How to Grow

How to Grow Garlic in the UK

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Garlic (Allium sativum)

A lush patch of green garlic plants growing in a garden bed. "A lush patch of green Garlic plants growing in a garden." by appealdahal, CC0 1.0, via WordPress Photo Directory.

6 sources cited · Verified

The short answer

Plant
Early September to late November
Ready in
250–270 days
Site
6+ hours of sun, soil pH 6–8
Biggest risk
Allium white rot

In the UK, garlic go in the ground early September to late November, and are ready to harvest 250–270 days after planting.

Garlic (Allium sativum) — perennial (cultivated as a winter annual).

Unlike an annual crop, the work here is front-loaded into establishment: get the planting and the site right and the same plants crop for several seasons.

Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural and university-extension sources — see References.

Watch: Growing Garlic at Home

A quick SoilCommander video on growing garlic at home in UK conditions — planting cloves, care and harvest in under a minute.

Soil & Growing Conditions

A garlic plant with a developing bulb at the base — "Garlic (Allium sativum)" by Franco Folini is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Flickr
“Garlic (Allium sativum)” by Franco Folini is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Flickr.

Water: Univ. of Maryland: direct light at least 6 hours/day, prefers 8-10 hours/day. Ohio State: about 1 inch of water per week through June, reducing as leaves yellow. RHS: water during dry spells in spring and early summer, but stop once bulbs are large and well formed; avoid wetting the leaves.

Humidity: No specific humidity optimum — garlic is grown across a wide humidity range. What matters is free drainage and dry conditions around the bulb: RHS and Ohio State both link wet, poorly drained soil and persistently damp conditions to higher risk of rust, white rot and neck/basal rot. Avoid wetting the foliage, and stop watering as the bulbs mature.

Soil pH range

6 8

Span reflects genuine variation between the cited authorities, not a single agreed figure.

Growth Stages

Stage BBCH Notes
Establishment 0 Garlic needs a cold period before it will form a proper bulb, which is why it is autumn-planted. RHS: most varieties need one to two months at 0-10C (32-50F) for good bulb development. Univ. of Maryland states the same requirement independently: cloves must be exposed to 32-50F temperatures for two months prior to bulb enlargement. OMAFRA likewise describes garlic as requiring a cold period to initiate growth. Plant deep enough and early enough to root before hard frost, but not so early that shoots emerge and are exposed to winter injury. Planting spacing and depth (sources agree closely): RHS — plant cloves upright with the tip about 2.5 cm below the surface, 15 cm apart in rows 30 cm apart. University of Maryland and Ohio State — set cloves 2.5–5 cm (1–2 in) deep and 10–15 cm (4–6 in) apart, in rows about 30 cm (12 in) apart, pointed end up.
Vegetative growth (leaf development) 3 From late winter into spring the cloves put on leaf. Keep the bed weed-free — garlic competes poorly with weeds (RHS, Ohio State). Water in dry spells (Ohio State: about 2.5 cm / 1 inch of water per week through the main growing period), and mulch to conserve moisture and suppress weeds. A nitrogen feed in early spring supports leaf growth, which in turn sizes the bulb; RHS recommends feeding through spring for a good crop.
Bulb development (scaping & bulbing) 4 Bulbing is triggered by lengthening spring days once the earlier cold requirement has been met (RHS; Univ. of Maryland). Hardneck types throw a central flower stalk (scape) in early summer — snapping or cutting it off redirects energy into the bulb and gives larger heads; the scapes are edible. Reduce watering as the bulbs swell, and stop once heads are large and well formed (RHS) so they do not sit wet and rot.
Maturation & harvest 8 The crop is mature when the lower leaves yellow and die back from the tips (Ohio State, OMAFRA, RHS). Lift when roughly half the foliage has browned and the bulbs are full-sized and well-wrapped (Univ. of Maryland), using a fork rather than pulling by the stem. Dry and cure the bulbs before storing.

