Cool seasonVegetableVegetative

Garlic

Allium sativum

Garlic is planted from individual cloves in autumn so roots develop before winter dormancy. Each clove swells into a bulb in roughly 240–270 days from planting, and timing follows the autumn calendar rather than spring frost offsets used for seed crops. Plant about four to six weeks before the ground normally freezes, setting cloves about 5 cm deep.

Plant family Amaryllidaceae · Also called common garlic

Garlic
240–270 daysfrom planting to harvest
Planting timing

Set cloves in autumn when soil allows.

Set cloves about 5 cm deep with the pointed end up. Outdoor frost-week offsets are not listed; instead plant in autumn about four to six weeks before the ground normally freezes.

Vegetative planting means germination days do not apply. Choose well-drained soil and hardy cloves suited to local winter conditions. Spring planting is possible in some regions but this profile centers on autumn establishment.

Timing variesPlant outdoors

Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.

CloveSet planting material

Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.

Not listedEstablish roots

Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.

240–270 daysBegin harvest

Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.

Planting material: Clove. Life cycle: Perennial (usually grown as an annual).
Space & containers

Plant closely for bulbs, not tops.

Space cloves 10–15 cm apart in rows about 30 cm apart. Compact classification fits many home beds, though rotation still matters to limit disease carryover.

Containers need at least 25 cm depth and about 7 litres per clove position. Ensure drainage so cloves do not sit wet through winter thaws.

Core measurements

Between plants10–15 cm

Crop-level planning range.

Between rows30 cm

Crop-level planning range.

Container depth25+ cm

Crop-level planning range.

Container volume7+ L

Crop-level planning range.

Growth habitBulb

Allow for the mature form of the selected variety.

SupportNone

Install support early when it is required or useful.

Growing conditions

Reduce watering as foliage yellows.

Six hours of direct sun minimum supports strong leaf growth that feeds bulb sizing in spring. Too much shade yields small bulbs even when tops look green.

Moderate water at 25–35 mm weekly with pH 6.0–7.0. Reduce irrigation as foliage yellows before harvest to limit rot during curing.

Sunlight

6+ hours

Full sun (6+ direct-sun hours/day)

Soil pH

6–7

A suitable acidity range for general growth.

Weekly water

25–35 mm

Moderate water need.

How to water

Aim for even moisture and water deeply when the upper 2-3 cm of soil begins to dry.

Growth & harvest

Dig when tops dry, then cure.

The 240–270 day range begins at clove planting in autumn. Harvest when several wrapper leaves brown but a few green leaves remain, then cure in a dry, airy place.

Bulb size reflects clove size at planting and spring moisture. The life cycle is perennial garlic grown as an annual crop in vegetable rotations.

GerminationNot listed

Read with the full crop profile.

Harvest basisPlanting

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Life cyclePerennial (usually grown as an annual)

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Frost toleranceHardy

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Key growing tip

Plant cloves in autumn about four to six weeks before the ground normally freezes.

Garlic growing questions

When should garlic cloves be planted?

Plant in autumn about four to six weeks before the ground normally freezes, per the key tip. Frost-week sowing offsets are not used.

How deep are garlic cloves set?

About 5 cm deep according to the dataset.

Are garlic germination days listed?

No. Cloves are vegetative planting material, so germination fields are null.

When does the garlic harvest clock start?

240–270 days counted from planting cloves, with harvest basis planting.

Profile values are crop-level planning ranges compiled from sources S1,S4,S5. Local climate and variety can change actual results.

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