Garlic is one of the most satisfying crops in the Australian raised bed garden, planted in autumn, it grows quietly through winter and rewards patient gardeners with fragrant bulbs in spring or early summer. Australian-grown garlic is incomparably better than imported supermarket garlic. It is also one of the most potent companion plants, repelling aphids, spider mites, and fungal disease.
Plant Spacing
15 cm apart
25 cm between rows
Days to Harvest
180-210 days (6-7 months)
Germination: 10-20 days
Sun Needs
Full sun (6+ hours daily)
Water Needs
Moderate, reduce watering as bulbs mature; stop watering 2 weeks before harvest
Soil pH
6.0-7.5
Expected Yield
1 bulb per clove planted (10-12 cloves per bulb at harvest)
Planting times vary significantly across Australia's five climate zones. Find your zone below for the best planting windows.
| Climate Zone | Best Planting Months |
|---|---|
| Tropical (Darwin, Cairns) | Not recommended (garlic requires a cold vernalisation period) |
| Subtropical (Brisbane, Northern NSW) | April-June |
| Temperate (Sydney, Melbourne, Perth) | March-June |
| Cool/Alpine (Canberra, Hobart, high country) | March-May |
| Arid (Alice Springs, outback) | April-June |
Not sure of your climate zone? Enter your postcode to get personalised planting advice.
From the makers · free
Get our one-page Australian planting calendar emailed to you, when to sow, plant and harvest garlic and 30+ other crops, month by month.
One email. Unsubscribe in one click. We never sell your address.
Garlic is one of the most rewarding and surprisingly easy crops for Australian raised bed gardeners. It requires a period of cold to vernalise and trigger bulb formation, this is why it must be planted in autumn and winter in most Australian climates. Tropical climates cannot grow garlic successfully without using hardneck varieties that require less cold.
Plant garlic from cloves, not seed. Purchase certified disease-free seed garlic from a garden centre or nursery, do not plant supermarket garlic, which is often treated to prevent sprouting and may carry disease. Break bulbs into individual cloves just before planting.
Plant cloves pointed end up, 5-8cm deep, in well-prepared, free-draining raised bed soil enriched with compost. Space cloves 15cm apart in rows 25cm apart. A topdressing of compost after planting and a layer of straw mulch helps retain moisture and suppress weeds through winter.
Garlic requires minimal care over its 6-7 month growing period. Water regularly in dry periods through winter and spring, reducing as summer approaches and the foliage begins to yellow. Stop watering entirely 2-3 weeks before planned harvest.
Softneck garlic varieties ('California White', 'Italian Late') are the most widely grown in Australia and store for 6-12 months. Hardneck varieties ('German Red', 'Music', 'Russian Red') produce larger cloves with more complex flavour but shorter storage life (3-6 months). Choose varieties from Australian garlic suppliers for best results in local conditions.
Scapes (the curling flower stalks of hardneck varieties) should be cut off when they form a complete curl, this directs energy back to bulb development. Scapes are delicious and can be used like spring onion.
From the makers
Plant Planner calculates how many garlic plants your family needs, assigns them to the right beds, and generates a personalised planting schedule for your climate zone.
These plants make excellent neighbours for garlic in your raised beds, they help deter pests, improve pollination, or enhance growing conditions.
Avoid planting garlic near these crops, they can inhibit each other's growth, attract shared pests, or compete aggressively.
Rust (Puccinia allii) causes orange-yellow pustules on leaves and is the most common garlic problem in Australia, it rarely prevents harvest but reduces vigour.
Improve airflow by spacing adequately.
Basal plate rot (Fusarium culmorum) causes rotting at the base of bulbs, especially in wet, warm conditions, use free-draining raised bed mix and practice crop rotation.
White rot (Sclerotium cepivorum) is a serious soilborne disease; do not grow alliums in affected beds for 15+ years.
Harvest garlic when approximately half the leaves have died back (typically October-December in most Australian climates). Dig carefully with a fork, lifting the whole bulb. Do not pull by the stem. Cure harvested garlic by hanging in bunches or spreading on racks in a warm, airy, shaded location for 2-4 weeks. Well-cured garlic stores at room temperature for 6-12 months.
1 bulb per clove planted (10-12 cloves per bulb at harvest)
Yield depends on variety, growing conditions, and management. These are typical results for well-maintained Australian raised beds.
Plant Planner checks every crop assignment against the full companion database, it knows that Garlic grows well with Tomato and Pepper and warns you about antagonists automatically.
Unlock FreePlant 50-100 cloves (4-8 bulbs' worth) for a family of 4; allows generous use plus some to save for next season's planting
These estimates are based on average Australian household consumption. Adjust up if you plan to preserve, freeze, or use heavily; adjust down for occasional use.
Garlic germinates in 10-20 days and is ready to harvest in 180-210 days (6-7 months). Harvest garlic when approximately half the leaves have died back (typically October-December in most Australian climates).
Space garlic plants 15 cm apart, with 25 cm between rows. Correct spacing gives each plant room for airflow and root development and is one of the easiest ways to lift your yield in a raised bed.
Full sun (6+ hours daily). Moderate, reduce watering as bulbs mature; stop watering 2 weeks before harvest.
It depends on your climate zone. In temperate areas (Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide) plant garlic March-June. Other zones: tropical, Not recommended (garlic requires a cold vernalisation period); subtropical, April-June; cool, March-May; arid, April-June.
Garlic grows well alongside Tomato, Pepper, Carrot, Lettuce, Apple Tree, Rose. Keep it away from Beans, Peas, Parsley, which can compete with it or attract shared pests.
Plant 50-100 cloves (4-8 bulbs' worth) for a family of 4; allows generous use plus some to save for next season's planting
Plant Planner automatically calculates how many garlic plants your family needs, assigns them to the right beds, and generates a personalised planting schedule for your climate zone.
Calculate how many garlic plants I needFree for 2 beds · No credit card required