Learning how to grow elephant garlic is a rewarding project for any gardener looking to add a mild, versatile allium to their harvest. Growing elephant garlic successfully requires patience, as this gentle giant needs a full season to develop its massive cloves. While it shares a name with common garlic, it’s actually more closely related to the leek, producing huge bulbs that can weigh over a pound.
This guide provides clear, step-by-step instructions to take you from planting to harvest. You will learn about soil preparation, planting times, ongoing care, and proper curing techniques. With the right conditions, you can enjoy a bountiful crop of this unique and impressive plant.
How To Grow Elephant Garlic
This section covers the complete lifecycle of elephant garlic, from selecting your seed stock to harvesting your crop. Following these fundamental steps will set you up for a successful growing season and a impressive yield.
Understanding Elephant Garlic
Before you plant, it’s helpful to know what makes elephant garlic different. Its bulbs are much larger than traditional garlic, containing four to six huge cloves surrounded by smaller bulblets. The flavor is milder and sweeter, making it excellent for roasting or using raw in salads.
It is a hardy perennial but is typically grown as an annual. There are two main types: hardneck and softneck. Hardneck varieties produce a central flower stalk called a scape, which should be removed to encourage larger bulb growth. Softneck varieties do not produce a true scape and often have better storage life.
Selecting Planting Stock
Your success starts with high-quality seed garlic. Always source from reputable garden suppliers or certified disease-free stock. Do not plant cloves from the grocery store, as they may be treated to prevent sprouting and could introduce disease to your soil.
Choose firm, plump cloves with tight skin. Avoid any cloves that feel soft, show mold, or have visible damage. Larger cloves typically produce larger bulbs, so select the biggest and healthiest ones from your seed stock for planting.
Hardneck Vs. Softneck Varieties
Your climate and goals will influence your choice. Hardneck varieties are generally more cold-hardy and produce edible scapes in early summer. Popular hardneck types include ‘German White’ and ‘Music’. Softneck varieties, like ‘Italian Late’, often perform better in milder climates and store longer after harvest.
Choosing The Right Planting Time
Timing is critical for elephant garlic. In most regions, fall planting is the standard and recommended method. Planting in the fall allows the cloves to establish roots before winter dormancy, resulting in stronger plants and much larger bulbs the following summer.
In colder climates, plant 4-6 weeks before the ground freezes. This is usually between mid-October and mid-November. In warmer, southern climates, you can plant as late as December or even January. Spring planting is possible but will typically yield smaller bulbs, as the plants have less time to grow.
Preparing The Planting Site
Elephant garlic thrives in full sun, requiring at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily. The soil must be well-draining; garlic will rot in soggy, compacted earth. Raised beds are an excellent option if your native soil is heavy clay.
Follow these steps to prepare your garden bed:
- Clear the area of weeds and debris.
- Loosen the soil to a depth of at least 12 inches.
- Incorporate several inches of well-rotted compost or aged manure.
- Add a balanced, slow-release organic fertilizer according to package instructions.
- Ensure the final bed is loose and friable.
Planting The Cloves Correctly
Proper planting depth and spacing are essential. Each clove is planted individually, with the pointed end facing up and the root plate facing down.
- Depth: Plant cloves 3 to 4 inches deep. Deeper planting can help protect them from harsh winter freeze-thaw cycles.
- Spacing: Space cloves 8 to 10 inches apart within the row.
- Row Spacing: Allow 12 to 18 inches between rows for adequate air circulation and weeding access.
After placing the cloves, cover them with soil and water the bed thoroughly. Applying a 4-6 inch layer of mulch, such as straw or shredded leaves, is highly recommended. The mulch insulates the soil, suppresses weeds, and helps retain moisture.
Seasonal Care And Maintenance
Once planted, elephant garlic requires consistent but straightforward care through the seasons.
Spring Care
As the weather warms, green shoots will emerge through the mulch. In early spring, side-dress the plants with a nitrogen-rich fertilizer, like blood meal or a balanced organic blend, to fuel leaf growth. Keep the bed consistently moist but not waterlogged.
Weed carefully around the plants, as garlic competes poorly with weeds. The mulch you applied in fall will continue to help with this. If you are growing a hardneck variety, watch for the central scape to form a loop or curl.
Managing Scapes
For hardneck elephant garlic, the scape should be removed once it has made one full curl. This directs the plant’s energy back into bulbing rather than flower and seed production. Use a clean knife or scissors to cut the scape off near the top leaf set.
Do not discard the scapes. They are a delicious early summer harvest with a mild garlic flavor, perfect for pestos, stir-fries, or grilling. Removing them is a key step for getting the largest possible bulbs.
Summer Watering and Feeding
Through late spring and early summer, continue regular watering. As you approach harvest time in mid to late summer, gradually reduce watering. Stop watering altogether about two weeks before your planned harvest date. This allows the outer wrappers to begin drying and helps prevent rot.
A second side-dressing of fertilizer as the bulbs begin to swell can be beneficial, but avoid high-nitrogen feeds at this stage, as they can encourage leaf growth at the expense of the bulb.
