Planting Garlic

Published Aug 9, 2026 7:08 am : Updated Aug 7, 2026 3:13 pm

Garlic is a fun herb to grow and does not require much time or effort. But just like any edible, it requires some preparation and planning. Order seed garlic (cloves) from a catalog in July or August for fall planting. If you don’t have time to order, buy garlic in the grocery store. The downside is that a sprout inhibiter is often sprayed on grocery store garlic. This has never been a problem for me, however, and the upside is that it will likely be cheaper.

In California, garlic is a cool weather crop, and the soft neck variety does best. Fall is the time to plant. It may start to sprout in winter but will go dormant and start to grow again in spring. With garlic, you are in it for the long haul; garlic takes five to eight months to mature.

The first step, after you have purchased your garlic, is to gently break the cloves apart, leaving the outer skin intact on each clove. Now for soil preparation. Choose a sunny location. Sandy loam is ideal, but if your soil has clay in it, be sure to loosen soil to a depth of about four inches. Cloves will be planted at about two inches down, but soil should be loose below the clove, so that water will not sit in the base and root area. A standard soil amendment should give adequate nourishment. Water the soil a day before planting.

In order to improve the odds of a good yield, the day before planting soak cloves overnight in a solution of one teaspoon baking soda per quart of water. This will help kill any bacteria on the cloves. Drain cloves about an hour before planting and soak them in a new bath of isopropyl alcohol to kill any fungus.

Plant cloves pointed side up, about two inches deep and about eight inches apart in all directions. Water them and cover the bed with straw. When plant tips appear, move straw away from plants to give them space. Now you just need to keep the soil moist. Do not over water!

Garlic will continue to grow slowly. Plants should be fertilized again in the spring. Stop fertilizing plants about three months before harvest. For example, if you plant in late September, stop fertilizing in late February. Now watch the leaves. Lower leaves will start to brown as bulbs mature, and this browning will continue upward.

As leaves continue to brown, stop watering for one to two weeks before harvesting. Using a garden fork, try to dig below the root; avoid pulling up by hand. You want garlic bulbs to stay intact and have about two inches of roots. Remove loose clods of dirt only. Garlic can be cured in a dry shaded place with good air circulation, either inside or out. This curing process allows vascular tissues to close and bulbs to harden. Larger bulbs should be ready to use in about four weeks but can often be stored for a few months.

For further information about garlic pests and diseases, see the University of California integrated pest management program. Good luck and happy gardening.

Wendy Kubow is a University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener of Calaveras County.