How to grow Garlic in Australia
Garlic is planted as single cloves in autumn and lifted as whole bulbs in spring or early summer. It needs a long, cool growing season to build big bulbs, very little care beyond weeding and watering, and stores for months once cured.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Garlic in Australia: When to Plant and Harvest
At a glance
When to sow by region
| Region | When to sow | Regional note |
|---|---|---|
| South East Queensland | March to May | |
| Northern Rivers NSW | March to May | |
| Sydney & Coastal NSW | March to May | Plant cloves from March to May, the same window as SEQ. The bulbs then grow through Sydney's winter chill, which yields quality bulbs. |
| Melbourne & Victoria | March to June | Plant cloves Mar to Jun. Melbourne's cool winter ideal for garlic; needs 8+ weeks cold. |
| Adelaide & SA | March to May | Mediterranean: sow Mar to May only. Garlic planted as cloves Apr to May for winter growth. |
| Perth & WA | March to May | Mediterranean: sow Mar to May only. Garlic planted as cloves Apr to May for winter growth. |
| Tasmania | March to May | Plant cloves Mar to May. Tasmania grows some of the best garlic in the country, because cold winters build big bulbs. Harvest Nov to Dec. |
| Canberra & ACT | March to May | Garlic is ideal for Canberra (premier region); plant cloves Mar to May in autumn; Monaro Purple and Porcelain varieties thrive; harvest Oct to Nov. |
| North Queensland | April and May | Dry season only. Plant Apr to May. Garlic requires cool dry season for bulb formation. |
| Darwin & Top End | April and May | Dry season only. Plant Apr to May. Garlic requires cool dry season for bulb formation. |
Where to plant
Choose a sunny bed with loose, well-drained soil improved with compost. Heavy clay that does not crumble gives misshapen bulbs and is hard to dig, so use a raised bed if your soil is heavy. Garlic does not compete well with weeds, so start with a clean bed.
Rotate: do not plant garlic where onions, leeks or garlic grew recently, and never where white rot has appeared, as it survives in the soil for years.
- Southern and inland areas (Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart, the tablelands): the best garlic country. Plant March to May and harvest November to January.
- Sydney and Perth: plant March to May; harvest in late spring.
- South East Queensland and the Northern Rivers: plant March to May and harvest around September and October. Choose varieties bred for warm climates.
- North Queensland and the Top End: plant in April or May for the cool dry season; bulbs stay small.
Choosing a variety
Variety matters more with garlic than with most crops, because each one needs a certain amount of cool weather to form a bulb.
- Warm climates (Queensland, northern New South Wales): early, warm-climate selections such as Glenlarge and Southern Glen.
- Temperate and cool climates: softneck types such as Australian White and Italian White, and hardneck types such as Monaro Purple, which do best where winters are cold.
- Elephant garlic is really a type of leek with very large, mild cloves. It handles warmer areas well.
Buy seed garlic grown in Australia from a garden supplier. Supermarket garlic is often imported, may be a variety that will not bulb in your climate, and can carry virus.
How to plant
- Dig in compost a few weeks before planting.
- Break the bulb into cloves just before planting, as whole bulbs store better. Use the biggest outer cloves and eat the small inner ones.
- Plant each clove pointed end up, with its tip 2 to 3 cm below the surface (a little deeper in sandy soil).
- Space cloves 10 to 15 cm apart, in rows 20 to 30 cm apart.
- Water in and mulch lightly once shoots appear.
Watering and feeding
Keep the soil lightly and evenly moist while the leaves are growing, through winter and spring. Garlic roots are fine and shallow, so light, regular watering suits it better than rare heavy soaks. Stop watering once the leaves start yellowing and the necks soften near harvest; wet soil then discolours and rots the bulbs.
Feed with compost at planting, then side-dress with a nitrogen-rich fertiliser four to eight weeks after the shoots appear. Do not feed with nitrogen once bulbs start to swell in spring, which gives soft bulbs that store poorly.
Pruning and care through the year
- Weed often and by hand; garlic hates competition.
- Hardneck types send up a curly flower stalk (scape) in spring. Snap it off so the plant puts its energy into the bulb; the scapes are good to eat.
