Growing Garlic: Your Complete Guide to a Successful Harvest

Garlic is one of the easiest root vegetables to grow in the kitchen garden. The crop is hardy, hardly suffers from insects or pests, and requires little maintenance. The reward follows early in the summer: masses of fragrant bulbs of fresh garlic. Once the bulbs are well dried, they can be stored and used in the kitchen for six months to a year.

Growing garlic is surprisingly simple. Every clove grows into a firm garlic bulb, provided it is planted and cared for correctly. Those wanting to start a kitchen garden who don't know which vegetables to start with would do well to choose garlic. It is one of the most rewarding crops to grow.

Anyone wanting to get started in the garden in the autumn can begin immediately with planting garlic. There is no reason to wait until spring: the first crop can get underway starting in October.

Those who grow garlic will quickly encounter the terms hardneck and softneck. These are the two main groups of garlic, and they differ from each other in growth habit, flavor, and shelf life. Both types have their own advantages, depending on the climate you garden in and what you value: flavor or shelf life.

• Stem: Forms a firm, woody flowering stalk (also called a “scape”).
• Cloves: Fewer cloves (about 4 to 12), large and arranged evenly around the stalk.
• Flavor: Spicy, complex, and aromatic – loved by gourmets.
• Cultivation: Grows best in cooler climates and requires cold to develop properly.
• Storage: Shorter shelf life, usually three to five months.

• Stem: Does not form a hard flowering stalk; the leaves remain soft and pliable.
• Cloves: More cloves (sometimes up to twenty), of varying sizes, in multiple rings.
• Flavor: Milder and less pronounced than hardneck.
• Cultivation: Suitable for warmer climates and easier to grow.
• Storage: Keeps well for a long time, often six to twelve months – ideal for braiding and storage.

In short: hardneck garlic is spicier and more visually appealing, but has a shorter shelf life. Softneck garlic is milder in taste, easier to store, and the type you usually find in the supermarket.

Do you want to grow garlic but aren't quite sure how? In this article, you can read everything at your leisure, with extra tips on the right planting time, ideal spacing, care, and storage methods.

The best time to plant garlic is in the autumn or early winter. Garlic needs a cold period to form firm bulbs, so it is important to plant before the first frost. Plant the cloves with the flat side down, about 10 centimeters deep.

Planting too late can result in the cloves forming too few roots before winter, leading to a smaller harvest. The soil should still be warm enough when planting, which is often the case in autumn. This helps the young plants root well and get a strong start to the winter.

A thin layer of mulch, for example from straw, leaves, or compost, also helps keep the soil moist and reduces weed pressure around the young garlic plants.

Because growing garlic takes about six to eight months, it is planted in the autumn for a harvest in early summer. If you were to plant only in March, you would not be able to harvest until September.

The first green shoots appear in February or March, after which growth picks up quickly. If shoots appear before winter, that is not a problem: garlic is hardy.

Garlic grows best in a sunny spot with well-draining soil. When planting, keep a distance of 10 to 15 centimeters between cloves and 25 centimeters between rows for optimal growth. Autumn planting usually yields better results than spring planting because the plants benefit from a combination of cold and still-warm soil.

Planting garlic in a greenhouse is also perfectly fine. As soon as the tomatoes are harvested, space becomes available, and by the time the new tomatoes are planted out in May, the garlic is almost ready for harvest. Make sure to provide enough water in the greenhouse, especially after a dry or warm summer.

Those with limited space or who want to start before the ground outside is workable can pre-grow garlic in P9 pots. Fill the pots with light, nutritious soil and plant one clove per pot, with the tip just under the surface. Water and place the pots outside in a sheltered, sunny spot.

Do not leave them indoors: garlic needs cold to form multiple cloves. In an environment that is too warm, only one large clove will grow instead of a nice bulb with several cloves.

The young plants can be transplanted into open ground in late March or early April as soon as they are well-rooted and the weather permits.

With the first sunshine in the spring, the garlic begins to grow rapidly. If you have pre-sown in pots, you can plant the seedlings out in open ground in late March.

Plant in well-draining, nutritious soil in a sunny spot. Loosen the soil beforehand with a broadfork and mix in some compost or organic fertilizer.

Garlic can form flower stalks in the spring. These are also called “scapes.” Remove the flower stalks as soon as they appear, so that the energy goes into bulb formation. This will give you larger, fuller garlic bulbs.

Healthy soil is the foundation for strong garlic cultivation. Ensure the soil is loose so that excess water can drain away. Soil that is too wet can lead to rotting of the cloves. Check regularly for fungus or rust.

Rust on garlic is recognizable by orange spots on the leaves. It looks unpleasant, but usually, the bulb itself remains unaffected. Cut away affected leaves and do not put them on the compost heap to prevent spreading.

You can use horsetail extract or sulfur preparation preventively to keep fungus away.

Garlic is ready to harvest in late June or early July. In a greenhouse, you can often start as early as late May. The bulbs are ripe as soon as the foliage starts to turn yellow and die back.

Harvest in dry weather. Use a digging fork or garden fork and gently push the bulbs up. Shake off the soil, but do not wash them, as they will not dry as well.

Let the bulbs dry in an airy, dry place – for example on a wooden rack or under a canopy. Turn them occasionally. Once the skin feels paper-dry, you can braid or store the bulbs.

After harvesting, let the bulbs dry for three to four weeks in an airy, dry place – for example on a wooden rack or under a canopy. Once the skin feels paper-dry, you can braid or store the bulbs. In the YouTube video above, we show you how to braid and store garlic, step by step.

After drying, store the bulbs in a cool, dry, and well-ventilated place, such as a cellar or pantry. Avoid damp rooms. Softneck garlic usually lasts for six to twelve months, hardneck garlic about three to five months. Remove loose soil and dry roots by rubbing them gently.

Use a few of your own bulbs as planting stock for the next season. That way, you won't have to buy new ones every year.

Garlic is indispensable in the kitchen. Use raw cloves for extra punch, or roast a whole bulb in the oven for a soft, sweet flavor.

You can also process garlic into garlic oil, pickle it, or dry it for later use. Thanks to its natural antibacterial properties, garlic stays fresh for a long time.

With a well-stocked supply of home-grown garlic, you always have seasoning on hand – from quick stir-fries to slow-cooked stews.