Growing Garlic in Melbourne

Melbourne's cold winters produce exceptional garlic

Garlic needs cold. Specifically, it needs several weeks of temperatures below 10 degrees to trigger the hormonal process (vernalisation) that tells each clove to split into a full bulb. Melbourne's long, cold winters provide exactly the right conditions. This is one crop where being in a cool temperate climate gives you a genuine advantage over warmer regions. While gardeners in Brisbane struggle to produce small, mild bulbs, Melbourne growers produce large, pungent, well-formed garlic that rivals the best imported stock.

When to Plant

Plant garlic in Melbourne from late March through May. The traditional guideline is to plant around Easter, which puts cloves in the ground with enough time to establish roots before winter dormancy, then grow actively through spring toward a late-November to December harvest.

Earlier planting (late March to mid-April) generally produces larger bulbs because the plants have more time to grow before the heat triggers bulbing in spring. Later planting (May) still works, but expect slightly smaller bulbs.

The Yarra Valley, Dandenong Ranges, and other cold areas of outer Melbourne can plant as early as mid-March. Inner suburban gardeners can plant into late April. The key is getting cloves in the ground before the coldest weather arrives so roots establish during the mild autumn weeks.

Choosing Varieties

Hardneck garlic

Hardneck varieties produce a central woody stem (scape) and fewer, larger cloves per bulb (typically 4 to 8 cloves). The flavour is generally stronger and more complex than softneck types. Hardneck garlic stores for 4 to 6 months after curing.

• Purple Stripe: Beautiful purple-striped wrappers with rich, full-bodied flavour. Well suited to Melbourne's chill hours. Produces 5 to 7 large cloves per bulb.
• Rocambole: Considered the best-flavoured garlic by many growers. Easy to peel, complex taste, and produces well in cold climates. Shorter storage life (3 to 4 months).
• Music: A Porcelain-type garlic with very large cloves (4 to 5 per bulb). Robust flavour, reliable in Melbourne. Good for roasting whole.

Softneck garlic

Softneck varieties produce a pliable stem (no scape), more cloves per bulb (10 to 20), and store much longer (8 to 12 months). They are the type you see braided and hung in kitchens.

• Italian White: The most common softneck in Australia. Mild to medium flavour, reliable producer, stores well. Good all-rounder for Melbourne.
• Silverskin: The longest-storing garlic. Harvested in December, it can last until the following October or November. Small cloves but prolific.
• Printanor: A French softneck with good flavour and excellent storage. Adaptable to a range of climates including Melbourne's.

Buy seed garlic from a reputable Australian supplier or your local farmers market. Avoid planting supermarket garlic, which is often imported, treated with sprout inhibitors, and may introduce soil diseases.

Soil Preparation

Garlic needs free-draining soil rich in organic matter. Melbourne's clay soil needs amendment before planting. Dig in compost and aged manure to a depth of 20 centimetres. If your clay is particularly heavy, add coarse sand or fine gravel to improve drainage. Garlic cloves sitting in waterlogged clay through winter will rot.

Raised beds work very well for garlic in Melbourne. The improved drainage prevents the rot that occurs in poorly drained clay during the wet winter months. A bed even 15 centimetres above the surrounding soil level makes a significant difference.

Garlic prefers a soil pH of 6.0 to 7.0. Melbourne soils tend to be slightly acidic. A light application of garden lime (a handful per square metre) a few weeks before planting helps if your soil is below pH 6.

Planting

Break the bulb into individual cloves just before planting. Use the largest, healthiest outer cloves for planting and save the smaller inner cloves for cooking. Larger cloves produce larger bulbs.

Plant each clove pointy end up, 5 centimetres deep, spaced 15 centimetres apart in rows 25 centimetres apart. Water in well after planting. Mulch with 5 to 10 centimetres of straw or sugar cane mulch. The mulch keeps weeds down, moderates soil temperature, and retains moisture through winter.

Green shoots will appear within 2 to 3 weeks. Growth continues through winter, slowing in the coldest months (June and July) and picking up again as temperatures rise in August.

Growing and Maintenance

Garlic is low-maintenance once established. Water during dry spells in autumn and spring, but reduce watering through the wettest winter months. Melbourne's winter rainfall usually provides enough moisture. Overwatering causes rot.

Feed with a balanced organic fertiliser in late August when spring growth accelerates. A second feed in September supports bulb development. Stop feeding by October.

If growing hardneck varieties, cut the scapes (curly flower stems) when they appear in October or November. Cutting scapes redirects the plant's energy into bulb development rather than seed production. The scapes are edible and delicious: mild garlic flavour, excellent stir-fried or made into pesto.

Weed regularly. Garlic is a weak competitor and weeds reduce bulb size. The straw mulch should suppress most weeds, but pull any that come through.

Harvest and Curing

Harvest garlic in Melbourne from late November through December. The timing signs are the same for all varieties: when the lower third of leaves have browned and dried while the upper leaves are still green. Waiting too long (until all leaves brown) causes the bulb wrappers to split and reduces storage life.

Stop watering two weeks before harvest to firm up the bulbs. Lift carefully with a garden fork, sliding it under the bulb and levering upward. Pulling garlic by the stem risks snapping the stem from the bulb or damaging the wrappers.

Cure garlic by hanging bunches or laying them on wire racks in a dry, shady, well-ventilated spot for 2 to 4 weeks. A covered porch, shed, or garage works well. The outer wrappers should dry papery and the stems (softneck) should be fully dry before you trim and store.

Store cured garlic in a cool, dry, dark place with good airflow. A wire basket in the pantry is ideal. Well-cured softneck garlic stores 8 to 12 months. Hardneck stores 4 to 6 months.

Set aside your best, largest bulbs as seed garlic for next year's planting. After a few seasons of saving and replanting, your garlic adapts to your specific garden and soil conditions, performing better each year.

Frequently Asked Questions