When to Plant Garlic in the UK
In the UK, garlic goes in the ground in autumn. That timing isn't just tradition: the cloves need a proper winter to turn into full, well-divided bulbs, and autumn planting gives them exactly that.
Quick answer
The short answer is October to December. Garlic needs a cold spell to grow properly, usually around one to two months with temperatures between 0 and 10°C, and a British winter supplies that naturally. Plant in autumn and you'll be lifting bulbs between late spring and early summer. A few varieties are meant to go in at the end of winter or early in spring instead, but they'll be ready later in the year.
Why garlic needs cold
Cold is what tells a garlic clove to split into lots of new cloves. If it misses out on enough chilly weather, you'll often dig up a single, round bulb with no separate cloves, like a small onion.
That's why autumn works so well. The cloves put down roots while the soil is still soft enough to work, sit out the cold months, and then shoot up quickly once spring warms things up.
Garlic planting times at a glance
Autumn planting (October to December): the main season, and right for most varieties. Harvest from late spring to early summer.
Late winter to early spring planting: only for varieties sold specifically for spring planting. Harvest from mid-summer to early autumn.
Elephant garlic: get it in during October, as it needs a long season to fill out.
Autumn planting
For most garlic, autumn is the time to plant.
Push each clove in with the flat root end down and the tip about 2.5 cm below the surface.
Allow 15 cm between cloves and 30 cm between rows.
Pick a sunny, well-drained spot. Waterlogged ground over winter is the most common reason garlic rots.
Lay fleece or netting over the bed until the cloves have rooted, or birds may pull them out.
If your soil is heavy or wet
On soil that stays soggy all winter, it's safer not to plant directly into the ground in autumn. Try this instead:
In autumn, fill a module tray with compost and push one clove into each cell, so the tip sits about 2.5 cm under the surface.
Stand the tray somewhere cold but sheltered, like a cold frame or unheated greenhouse. Water just enough to stop the compost drying out completely.
In spring, plant the young garlic out into the bed, 15 cm apart.
This way the garlic still gets its winter chill, without its roots sitting in cold, wet mud.
Spring planting
Missed the autumn window? Look out for spring-planting varieties, which can go in from the end of winter. Read the label or the supplier's description before you buy, because most garlic on sale is meant for autumn.
Spring-planted garlic takes until mid-summer to early autumn to be ready. If you grow a softneck type this way, the bulbs will keep until about mid-spring the year after.
Planting garlic in containers
No space in the ground? Garlic grows happily in pots of multi-purpose compost. Plant at the same time of year and use the same depth and spacing, in a pot at least 25 cm deep.
For container advice, see growing garlic in containers.
Planning the garlic growing season
October to December: plant the cloves.
Winter: the roots grow while the garlic gets its essential cold spell.
Spring: leafy growth takes off. Water if it's dry and keep weeds down by hand.
Late spring to early summer: harvest autumn-planted garlic when the leaves turn yellow.
For full growing advice, see how to grow garlic in the UK. For harvesting, see when to harvest garlic.
Common questions
Can I plant garlic bought from the supermarket?
Best not to. Supermarket bulbs are often grown for warmer countries and can bring diseases into your garden that are hard to shift. Garlic sold for planting costs a little more but grows far more reliably.
What happens if garlic doesn't get enough cold?
You'll usually end up with a single round bulb instead of a head split into cloves. The cold spell is what triggers the cloves to form, which is why autumn planting matters.
Is it too late to plant garlic in January or February?
For most varieties, it's better to wait until the following autumn. The exception is garlic sold specifically for spring planting, which can go in during late winter or early spring and will be ready from mid-summer.
When should I plant elephant garlic?
October is ideal. Elephant garlic needs a longer growing season than ordinary garlic to bulk up. Despite the name, it's actually a close relative of the leek.
Planting times based on RHS guidance.