6 Stages of Growing Garlic: Timeline & Signs

Which Garlic Are You Growing?

Although garlic bulbs typically contain 6 to 15 cloves that act as seeds for growing new garlic, not every clove has the potential to develop into a new bulb unless provided with the right conditions of sunlight, temperature, and nutrients. 

Therefore, before you embark on your garlic-growing journey, it's suggested to choose the right garlic variety that suits your climate and preferences. For indoor growers, the most two common garlic varieties are Softneck and Hardneck garlic. 

Softneck Garlic

Softneck garlic tends to grow and mature much faster than Hardneck garlic. This variety is well-suited for mild climates and offers higher yields, ideal for braiding due to its flexible stems. In terms of when to plant Softneck garlic, early fall is the best time as it allows the plant enough time to establish itself before the hotter weather arrives.

Softneck Garlic

Hardneck Garlic

In contrast, hardneck garlic thrives in colder climate, produces larger cloves and features a hard central stalk known as a scape, which Softneck lacks. This particular type of garlic takes a bit longer to mature compared to Softneck garlic. For optimal growth, Hardneck garlic should be best planted in late fall, allowing it to overwinter and be ready for harvesting in the next spring or early summer. 

Despite the variety you grow, garlic growing time and patterns are pretty much the same, including germination, green garlic, scapes, young bulbs, mature bulbs, and the flowering stage.

Hardneck Garlic

How Long Does Garlic Take to Grow?

Typically, it takes about 8 to 10 months to grow from planting to harvest. The specific time varies from the garlic variety and climate. Generally, you can plant it in the fall before the ground freezes, since this will allow it to establish roots over winter and continue to grow in the spring. In warmer climates, garlic can also be planted in early spring and harvested in late summer. Proper watering and fertilizing can affect the time the garlic takes to grow as well.

6 Stages of Growing Garlic

It's easy to grow garlic from seed. In the following parts, we'll teach you how to grow garlic plants. Specifically, we’ll demonstrate the life cycle of garlic and show you what does garlic look like when growing. 

Stage 1: Germination

First of all, you can spread the seeds in spring or falle. The germination stage of growing garlic normally lasts 1-2 months after sowing the seeds. When the garlic germinates, you can often see tiny little green leaves stretching from the soil. Here is  what does garlic look like growing:

Garlic Life Cycle - Germination

Stage 2: Green Garlic/Spring Garlic 

About 7 months after planting, your garlic enters the green garlic stage, also known as the spring garlic stage. At this point, the garlic will have grown significantly, displaying long green leaves. For those who prefer a tender and fresh garlic taste, it’s actually possible to harvest the spring garlic by pulling it directly out of the ground. 

Garlic Life Cycle - Green Garlic/Spring Garlic

However, the cloves during this phase have not fully matured and won't have the typical appearance of mature garlic cloves. To consume green garlic, remove the roots and dark green leaves, and use only the bulb, which is the white part of the shoot, and the pale greens. Meanwhile, spring garlic lacks dried skin, so you’d better finish it within a week after being harvested.

Stage 3: Scapes

In about 3 to 4 weeks after the green or spring garlic stage, here comes the scapes stage. Typically, scapes indicate that the garlic head will be ready for harvest in approximately one month.

How to identify garlic scapes? They are flower stalks found in Hardneck garlic varieties. In their early stage, they are easily recognizable due to their sturdy, often curly stems with closed, elongated, and pointed buds. If left untouched, these buds will open, forming a spherical allium flower called "bulbils." 

Garlic Life Cycle - Scapes

However, allowing scapes and flowers to grow can divert the plant's energy from the bulb, which is undesirable if you aim to grow large garlic bulbs, therefore, some indoor growers will trim the scapes. 

Stage 4: Young Bulbs

Typically, it will take about 6 to 8 months to grow from a garlic clove into a bulb. In the 8th month, the garlic plant starts to produce a small bulb, marking the beginning of harvesting young garlic, also known as fresh garlic. As the name indicates, plants at this stage refer to those hasn't fully matured yet. You can notice a moist leathery skin covering the heads of the garlic, which would eventually grow into the typical papery outer layers of a mature garlic bulb.

Garlic Life Cycle - Young Bulbs

To harvest young garlic, simply pull the entire plant out of the ground. Afterward, trim off the roots and leave about 2 inches of the stem above the bulb. Then you can enjoy this crisp and juicy flavor. However, similar to green garlic, it is recommended to consume the young garlic bulbs within a week or chop and freeze them for later use. 

Stage 5: Mature Bulbs

After waiting for 9 months, you can harvest the fully grown garlic bulbs. Like before, you can uproot the entire plant from the ground. Garlic at this stage should have large and fully dried bulbs that are ideal for daily dishes. 

Although the bulb's skin is fairly dried out in the soil, it’s recommended to place the cloves on a well-ventilated rack for a duration of one to two weeks to retain their freshness and edibility for an extended period.

Garlic Life Cycle - Mature Bulbs

Stage 6: Flowering Stage 

Here comes the last stage - the flowering stage, which typically happens around the 10-month mark, indicating the completion of the growing cycle. Remember the scapes mentioned earlier? During this phase, the untrimmed scapes will develop into long stalks with tiny white flowers tinged with pink, along with small bulbils. 

Garlic Life Cycle - Flowering Stage

Once the garlic plant flowers, you can harvest the bulbils that grow at the flower's base for two purposes mainly. One is to add a pleasant garlicky flavor to the dishes, and the other is to yield new garlic plants. The only thing is you’d better not expect too much as growing garlic from bulbil seeds can be super time-consuming. 

When to Harvest Garlic?

Harvesting garlic at the right time is crucial for a good yield. Here is how to know when garlic is ready for harvest:

• Timing: Garlic is typically ready to harvest in mid to late summer, about 8-10 months after planting, depending on the variety and climate.
• Foliage: When the lower leaves start to turn brown and dry out (usually about one-third to one-half of the leaves), it’s a good indication that the garlic is ready.
• Bulb Size: You can gently dig around the bulbs to check their size. They should be firm and well-formed.
• Weather: Harvest on a dry day to prevent moisture from causing rot during storage.
• Pulling: Use a garden fork or your hands to gently lift the bulbs out of the ground, being careful not to bruise them.

After harvesting, cure the garlic in a dry, ventilated area for a few weeks before storing.

FAQs About Stages of Growing Garlic

By the end of the post, we'll answer several questions about garlic plant.

What does garlic look like when first growing?

In its initial stages, garlic appears as a bulb with 6 to 15 cloves inside, which act as the seeds for further growth.

What is the reproductive cycle of garlic?

Similar to potatoes and onions, garlic reproduces through vegetative reproduction rather than sexual reproduction using seeds. When planting garlic, individual cloves are used, and each clove gives rise to a bulb containing cloves that share the same genetic makeup as the original clove.

Why does garlic take so long to grow?

If you are growing garlic from cloves, it takes approximately 9 months for mature garlic plants. However, if you are planting garlic seeds, also known as bulbils, it requires an additional year. This extended duration is due to the seed's need to undergo germination, develop the required greenery for photosynthesis, and then progress through the bulb formation process.

What should garlic look like?

Mature garlic should have well-formed bulbs covered in papery outer layers, while young garlic has smaller bulbs with moist, leathery skin.