Garlic: when to sow, plant out and harvest
Sowing, planting and harvest dates for your climate, good and bad companions, growing tips.
When to sow in your region
Average dates, computed from the frost dates of each climate. For your exact dates, choose your town.
| Climate | Sow outdoors | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| Northern France | 1 February – 30 April; 24 November – 14 December | 1 May – 31 August |
| Atlantic coast | 22 January – 20 April; 28 November – 18 December | 21 April – 4 September |
| Eastern France | 24 January – 22 April; 22 November – 12 December | 23 April – 29 August |
| Mediterranean | 21 December – 19 March; 14 December – 3 January | 20 March – 20 September |
| Mountains (around 1,000 m) | 26 February – 25 May; 23 October – 12 November | 26 May – 30 July |
Growing
- Family
- Amaryllidaceae
- Latin name
- Allium sativum
- Cold tolerance
- Hardy (withstands frost)
- Between rows
- 30 cm
- In the row
- 10–12 cm
Companion planting
The level of evidence is shown for each pairing: many rest on tradition rather than on studies.
Good neighbours
Sources
- Gerbeaud — per-crop fiches: chou chinois, chou kale, chou-rave, rutabaga, patate douce, topinambour, gombo, haricot d'Espagne / haricots grimpants, pourpier, radis noir, chicorée/scarole, tomatillo, ail, échalote, ciboulette, ciboule, cerfeuil, sarriette
- La Bonne Graine (seed company) — Le calendrier des semis et des plants
- The Old Farmer's Almanac — Planting Calendar (New York City, last frost Apr 3; cross-checked with Minneapolis, last frost Apr 30)
- Tous au potager — Distance de plantation des légumes : tableau des espacements
- Gerbeaud — Les distances de plantation à respecter
- The Old Farmer's Almanac — Vegetable growing guides (garlic, shallots, onions, spinach, peas, lettuce, kale, radishes, carrots, beets, swiss chard, kohlrabi, bok choy, fennel, cabbage, mustard greens, rutabagas, rhubarb, mint, cilantro)
- South Dakota State University Extension — Planting Garlic
- University of Maryland Extension — When to Plant Vegetables (central Maryland calendar, first frost Oct 25)
- RHS — Grow your own vegetable guides (broad beans, peas, onions, garlic, cabbages, spinach, rhubarb)