Garlic is one of the most satisfying crops to grow. It doesn’t take up much space, it stores well, and once you’ve had homegrown garlic, the supermarket version just doesn’t compare. It’s stronger in flavour, fresher, and you know exactly how it’s been grown.
This guide walks you through how to grow garlic at home in Australia—step by step—with practical, seasonal insights and the science behind those long-held planting traditions.
When Should You Plant Garlic in Australia?
There are two main planting windows people follow across the country:
1. March to May (autumn)
2. The winter solstice (around June 21)
Both can work well depending on your location, variety, and soil conditions.
In cool and mountain regions (like parts of Victoria, Tasmania, and the southern highlands), planting anytime from March to May gives your garlic time to establish roots before winter. Some gardeners prefer the tradition of planting on the shortest day of the year, allowing the bulbs to stay dormant through winter and take off once spring arrives.
In temperate and subtropical regions, earlier planting (from March) gives the garlic a head start before cooler days set in. The autumn equinox (around March 20–21) is often used as a reference point.
In tropical climates, garlic needs a bit more help—specifically cold treatment. You’ll need to vernalise your cloves by storing them in the fridge for 4–6 weeks before planting. Choose varieties suited to warmer conditions and be aware that bulb development can be less reliable in consistently warm climates.
Softneck vs Hardneck Garlic: What’s the Difference?
• Softneck garlic (e.g., Artichoke, Silverskin, and Subtropical): Stores well, ideal for warmer climates, produces more cloves per bulb.
• Hardneck garlic (e.g., Turban, Creole): Suited to colder climates, often easier to peel and more complex in flavour, but doesn’t store quite as long.
Ask your local grower or seed supplier what’s worked in your region—they’ll usually know what varieties are best suited to your conditions.
How to Plant Garlic: Step-by-Step
1. Prepare your soil
Garlic thrives in well-drained, fertile soil, ideally with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Dig through compost or well-aged manure and ensure good drainage—raised beds are great for this.
2. Break the bulbs into cloves
Use the largest, healthiest cloves. Leave the skin on and don’t peel them. Do this just before planting to prevent drying out.
3. Plant pointy end up
• Depth: 5 cm
• Spacing: 10–15 cm between cloves, 20–30 cm between rows
4. Water in well and mulch
Mulch with straw, sugarcane or lucerne to suppress weeds, retain moisture, and stabilise temperature.
Caring for Garlic as It Grows
• Water consistently during active growth, especially in spring. Ease off once the leaves start to yellow.
• Feed with diluted seaweed solution or compost tea every 4–6 weeks during the growing season.
• Weed regularly—garlic doesn’t like competition, and mulch will help reduce weed pressure.
Harvesting Garlic
Garlic is usually ready around 17–25 weeks after planting.
You’ll know it’s time to harvest when:
• The bottom leaves are yellow or brown
• The top few leaves are still green
Don’t wait until the whole plant dies back—you risk splitting or rotting in the ground.
To harvest:
• Gently loosen the soil with a fork
• Pull the bulbs carefully by the stem
• Shake off excess soil (don’t wash)
• Lay out in a shaded, well-ventilated area to dry
Curing and Storing Garlic
Cure your garlic for 2–3 weeks in a dry, airy place out of direct sun—this helps it store well.
Once cured:
• Trim the roots
• Cut stems to your preferred length, or braid if softneck
• Store in mesh bags or baskets in a cool, dry place—never in the fridge (unless you’re vernalising for next season)
Where to Buy Garlic for Planting in Australia
Avoid supermarket garlic—it’s often imported, fumigated, and treated to stop sprouting.
Here are trusted Australian sources for quality planting garlic:
1. The Diggers Club
Heirloom, seasonal garlic varieties for different climates.
2. Green Harvest
Certified organic garlic, with growing tips and regional suitability.
3. The Seed Garlic Shop
Specialises in diverse, locally adapted garlic varieties.
4. Garlic Kingdom Australia
Over 50 regeneratively grown garlic varieties.
5. Tooley Garlic (VIC)
Disease-free planting garlic with limited national shipping.
6. Local Farmers’ Markets
A fantastic place to find garlic suited to your specific region. Many stallholders will sell garlic for planting and happily offer tips. Ask about variety, harvest time, and whether the garlic is untreated. It’s also a great way to connect with your local food community.
🌱 Pro tip: The best time to buy seed garlic is late summer to early autumn, before the season’s planting stock sells out.
Side Note: Can You Plant Garlic Under Tomatoes?
If you’re tight on space, or working with a productive kitchen garden, you might be wondering whether garlic can be planted under your tomato plants toward the end of the season.
The answer is yes—and it’s actually a smart move.
If your tomatoes are starting to wind down with the first frosts approaching, planting garlic underneath them now makes excellent use of timing and space. Tomatoes will soon be finished, and their mature root systems won’t interfere much with the young garlic cloves. Once you remove the tomato plants—either by lifting them or cutting them off at the base—you’ll have your garlic already in place and growing steadily.
Tip: Cutting tomato plants at the base and hanging them upside down is an old-school way to allow the last fruit to ripen off the vine—without disturbing the garlic you’ve just planted underneath.
This kind of succession planting is ideal in smaller gardens. It keeps your beds working efficiently while also allowing you to stagger harvests. And if you’re resting other beds with a green manure crop, like I often do, this balance between productivity and renewal is what keeps the garden thriving year-round.
Why I Grow My Own Garlic
There’s nothing quite like growing your own garlic—from selecting the cloves to harvesting and hanging your crop to cure. Once you’ve experienced the flavour, freshness and satisfaction of growing it yourself, you won’t go back.
You know exactly what’s gone into it (and what hasn’t). It becomes part of your pantry, your garden rhythm, and your seasonal calendar. It’s a small act of self-reliance that makes a real difference.
And if you’d like to explore more ways to grow for abundance—without chemicals, overwhelm, or waste—I cover all of this and more in The Productive Garden workshop.
If you’d like to experience life here and this incredible space first-hand, I’d love to welcome you to one of my upcoming workshops. Come and walk the garden, learn something new, and connect with others creating lives rich in beauty, practicality and purpose.
Explore my workshops:
~ The Productive Garden with Natasha Morgan – Learn how to grow abundantly, no matter your space.
~ Garden Design with Natasha Morgan – Craft a garden that balances structure, beauty, and functionality.
~ The Wicking Bed Garden with Natasha Morgan – Build a self-watering, water-wise garden for effortless growing.
~ Preserving The Seasons with Natasha Morgan – Capture seasonal flavours with time-honoured preserving techniques.
~ Introduction to Backyard Chicken Keeping with Saffron and Natasha – Learn how to raise happy, healthy chickens at home.
You may want to check out my related content below:
From Fumigation to Flavour: What Happens to Imported Garlic Before It Reaches You – Explore the journey of garlic before it makes it to your kitchen in this insightful blog post.
Fermenting Garlic: A Recipe for Resilience – Learn how fermenting garlic can enhance its flavour and shelf life, while building resilience in your kitchen.
Dive into both for more garlic-related insights!
Thanks so much for following along.
Natasha xx,
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