How to grow garlic
Plant cloves in fall a few weeks before the ground freezes; harvest when a third of the leaves brown.
Your garlic dates
Companions
BeetCabbageCarrotParsnipStrawberryTomato
Keep apart from
Rotation and family
Garlic belongs to the alliums (Amaryllidaceae). Shallow-rooted; onion white rot survives in soil for many years.
In a four-bed crop rotation it goes in the roots & alliums bed. Avoid growing it where any alliums grew in the last three years.
When to plant garlic by zone
| Zone | Plant cloves |
|---|---|
| 3 | Aug 26 – Sep 23 |
| 4 | Sep 5 – Oct 3 |
| 5 | Sep 17 – Oct 15 |
| 6 | Sep 29 – Oct 27 |
| 7 | Oct 9 – Nov 6 |
| 8 | Oct 22 – Nov 19 |
| 9 | Nov 12 – Dec 10 |
| 10 | Nov 27 – Dec 25 |
Based on typical frost dates for each zone; b half-zones run about a week earlier in spring. Zones 11–13 are frost-free in most years.
Garlic questions
When should I plant garlic?
Plant garlic outdoors in fall, a few weeks before the ground freezes.
How far apart should I plant garlic?
About 4 inches apart, or 9 per square foot in a square foot garden.
What grows well with garlic?
Traditional companions include beet, cabbage, carrot, parsnip, strawberry, tomato. Keep it away from asparagus, bush bean, pea, pole bean.
How long does garlic take to grow?
Typically 240–270 days from sowing to first harvest, depending on variety and weather.