When should I plant garlic in the UK?

Mid-October to mid-November for hardneck varieties (the most flavourful and the best UK-adapted). February to early March for softneck varieties. Don't plant in mid-winter — cold wet soil rots the cloves before they root. Hardneck garlic needs 4–6 weeks of cold below 10°C to form a proper bulb, which is why autumn planting is the UK default.

Can I plant supermarket garlic cloves?

You can, but the results are unpredictable. Supermarket garlic may be a variety unsuited to the UK climate (Chinese garlic, for example, is bred for warmer winters), it may carry viruses, and the bulbs may be too small for good results. Buy seed garlic from a UK supplier — the cost is small and the harvest is reliably better.

What's the difference between hardneck and softneck garlic?

Hardneck (Music, Carcassonne Wight, Lautrec Wight) has a stiff central stem (the neck), bigger cloves, stronger flavour, and produces edible flower scapes in late spring. Less storage life — usually until December. Softneck (Solent Wight, Cristo, Albigensian Wight) has flexible necks (can be plaited), smaller cloves, milder flavour, stores until the following spring. Hardneck is better suited to autumn planting in the UK.

Why are my garlic bulbs small?

Most common causes: planted too late, soil too rich (high nitrogen makes leaves not bulbs), too much competition from weeds, or not enough cold over winter. Hardneck needs at least 4–6 weeks below 10°C — a very mild winter can result in single-clove rounds instead of segmented bulbs. Plant at the right time, weed religiously, and choose a UK-adapted variety.

When is garlic ready to harvest?

Mid-June to late July for autumn-planted hardneck; July to August for spring-planted softneck. Watch the foliage — when about half has yellowed and the lower leaves are turning brown, the bulbs are ready. Lift one as a test; the cloves should be clearly defined inside the papery wrapping. Don't wait until all the foliage dies back — the wrapping deteriorates and the bulb won't store.

How do I store garlic?

Cure the harvested plants (whole, with roots and leaves still attached) in an airy frost-free shed for 2–3 weeks until the foliage is fully dry and papery. Trim roots and cut the stem 5 cm above the bulb. Don't wash. Store in mesh bags, woven trays, or plaited (softneck only) in a cool dry well-ventilated place. Hardneck keeps 4–6 months; softneck keeps 8–10 months.

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Allium sativum

Plant garlic cloves in autumn — mid-October to mid-November for hardneck varieties; spring planting (February to early March) is possible for softneck. Autumn-planted hardnecks need 4–6 weeks of cold below 10°C to bulb properly, which the UK winter delivers reliably. Plant cloves 5 cm deep, 15 cm apart, in a sunny well-drained bed with the pointed end up. Garlic is very hardy (RHS H6) and shrugs off frost. Harvest from mid-June to late July when half the leaves have yellowed and started to droop. Dry the bulbs in an airy place for two weeks before storing. UK-grown garlic stores until the following spring.

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