How to grow Garlic
Allium sativum
Plant in fall, forget it, harvest in July.
Hardneck garlic loves a real winter chill, so it shines in cold regions; in mild-winter areas, choose softneck types instead. Plant cloves in fall, mulch, and harvest the following summer — the easiest crop in this whole app.
Grow Garlic with step-by-step help for your exact yard.
Start free in Seededly →Garlic at a glance
| Sun | Full sun |
|---|---|
| Soil pH | 6.0–7.0 |
| Spacing | 6 in apart |
| Harvest | July |
| Plant | October |
| Type | Hardneck |
How to grow Garlic, step by step
Get seed garlic
- Buy hardneck seed garlic (not grocery-store bulbs).
- Break bulbs into cloves just before planting; plant the biggest cloves.
Plant in October
- Plant cloves pointy-end up, 2 in deep, 6 in apart.
- Mulch with straw to protect them through winter.
Spring & summer
- Green shoots appear in early spring — keep weeded.
- In June, snip the curly scapes (and eat them!) so energy goes to the bulb.
Harvest & cure
- Dig in July when the lower leaves brown but the top few stay green.
- Cure in a dry, airy spot for 2–3 weeks, then trim and store.
Garlic problems & fixes
Garlic — Bulbs are small: what's wrong and how do I fix it?
Usually planted too late or scapes left on. Plant in October and snip scapes in June.
Garlic — Yellowing too early: what's wrong and how do I fix it?
Often soggy soil. Garlic wants good drainage — raised rows help in clay.
Garlic — Cloves rotted over winter: what's wrong and how do I fix it?
Wet, heavy soil. Improve drainage and don’t plant in a low, wet spot.
Recommended garlic varieties
- Music — Best for cold winters. Hardneck with big, easy-peel cloves and great flavor — very hardy.
- German Extra Hardy — Hardneck. Bold flavor and excellent cold-hardiness.
- Inchelium Red — Mild climates. Softneck that stores long; best where winters are mild.
Garlic month-by-month
| January | Stored bulbs in the kitchen — nothing to do. |
|---|---|
| February | Dormant in the ground under mulch. |
| March | Shoots emerge — pull back heavy mulch, weed. |
| April | Growing fast; keep evenly watered. |
| May | Watch for scapes forming. |
| June | Snip the scapes; stop watering late in the month. |
| July | Harvest when lower leaves brown; begin curing. |
| August | Finish curing; trim and store. |
| September | Order seed garlic for fall. |
| October | Plant cloves; mulch heavily. |
| November | Settled in for winter. |
| December | Dormant — resting under mulch. |