Quick Facts

Factor Value
Soil pH 6 - 8
Sunlight 6-10 hours direct sun
Optimal growing temp 18-30C
Minimum survivable temp -5C
Time to harvest 250-270 days
Soil texture Deep, rich loamy soil high in organic matter; grows poorly in soils high in clay or compacted (Ohio State; Univ. of Maryland).
Drainage Free-draining / well-drained. RHS notes wet soil makes garlic more prone to disease; Ohio State notes poorly drained, compacted soils cause disease and small or misshapen heads.
Lifecycle perennial (cultivated as a winter annual)
Edible parts bulb, cloves, leaves, flower stalks (scapes), bulbils (top sets)

At a Glance

Allium sativum Garlic Allium white rot Leek rust Onion neck rot Fusarium basal rot Onion downy mildew Leek moth Onion fly Allium leaf miner Stem and bulb nematode DISEASES PESTS

Regional Planting Calendar

Region Sow
Southern England derived early September to late November
Midlands derived early September to late November
Northern England derived early September to late November
Scotland derived early September to late November

Rows marked derived are interpolated between regions our sources do state, because no source we consulted gives a figure for that region specifically. They are deliberately wider to reflect that uncertainty.

Southern England - detail & sources

UK-wide baseline (not yet region-differentiated): Autumn (Sep–Nov) planting gives biggest bulbs (needs cold spell); spring Feb–Mar smaller. Autumn-planted harvest late spring–early summer; spring-planted mid-summer–early autumn.

Midlands - detail & sources

UK-wide baseline (not yet region-differentiated): Autumn (Sep–Nov) planting gives biggest bulbs (needs cold spell); spring Feb–Mar smaller. Autumn-planted harvest late spring–early summer; spring-planted mid-summer–early autumn.

Northern England - detail & sources

UK-wide baseline (not yet region-differentiated): Autumn (Sep–Nov) planting gives biggest bulbs (needs cold spell); spring Feb–Mar smaller. Autumn-planted harvest late spring–early summer; spring-planted mid-summer–early autumn.

Scotland - detail & sources

UK-wide baseline (not yet region-differentiated): Autumn (Sep–Nov) planting gives biggest bulbs (needs cold spell); spring Feb–Mar smaller. Autumn-planted harvest late spring–early summer; spring-planted mid-summer–early autumn.

Harvest & Storage

Freshly harvested garlic laid out to cure — "Garlic harvest" by martindelisle31 is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Flickr
“Garlic harvest” by martindelisle31 is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Flickr.

When to pick: Sources agree that garlic is lifted as the foliage dies back, but differ on how far to let it go. Univ. of Maryland: harvest when about half of the foliage turns brown and bulbs are full-sized and well-wrapped. OMAFRA (Ontario): begin harvesting when 30-50% of the leaves have died back, with leaves turning tan brown from the tips toward the base. Ohio State: harvest when the lower leaves begin to yellow, lifting with a spade or shovel rather than pulling the stem. RHS: harvest once leaves have turned yellow.

Storage

Cure before storing. Ohio State: dry the heads out of the sun for several days, then cure two to three weeks. OMAFRA: tie 10-15 plants into a bundle and hang to dry in a well-ventilated area, or use forced air. RHS: dry thoroughly in a single layer in the sun or in a dry, well-ventilated shed. Cold storage figures agree closely -- Univ. of Maryland 32-38F (0-3.3C) at 65% RH; OMAFRA 0-4C at 60-70% RH for table stock; Ohio State above freezing but no higher than 40F (4.4C) and no more than 75% humidity. RHS separately gives 5-10C for domestic storage, a warmer ambient-shed context rather than a contradiction. Keeping quality is variety-dependent: RHS gives four to six months for hardneck and up to a year for softneck; Univ. of Maryland 6-9 months; OMAFRA up to 4 months (hardneck) or 8 months (softneck) at room temperature, and 6 to over 12 months under controlled conditions.

Diseases

Allium white rot

Stromatinia cepivora (syn. Sclerotium cepivorum)

RHS names garlic among the affected hosts: "Onions, garlic, leeks and other alliums".

Leek rust

Puccinia porri (syn. Puccinia allii)

RHS names garlic explicitly among affected hosts. The RHS garlic page also lists leek rust under garlic problems.

Onion neck rot

Botrytis allii

RHS qualifies garlic as an occasional host: "Onions and shallots (occasionally garlic)".

Fusarium basal rot

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cepae (also Fusarium proliferatum)

UC IPM: affects "Onion, garlic, and other Allium crops such as leek".