Identifying Harvest Time
Knowing when to harvest is crucial. Harvesting too early results in small bulbs; harvesting too late can cause the cloves to burst out of their skins, reducing storage quality. Elephant garlic is typically ready 90 days after the spring equinox, often in July or August.
Watch for these visual cues:
- The lower three or four leaves turn brown and dry out.
- The upper leaves remain slightly green (usually 5-6 green leaves left).
- The plant begins to look slightly wilted or falls over.
To be certain, gently dig around one bulb to check its size and wrapper condition. The bulb should be well-formed with clearly segmented cloves, and the outer papery skin should be thick and dry.
Harvesting And Curing Your Crop
Use a garden fork to gently loosen the soil several inches away from the plant, then lift the entire bulb out. Avoid pulling by the stem, as this can break it off. Brush off excess soil, but do not wash the bulbs.
Curing is the process of drying the bulbs for long-term storage. Proper curing is essential and involves a few simple steps:
- Gather bulbs with stems attached.
- Place them in a single layer on a rack, screen, or hang them in small bunches.
- Choose a location that is warm, dry, dark, and has excellent air circulation. A garage, covered porch, or well-ventilated shed is ideal.
- Allow the bulbs to cure for 3 to 6 weeks. The outer skins will become papery, the stems will dry completely, and the necks will tighten.
Storing Elephant Garlic
After curing, trim the roots close to the bulb and cut the stems back to about an inch, unless you plan to braid them. Softneck varieties are best for braiding. Store your cured bulbs in a cool, dark, and dry place with good air flow. Mesh bags, woven baskets, or paper bags work well.
Check your stored garlic periodically and use any bulbs that show signs of softening or sprouting first. With ideal conditions, properly cured elephant garlic can store for 8 to 10 months.
Saving Cloves For Next Season
Set aside your largest, healthiest bulbs for replanting. This practice, called clove selection, helps you adapt your stock to your specific garden conditions over time. Store your seed garlic under the same conditions as your eating garlic, but keep it clearly separated.
Remember to save a few of the small outer bulblets too. They can be planted to produce “rounds” in their first year, which will then grow into full-sized bulbs if replanted the following fall. This is a slower but cost-effective way to increase your stock.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
Even with good care, you may encounter some issues. Here are common problems and their solutions.
Pests
Elephant garlic has few serious pests due to its natural compounds. However, watch for:
- Onion Thrips: Tiny insects that cause silvery streaks on leaves. Control with strong sprays of water or insecticidal soap.
- Bulb Mites: These can affect stored bulbs. Ensure bulbs are thoroughly cured and store in a cool, dry place.
- Rodents: They may sometimes dig up newly planted cloves. Firm soil and mulch can deter them.
Diseases
Prevention is the best strategy against disease, starting with disease-free seed and well-draining soil.
- White Rot: A serious fungal disease causing yellow leaves, white fluffy growth on the bulb, and decay. There is no cure; remove and destroy infected plants and avoid planting alliums in that spot for many years.
- Botrytis Rot: Causes water-soaked lesions on leaves and necks. Improve air circulation and avoid overhead watering to prevent it.
- Penicillium Decay: A blue-green mold that can affect stored bulbs. It often enters through damage, so handle bulbs carefully during harvest and curing.
Environmental Issues
Sometimes the problem is not a pest or disease but a growing condition.
- Small Bulbs: Usually caused by planting too late, insufficient sunlight, overcrowding, or poor soil fertility.
- Early Yellowing Leaves: Can be a sign of overwatering, poor drainage, or a nutrient deficiency.
- Cloves Not Forming: This can happen if the plant is stressed by extreme temperature swings or if the scape was not removed on hardneck varieties.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions about cultivating elephant garlic.
What Is the Difference Between Elephant Garlic and Regular Garlic?
Elephant garlic is a distinct species with a much larger bulb and milder flavor. It is actually closer to a leek. Regular garlic has smaller bulbs with more numerous cloves and a stronger, more pungent taste.
Can You Plant Elephant Garlic From the Grocery Store?
It is not recommended. Grocery store garlic is often treated with growth inhibitors to prevent sprouting and may not be suited to your climate. It could also carry soil-borne diseases into your garden. Purchasing certified seed garlic from a nursery is the safest choice.
How Long Does It Take to Grow Elephant Garlic?
From fall planting to summer harvest, elephant garlic takes approximately 8 to 9 months. It is a long-season crop that requires patience but provides a substantial reward.
Should You Let Elephant Garlic Flower?
For hardneck types, it is best to remove the flower stalk (scape) to direct energy to the bulb. However, if you let it flower, the large, ornamental bloom can be attractive to pollinators. Just expect a smaller bulb harvest as a result.
Why Is My Elephant Garlic So Small?
Small bulbs are often the result of incorrect planting time (especially spring planting), insufficient chilling period, lack of sunlight, poor soil nutrition, or overcrowding. Ensuring proper fall planting, full sun, rich soil, and adequate spacing will help maximize bulb size.