garlic gets 6-8 hours of full sun daily. But while they love the sun, partial shading in the afternoons can help protect them from extreme heat.
You also want to watch out for pests — check occasionally for aphids and snails.
Growing garlic in pots
Pots offer the added benefit of portability, letting you move your garlic indoors during harsh weather.
Any pot will do, as long as it has drainage holes and is at least 15-20cm deep. This will provide enough space for garlic bulbs to grow.
When using round pots, plant individual cloves in a circular pattern to maximise space. Just make sure to keep them 10-15cm apart in all directions.
Growing garlic indoors
You may grow garlic indoors, but ‘vernalise’ the cloves first by exposing them to cold conditions.
This mimics the cooler temperature that garlic bulbs experience outdoors, which is essential to trigger bulb formation.
Without this chilly period, your plants may grow leaves but not produce full-sized bulbs.
To vernalise garlic, place the bulbs in a breathable bag — mesh, paper, or plastic with holes — and store them in the fridge for 4-6 weeks.
After being chilled, some cloves may have already sprouted roots. You can plant these right away, but you don’t have to wait for all of them to form roots before planting.
Garlic planted indoors grows best if placed beside a sunny window.
If you don’t have a bright spot inside your home, you’re more likely to grow garlic greens (the leaves) rather than full-sized bulbs.
Growing Garlic Across Australia
Garlic thrives in Australia. To help you plan when to plant and harvest, see this guide per city!
How to grow garlic in Adelaide
Grow Artichoke, Asiatic, and Turban garlic between February and May. This gives the cloves plenty of time to grow strong roots before the cooler months.
Get ready to harvest from late September to December!
How to grow garlic in Brisbane
Asiatic, Subtropical, and Turban varieties grow well in Brisbane’s warm climate.
Start planting as autumn sweeps in between late February and April, and you’re ready to harvest by late August to September!
How to grow garlic in Canberra
Canberra’s cold winters are ideal for Artichoke, Glazed Purple Stripe, and Porcelain varieties.
Start planting between late February and April. By late spring to summer, you’ll have a bountiful harvest!
How to grow garlic in Melbourne
Plant garlic from autumn to early winter for a rewarding harvest from late spring to summer.
Suitable varieties include Artichoke, Creole, and Glazed Purple Stripe.
How to grow garlic in Perth
Perth’s Mediterranean climate is well-suited for Asiatic, Subtropical, and Turban garlic.
The growing season starts in March and lasts through May. If you plant during this time, you’ll see mature bulbs by October to December.
How to grow garlic in Sydney
Plant Artichoke and Subtropical garlic in autumn, typically from March to April. Expect to harvest from mid-September to November.
For a longer harvest season, plant Creole in winter or spring!
Caring For Garlic Plants
Garlic is an easygoing, resilient plant that needs just a little love.
Here’s how to keep your garlic growing strong:
Watering
Water garlic plants sparingly (about once a week) so that the soil stays moist but not soggy. Water around the base to prevent leaf diseases.
In hot, arid weather, water more frequently if you notice the soil drying out quickly.
Fertilising
Garlic needs plenty of nutrients to grow. Mix a slow-release organic fertiliser as you begin planting.
When the leaves start growing in spring, apply a fertiliser high in nitrogen.
Removing scapes
For hardneck varieties, cut off the scapes (flower stems) once they start curling. This redirects energy to bulb growth.
Very rarely, softneck garlic may form scapes in extreme cold — remove these, too.
Weed control
Garlic doesn’t like competition, so be sure to remove weeds regularly.
Common Problems
Garlic can sometimes attract pests like aphids and onion maggots. Spray the affected plants with insecticidal soap or neem oil when needed.
Also, be mindful not to overwater, as overly wet soil invites fungal diseases like fusarium, rust, and white rot.
For extra antifungal protection, soak your garlic cloves in a mix of 1 litre of water and 1 teaspoon of baking soda overnight before planting.
If you spot any yellowing leaves on your garlic plant, it could be a sign that it needs a nitrogen boost. Feed it with a balanced fertiliser at least once a month to keep it healthy.
Harvesting Garlic
Timing is key when harvesting garlic. Digging up at the right time ensures you get firm, healthy bulbs that store well!
Wait too long, though, and the bulbs may split, which shortens their shelf life.
When to harvest garlic
Garlic takes around 7-9 months to grow into plump bulbs. They’re usually ready for harvest by late spring to early summer, depending on the variety and climate.
A good rule of thumb is to wait until the bottom leaves have yellowed and died back, while the upper ones stay nice and green.
At this point, check a couple of plants. Gently brush off dirt and lift the garlic bulb slightly — it should be firm with tight skins. If it’s soft or small, let it mature longer.
Tip: Harvest on a dry day to avoid mould and rot during storage.
How to harvest garlic
Carefully dig up your garlic using a garden fork or spade.
Gently lift the bulbs from the soil and shake off any excess dirt. Avoid pulling by the leaves — you want to keep them intact for curing!
Freshly harvested garlic bruises easily, so handle it with love to preserve its quality.
How to cure garlic
You can cook with freshly harvested garlic right away, but curing it first boosts its flavour and shelf life!
Keep the stems untrimmed while curing — they draw in nutrients for the bulbs as they dry.
To cure garlic, hang or lay the bulbs flat in a cool, shady, and airy space. Set up a fan for good air circulation.
After 2-4 weeks, the leaves will dry up and the roots will harden — meaning they’re ready for storage!
How to store garlic
Once cured, clean the bulbs by brushing off excess dirt and removing just the outer covering. Don’t use water to clean them!
Trim the stems to 2-5cm, and store your garlic in a cool, dry container, like a mesh bag or basket. Avoid plastic bags, as they trap moisture.
Check your garlic regularly for any sprouting or mould, and remove affected bulbs immediately.
FAQs About Growing Garlic
Looking for more info about growing garlic? We covered the most common questions below!
Can I plant supermarket garlic?
This is not advisable. It’s best to buy growing bulbs from a local nursery.
Grocery store garlic may have been sprayed with growth inhibitors, so you’re probably not going to grow healthy bulbs.
What can I plant with garlic?
Garlic companion plants, like cabbage, spinach, and tomatoes, benefit from garlic’s pest-repelling properties.
Garlic helps protect roses from black spots and works well with chives and onions in the Allium family.
These plants create a natural defence system against pests while helping each other grow.
How long does garlic take to grow?
Garlic takes about 7-9 months to grow.
This timeline may vary across varieties, climates, and growing conditions.
How much garlic do you get from one plant?
Each plant produces one bulb.
However, you can get 6-12 cloves per bulb (or more!) depending on the variety and growing conditions.
Can I plant garlic in the same soil every year?
It’s best to plant garlic in the same soil only once every three years. This helps avoid diseases that can build up in the soil.
After each growing season, give your soil a break for at least two years before planting garlic or other Alliums like onions and shallots.