Onion downy mildew

Peronospora destructor

UC IPM names garlic explicitly among the hosts: "Garlic, onion, shallot, chives, and leek". This resolves an earlier caveat -- the RHS disease page listed only onions, salad onions, shallots and chives, so the garlic…

Pests

Leek moth

Acrolepiopsis assectella

RHS: affects "Leek, onion, shallot, garlic". The RHS garlic guide also lists leek moth under garlic problems.

Onion fly

Delia antiqua

Linked because the RHS garlic growing guide lists onion fly among garlic problems; note the RHS onion fly page itself names only onion, shallots and leeks.

Allium leaf miner

Phytomyza gymnostoma

RHS: affects "Leeks, onion, chives, shallot and garlic".

Stem and bulb nematode

Ditylenchus dipsaci

RHS names garlic among affected vegetables; Allium family members "swell and distort (onion blout)".

Companion Planting

Leek
avoid shared disease

Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum

Both crops are documented hosts of Allium white rot. These pathogens persist in soil for many years -- RHS gives up to 20 years for club root resting spores, at least 15 years for allium white rot sclerotia, and advises a five-year gap before replanting onions or shallots after downy mildew -- so…

Onion
avoid shared disease

Allium cepa

Both crops are documented hosts of Allium white rot and Onion downy mildew. These pathogens persist in soil for many years -- RHS gives up to 20 years for club root resting spores, at least 15 years for allium white rot sclerotia, and advises a five-year gap before replanting onions or shallots…

Shallot
avoid shared disease

Allium cepa Aggregatum Group

Both crops are documented hosts of Allium white rot and Onion downy mildew. These pathogens persist in soil for many years -- RHS gives up to 20 years for club root resting spores, at least 15 years for allium white rot sclerotia, and advises a five-year gap before replanting onions or shallots…

Spring onion
avoid shared disease

Allium fistulosum

Both crops are documented hosts of Onion downy mildew. These pathogens persist in soil for many years -- RHS gives up to 20 years for club root resting spores, at least 15 years for allium white rot sclerotia, and advises a five-year gap before replanting onions or shallots after downy mildew --…

References

  1. Tier 1. Primary UK source for planting timing, spacing, watering, harvest indicators and named pests/diseases.

  2. Tier 1. US extension corroboration for soil, drainage, watering, curing and storage.

  3. Tier 1. US extension corroboration for sunlight, the cold requirement for bulbing, and storage.

  4. Tier 1. Canadian production guidance for harvest indicators, curing and storage duration.

  5. Tier 1. International agronomic ranges (temperature, pH).

  6. Tier 1. Taxonomic backbone reference.

6 independent sources are cited for this crop. Where they disagree - soil pH is the clearest case - every figure is preserved rather than averaged into false precision.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I sow garlic in the UK?

In southern England, from early September. In northern England and Scotland, wait until early September. Treat these as a guide rather than a fixed date — the governing rule is to sow only once frost risk has passed and temperatures are reliably warm enough.

When do I sow garlic?

Sow early September to late November.

How long do garlic take to grow?

Typically 250–270 days, depending on cultivar and growing conditions.

What soil pH do garlic need?

A pH of about 6–8. That span reflects genuine variation between the authorities we cite rather than a single agreed figure — the References section lists each source's exact range.

What problems affect garlic?

Our data links 5 diseases and 4 pests to this crop. See the sections above for each one and how to manage it.

Plan next season before the problems start

Most of the advice on this page comes down to timing and spacing — sowing at the right moment, rotating beds, and giving plants enough airflow. The UK Garden Planner lays your plot out month by month so those decisions are already made before the season starts.

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SoilCommander Editorial Team

UK vegetable growing guides · Checked against RHS & Met Office guidance

Every SoilCommander guide is written and maintained by our editorial team for real UK growing conditions, and reviewed against Royal Horticultural Society growing advice and Met Office climate data before publication.

Vegetable Growing Guides UK

Last verified 2026-08-06

Sowing and harvest timings for garlic sit alongside every other crop in the UK vegetable planting calendar. For the wider job list in its main October window, see what to plant in October in the UK. If you are planning the bed around it, how to grow onions and how to grow leeks suit similar conditions and rotate well with it.

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