Garlic
Allium sativum
Garlic is one of the easiest and most dependable cool-season crops for subtropical gardens. Planted at the right time, it produces flavourful bulbs that store well and provides an excellent companion plant throughout the vegetable garden.
Overview
At a Glance
Peak Planting Window
May to August
Seasonal Role
Cool-season bulb crop
Difficulty
Easy
Planting Method
Individual cloves
First Harvest
20–28 weeks
Sun
Full sun
Water
Moderate
Heat Tolerance
Low
Humidity Tolerance
Moderate (good airflow recommended)
Family
Amaryllidaceae
Category
Vegetable
Planting Calendar
Monthly Planting Guide
Month-by-month suitability for coastal subtropical Australia.
Rationale
Why This Planting Window
Garlic develops best when planted during the cooler months. Cool conditions encourage strong root establishment and healthy bulb formation before spring warmth finishes the crop. Planting too late often results in small bulbs and reduced yields.
Reference
Growing Information
Lifecycle
Annual
Ideal Soil Temperature
10–20°C
Germination
14–28 days
Transplant Ready
Not applicable
Soil
Loose, fertile, well-drained soil enriched with mature compost
Soil pH
6.0–7.0
Plant Spacing
10–15 cm
Row Spacing
25–30 cm
Frost Tolerance
Moderate
In the garden
Plant Care
Feeding
Prepare beds with mature compost before planting. Apply a balanced fertiliser during early growth, then reduce feeding as bulbs begin swelling to encourage firm bulb development.
Watering Guidance
Keep the soil consistently moist during establishment and active growth. Reduce watering as harvest approaches and stop once the foliage begins drying to improve bulb curing and storage life.
Avoid Nearby
- Avoid planting close to beans and peas, which may be inhibited by garlic.
Watch out for
Problems & Prevention
Common Pests
Onion thrips, bulb mites, aphids, cutworms and nematodes.
Common Diseases
White rot, basal rot, rust, downy mildew and bacterial soft rot.
Common Mistakes
Planting supermarket garlic unsuited to local conditions, planting too shallow, overwatering, harvesting too early and failing to cure bulbs before storage.
Picking
Harvest
First Harvest
20–28 weeks
Harvest Window
Harvest once most leaves have yellowed and begun to dry
Harvest Indicators
Harvest when roughly half to three-quarters of the leaves have yellowed but several green leaves remain. Lift carefully and cure bulbs in a dry, shaded, well-ventilated location.
Standard
SGGS Details
Subtropical Gardener Growing Standard — profile metadata.
- SGGS Code
- VEG015
- Version
- 1
- Confidence
- High
- Seasonal Role
- Cool-season bulb crop
- Crop Champion Month
- June
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