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.

Garlic — Grow

Garlic

Allium sativum

vegetable☀️ full-sun🪴 well drained loam📏 small🌡️ RHS H5–H6

📋Quick Facts

Height

0.6-0.8m

Spread

0.3-0.4m

Water

💧💧 Average watering

Hardiness

Zone 4-9

About

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.

Top tip

Plant cloves in cool soil, avoid waterlogging, and harvest when several leaves have turned brown.

Also known as: Aglio, Allium sativum, Alho, Czosnek pospolity, Knoblauch, Ajo, Ail, Knoflook

How to grow garlic

1
Choose your cloves
Buy seed garlic, not supermarket cloves (which may not be UK-suited or virus-free). Hardneck varieties (Music, Carcassonne Wight) for autumn; softneck (Solent Wight, Cristo) for spring.
2
Prepare the bed
Mid-October. Fork over a sunny spot; rake to fine tilth; don't add fresh manure. Garlic prefers slightly alkaline soil — a light dusting of garden lime if your pH is below 6.5.
3
Plant
Mid-October to mid-November for autumn planting; February to early March for spring planting. Push individual cloves 5 cm deep, pointed end up, 15 cm apart in rows 30 cm apart. Cover.
4
Mulch
Apply a 2–3 cm mulch of compost or leaf mould after planting. Keeps the bed warm in winter and weed-free in spring.
5
Weed
Hand-weed throughout the growing season. Garlic hates competition. Don't hoe close to the cloves; you'll damage the developing bulb.
6
Remove scapes (hardnecks only)
In late May to June, hardneck garlic sends up a curling flower stalk (the scape). Snap it off when young — the plant's energy then goes into the bulb. The scapes themselves are edible and excellent in stir-fries.
7
Harvest
When half the foliage has yellowed and the lower leaves are dying back (mid-June to late July depending on cultivar and region). Loosen with a fork; pull gently. Don't yank — the necks snap and the bulb won't store.
8
Cure
Lay the whole plants in a single layer in an airy frost-free shed or under cover for 2–3 weeks. Once the foliage is fully dry and papery, trim roots and necks (leave 5 cm of neck), brush off loose soil. Don't wash. Store in mesh bags or plaited in a cool dry place.

Common questions

Pest Resilience

5/5 — Highly resilient

Allium chemistry provides excellent pest resistance; virtually trouble-free.

Companion Planting

Grows well with

Broccoli Cabbage Lettuce Wild strawberry

Keep apart from

Bean Broad bean French bean Pea

Visual Characteristics

Fruits

Yes

Harvest: Summer

🍳

Culinary

Culinary Use

Stir-fries, pasta, bread, roasted, aioli, marinades, pickled, confit

The garlic year in your garden

Dispatching imaginary bots to check your garden out...

What to do now

How to Propagate

🌱Bulb

Moderate

Hardiness Zones

H1a (tender)H7 (very hardy)

H1a

H1b

H1c

RHS H5–H6

USDA 6 equivalent

Garlic

Garlic

📋Quick Facts

About

How to grow garlic

Common questions

Pest Resilience

Companion Planting

Visual Characteristics

The garlic year in your garden

How to Propagate

Hardiness Zones

Names in Other Languages(7)