Growing Garlic? Here’s How Long It Actually Takes to Grow So You Can Harvest on Time

Garlic is used to flavor cuisines from all around the world and is one of the easiest vegetables to grow. However, to get the biggest and tastiest bulbs, you need to be patient.

Learn how long it takes to grow this cool-season vegetable.

How Long Does Garlic Take to Grow?

It takes 250 to 270 days (8 to 9 months) for a garlic clove to mature into a large bulb. As a cool-season vegetable, the cloves need a period of winter dormancy or chilling to fully develop.

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When to Plant Garlic

Both hardneck and softneck garlic are best planted in the fall, 3 to 6 weeks before the ground freezes. Timing will depend on your USDA hardiness zone.

The individually planted cloves will produce roots and minimal shoot growth before going dormant. Growth resumes in the spring and the bulbs develop, ready for harvesting in mid-summer.

If you miss the fall planting window, the cloves can be planted in the spring, but will produce smaller bulbs. If you plan to plant garlic in the early spring, chill the cloves between 32°F and 50°F for two months prior to planting.

Fall and Winter Garlic Care

Here’s how to take the best care of your garlic in the colder months for the most delicious crop.

Fall

Before you plant the first cloves, be sure the soil is well-draining and nutrient rich by working compost into the garden bed.

Plant cloves pointed side up in double rows, six inches apart, with the base of the clove 2 to 3 inches from the soil surface. Cover the newly-planted bed with 3 to 4 inches of leaf or straw mulch; this helps control weeds and keeps soil temperatures more even.

In warmer climates, tender shoots may emerge before the first frost. If this happens, weed control is essential to prevent the new growth from being strangled. Hand-weeding is best to prevent disturbing the newly-planted cloves.

Winter

Garlic needs little to no care during the winter months while growth is dormant.

Unless there is a severe drought, do not water the garlic bed. Excess moisture can cause the developing bulbs to rot. Resume regular watering in the spring as plant growth resumes.

Once the threat of hard freezes is over, you can remove the mulch to help the soil warm up. Or, leave it in place to help with weed control and preserve soil moisture.

Popular Garlic Varieties

You might think all garlic tastes the same, but here are a few popular varieties you can grow in your garden.

Hardneck Garlic

Hardneck garlic varieties are generally hardier than softneck varieties. Hardneck garlics usually have fewer, but larger, cloves per bulb than softneck varieties.

• Romcambole hardneck garlic is best suited for colder growing zones and has a distinctive flower stalk that forms a coil after they emerge in the spring. The cloves can be reddish-brown and full-flavored. Varieties include ‘Amish’, ‘Spanish Roja’, ‘German Red’, and ‘Killarney Red’.
• Continental hardneck garlic is another good choice for colder growing zones. These varieties produce purple-striped, symmetrical bulbs with some purple coloration of cloves. Varieties include ‘Morasol’, ‘Siberian’, ‘Korean Red’, and ‘Brown Tempest’.
• Porcelain hardneck garlic is a classic garlic with tight, paper-white, shiny wrappers and plump, large cloves. This is a good choice for gardeners in warmer growing zones. Varieties include ‘Music’, ‘Stull’, ‘Georgian Fire’, and ‘Vostani’.

Softneck Garlic

Softneck garlic varieties are the best for gardeners in milder climates. They mature more quickly and are better for long-term storage than hardneck varieties.

• Artichoke softneck garlic produces many cloves (14 to 20) per head and is a favorite of commercial garlic growers. Varieties include ‘Corsican Red’, ‘Red Toch’, ‘Acropolis Greek’, ‘Texas Rose’, and ‘Corsican Red’.
• Silverskin softneck garlic varieties have the best storage characteristics. The bulbs can be tan, white, or purple-tinged. Varieties include ‘Shantung Purple’, ‘Rose du Var’, ‘Silver Rose’, ‘Idaho Silver’, and ‘Silverwhite’.