- Watch for orange rust pustules on the leaves in humid weather, and for silvery streaks from thrips in dry spring weather.
Harvesting
Harvest when the lower leaves have browned and the necks have softened, while five or six upper leaves are still green. Do not leave it too long, or the bulb wrappers split, the cloves separate and the bulbs store poorly.
Loosen the soil with a fork and lift the bulbs; do not pull them by the leaves. Lay them out in a dry, airy spot out of direct sun for two to three weeks to cure. Then trim the roots and cut the tops about 2 cm above the bulb, or plait the softneck types.
Growing in pots
Garlic grows well in a pot or trough at least 20 cm deep, filled with premium potting mix. Plant cloves 10 cm apart, keep the mix evenly moist (pots dry out quickly) and feed lightly in winter and early spring.
Using it
Use fresh green garlic and the scapes of hardneck types in spring, and the cured bulbs through the year. Cured bulbs keep for three months or more in a cool, dry, airy place in mesh bags or plaits; humid storage leads to mould and sprouting.
Saving cloves to replant
Garlic does not make true seed. Keep some of your biggest, healthiest bulbs aside as next year's planting stock and store them in a cool, dry place until autumn.
Companion planting
Garlic takes up little room and is often tucked between other crops. The main rule is to keep it away from peas and beans.
Good companions
- Beetroot A quick, low crop that uses the space between rows without shading the garlic.
- Lettuce A fast, shallow crop that fits between rows and is picked before the garlic needs the room.
- Strawberry A low groundcover that shares the bed without shading the narrow garlic leaves.
- Tomato In southern gardens, garlic lifted in early summer leaves the bed ready for tomatoes.
- Fruit trees Garlic grows happily in the sunny edge of a fruit tree bed, where it is out of the way.
Keep apart
Avoid planting these close to garlic.
Pests and diseases
Garlic has few serious problems in home gardens. Most are fungal diseases helped along by humid weather and crowding.
Pests to watch for
- Thrips Silvery streaks on the leaves, worst in dry spring weather.
Diseases to watch for
- Rust Orange-brown powdery pustules on the leaves in humid weather. Space plants well and remove badly affected leaves.
- White rot Plants yellow and die, with fluffy white growth and black specks at the base of the bulb. It persists in soil for years, so do not grow the onion family there again.
- Downy mildew Pale oval patches on the leaves that turn yellow, in cool, damp weather.
Common questions
When should I plant garlic in Australia?
In autumn, from March to May in most regions. Planting on time gives the plant a long, cool growing season before warmer weather and longer days in spring tell it to form a bulb; the longer it grows before that, the bigger the bulb.
Why did my garlic grow as one round bulb without cloves?
A single round bulb usually means the plant did not get enough cool weather or growing time: it was planted late, the clove was small, or the variety is not suited to your climate. Plant big cloves of a variety that suits your area in March or April.
Can I plant garlic from the supermarket?
It may grow, but it is a gamble. Supermarket garlic is often imported, may be a variety that will not form good bulbs in your climate, and can carry virus. Australian seed garlic from a garden supplier gives far better results.
How do I know when garlic is ready to harvest?
When the lower leaves have turned brown and the necks have softened, while five or six upper leaves are still green. Stop watering at this stage, lift the bulbs with a fork, and cure them somewhere dry and airy for two to three weeks.
Why are my garlic leaves turning yellow?
Yellowing of the lower leaves in late spring is normal and means harvest is close. Earlier yellowing can come from dry soil, a lack of nitrogen in winter, rust (look for orange pustules) or white rot (look for white growth at the base).
Should I cut the flower stalk off my garlic?
Yes, on hardneck types. Snap off the curly flower stalk when it appears in spring so the plant puts its energy into the bulb. The stalks are tender and taste mildly of garlic.
How do I store garlic?
Cure the bulbs first, then keep them in a cool, dry, airy place in mesh bags or plaits. Well-cured garlic keeps for three months or more. Do not store it in the fridge or in sealed containers, where it sprouts or goes mouldy.
Sources we checked: NSW DPI: Growing garlic in NSW (Primefact 259); RHS: Garlic, grow your own.