Garlic is one of the simplest crops to start because each planted clove can develop into a fresh bulb. You don't need to raise seedlings or manage a greenhouse full of pots. In a sunny, well-drained patch, garlic can sit quietly through winter before growing strongly in spring. Its main requirements are suitable planting cloves, good drainage and enough time to mature.
Although you can experiment with cloves from the kitchen, proper seed garlic from a reputable supplier is the more dependable choice. Supermarket bulbs may be unsuitable for your climate or carry plant diseases.
Choose hardneck or softneck garlic
Hardneck garlic produces a firm central flower stalk, called a scape, and often forms a smaller number of large cloves. It generally copes well with cold winter conditions. Softneck garlic often forms more cloves and can store particularly well when properly cured.
Different varieties suit different regions and planting times. Read the supplier's instructions rather than assuming every garlic bulb behaves identically. If your garden is cold and exposed, choose a variety recommended for those conditions.
Buy whole, healthy bulbs intended for planting. Separate the individual cloves only shortly before you put them in the soil, keeping their papery skins intact. Set aside cloves that feel soft, shrivelled or mouldy.
When to plant garlic in the UK
Autumn is the traditional planting season because many garlic varieties benefit from a spell of cold to develop well-formed bulbs. Some varieties can be planted in late winter or early spring, although they may produce smaller bulbs without sufficient cold exposure.
In colder northern gardens, the timing depends on soil drainage as much as temperature. Cloves left in waterlogged ground may rot before spring. A raised bed or large, freely draining container is an alternative where heavy soil stays wet.
The best soil and position for garlic
Choose full sun and soil that drains freely. Garlic grows poorly in deep shade and dislikes constant competition from weeds. Prepare the ground by removing perennial weed roots, breaking up compaction and incorporating well-rotted compost where needed.
Avoid using fresh manure immediately around cloves, as overly rich or wet conditions can contribute to problems. Garlic belongs to the onion family, so don't repeatedly grow it in the same patch as onions, leeks or other alliums if diseases have been troublesome.
How to plant a garlic clove
Separate the bulb into individual cloves without damaging their bases. Each clove has a pointed end and a flatter root end. Set the pointed end upwards. According to RHS guidance, plant cloves with their tips about 2.5cm below the soil surface, with wider spacing between rows and around 15cm between cloves, adjusting for variety and conditions.
Firm the soil gently after planting so the clove makes good contact with it. Water only if needed; autumn ground is often already moist. Mark rows carefully because early garlic shoots resemble other narrow-leaved plants and can be damaged by careless hoeing.
Protect freshly planted cloves from birds if they start being pulled from the ground. Replace any exposed cloves promptly and check whether persistent digging indicates another problem in the bed.
Can you grow garlic in containers?
Yes. A reasonably deep, broad pot with drainage holes can support a small crop. Fill it with fresh peat-free compost and space cloves far enough apart for bulbs to form. A narrow windowsill pot may produce shoots but usually won't give generous, full-sized bulbs.
Place the container outside in a sunny position where winter rain can drain away. Garlic generally needs seasonal outdoor conditions rather than constant indoor warmth. Raise pots if necessary to keep drainage holes open.
Container compost dries faster in warm spring weather than garden soil. Check it regularly, but avoid leaving a pot permanently sitting in water. A few cloves in a large patio container can be easier to manage than a crowded tray.
What happens over winter?
Some garlic varieties send up green shoots before winter, while others develop slowly underground and become more visible as days lengthen. Both patterns can be normal. Healthy plants often tolerate cold weather, although waterlogging remains a concern.
Keep the growing area free from large weeds. If frost briefly lifts young cloves or exposes roots, firm the soil gently around them. Avoid digging around planted cloves to check progress; repeated disturbance can damage developing roots.
Watering and feeding garlic
During prolonged dry spells in spring and early summer, water enough to maintain active growth. Garlic isn't a bog plant, and repeated soaking of heavy soil can encourage disease. Check the ground below its surface before watering.
Where soil fertility is low, a suitable vegetable fertiliser may support early growth. Follow the product instructions and avoid heavy doses late in the season. Excessive nitrogen can promote foliage growth without necessarily improving stored bulbs.
Stop watering as the crop approaches maturity if foliage is naturally dying down and the soil is already adequately dry. You want the bulbs to dry and cure, not remain wet indefinitely.
What are garlic scapes?
Hardneck varieties may develop a stiff, curling flower stalk known as a scape. Many gardeners cut scapes while tender to direct more of the plant's energy towards the bulb. Scapes can also be used in cooking, with a milder garlic flavour than cloves.
When is garlic ready to harvest?
Garlic is normally harvested in late spring or summer, depending on the planting date and variety. One useful sign is the lower leaves yellowing and drying as bulbs mature. Don't wait until every leaf has completely collapsed if you want bulbs with sound protective skins.
Loosen the soil carefully with a fork away from the bulbs and lift them, rather than wrenching them out by the leaves. Damaged cloves won't store as well, so handle the crop gently.
Check a representative bulb if you're unsure. A properly developed garlic bulb has distinguishable cloves under protective skins. If bulbs are still very small, compare their development with the variety's expected maturity and the growing conditions.
Drying and storing your garlic
Brush away loose soil and dry sound bulbs in a warm, airy, sheltered place out of persistent rain. Good ventilation matters because damp, tightly stacked bulbs can mould. Allow the outer skins and necks to dry before long-term storage.
Keep well-cured garlic somewhere cool, dry and ventilated. Storage life differs between varieties. Use split, bruised or damaged bulbs promptly rather than mixing them with perfect bulbs and risking spoilage.
Don't store garlic bulbs in oil at room temperature. Homemade garlic-in-oil preparations can present a serious food safety risk unless made and stored using a validated safe method.
Common garlic problems
Bulbs stay small: Possible causes include shade, crowding, unsuitable variety, insufficient cold exposure or poor growing conditions.
Leaves yellow early: Check whether it's natural maturity or stress from waterlogging, disease and drought.
Cloves disappear: Birds, rodents or rotting can be responsible; investigate before replanting.
Rust-coloured spots on foliage: Allium rust is a possibility. Improve airflow, avoid crowded plants and use appropriate disease guidance.
Bulbs rot in storage: They may have been damaged, harvested wet or insufficiently cured. Improve drying and ventilation next season.
Planting your first garlic crop
Try one bulb of a suitable named variety, divided into cloves and planted in a sunny, well-drained bed. Weed regularly, water sensibly in dry spring weather and allow the foliage to show when the crop is maturing.
Growing garlic is slow rather than complicated. The reward is harvesting fresh bulbs from a patch that needs surprisingly little attention for most of the year.
Source
Royal Horticultural Society: How to Grow Garlic.