🥕 Garlic

Allium sativum

vegetables bulb vegetable (allium)

☀️ Sun

Full sun (6–8+ hours)

💧 Water

Medium; 1 inch per week; consistent moisture during spring growth; reduce/stop watering 2–3 weeks before harvest when leaves begin to yellow

🗺️ Zones

3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

🪴 Soil Type

Well-drained, fertile loam with high organic matter; garlic is a heavy feeder — amend with compost before planting

🧪 Soil pH

6.0–7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

💧 Drainage

Excellent drainage critical — garlic rots in wet soil; raised beds strongly recommended in clay or high-rainfall areas

📏 Spacing

Cloves 4–6 inches apart in rows 12–18 inches apart; plant 1–2 inches deep (pointed end up) in fall before ground freezes

📅 Days to Maturity

90-150 days (from planting cloves in fall); harvest mid-summer, 8-9 months total

🍴 Edible Parts

🍽️ ["Cloves (bulb)"🍽️ "Scapes (flower stalks \u2014 harvest before curling for milder🍽️ tender garlic flavor)"🍽️ "Young leaves (garlic greens)"]

🤝 Companions (7)

🤝 Rose

Garlic's antifungal volatile compounds reduce blackspot and powdery mildew on roses; repels aphids and Japanese beetles — one of the most famous ornamental/vegetable companions

🤝 Tomato

Repels spider mites and aphids; antifungal properties may reduce late blight and powdery mildew

🤝 Raspberry/Blackberry

Repels Japanese beetles and spider mites; antifungal compounds reduce cane diseases

🤝 Carrot

Repels carrot rust fly; general soil fumigant effect reducing soil-borne pests

🤝 Beet

Garlic deters beet pests; beets and garlic occupy different root zones

🤝 Chamomile

Improves garlic flavor; attracts beneficial insects; antifungal

🤝 Fruit trees (apple, peach)

Garlic repels borers, aphids, and peach leaf curl; plant in tree's drip line as a natural pest deterrent

⚠️ Keep Apart (4)

⚠️ Bean (all types)

Strong allium antagonism — inhibits nitrogen-fixing bacteria; beans will be severely stunted

⚠️ Pea

Same nitrogen-fixing inhibition as beans — legumes and alliums are fundamentally incompatible

⚠️ Sage

May stunt garlic growth; aromatic incompatibility reported

⚠️ Parsley

Some sources report garlic stunts parsley growth

💊 Medicinal Uses

["Allicin (produced when garlic is crushed/chopped): potent antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral compound", "Clinically studied for cardiovascular benefits: lowers blood pressure, reduces LDL cholesterol, reduces arterial plaque", "Traditional antibiotic: used as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial for thousands of years across many cultures", "May reduce risk of stomach and colorectal cancers (epidemiological evidence)", "Immune system booster \u2014 regularly consumed during cold/flu season"]

📝 Notes

Two main types: Hardneck (Allium sativum var. ophioscorodon) — produces scapes, more flavorful, better for cold climates (zones 3-6), fewer but larger cloves, 4-6 month storage. Softneck (Allium sativum var. sativum) — no scapes, braidable, better for warm climates (zones 5-9), more cloves, 6-9 month storage. Plant in fall (October-November) for July harvest. Do NOT plant grocery store garlic — often treated with sprout inhibitors and may carry diseases.