How To Grow Elephant Garlic

If you love the flavor of garlic but want something milder and easier to peel, learning how to grow elephant garlic is your next great garden project. This impressive plant produces massive, mild-tasting cloves that are perfect for roasting and spreads.

Despite its name, elephant garlic is actually a closer relative to the leek. But it grows just like standard garlic, with a few key differences. With the right start and simple care, you can harvest your own softball-sized bulbs.

This guide walks you through the entire process, from choosing your bulbs to curing your harvest. The steps are straightforward, even for beginners. Let’s get your garlic in the ground.

What You’ll Need to Get Started

Gathering your supplies first makes the planting process smooth. You won’t need anything too fancy.

Elephant Garlic Bulbs: Source organic, untreated bulbs from a nursery or reputable seed company. Grocery store bulbs are often treated to prevent sprouting.
Garden Bed or Containers: A sunny spot with well-draining soil is essential. Raised beds work wonderfully. For containers, choose pots at least 12 inches deep and wide.
Compost or Well-Rotted Manure: This is the best food for your garlic. It improves soil struture and provides nutrients.
Mulch: Straw, shredded leaves, or grass clippings will protect your cloves over winter and supress weeds.
Basic Garden Tools: A trowel, garden fork, and gloves are all you need.

Choosing the Right Time to Plant

Timing is the most critical factor for success. Elephant garlic requires a long growing season and a period of cold weather to form bulbs properly.

In most regions, fall planting is best. Aim to plant 4-6 weeks before your ground freezes solid. This gives the cloves time to establish roots but not enough time to send up top growth. In mild winter climates (zones 8-10), you can also plant in late winter, as soon as the soil is workable.

Step 1: Preparing Your Planting Site

Garlic grows best in loose, fertile soil. Start by choosing the sunniest spot in your garden—at least 6-8 hours of direct sun daily.

Clear the area of weeds and rocks.
Loosen the soil to a depth of about 12 inches using a garden fork.
Mix in a generous 3-inch layer of compost or aged manure. This feeds the soil and ensures good drainage, which prevents rot.
Rake the bed smooth.

Soil pH and Fertility

Elephant garlic prefers a soil pH between 6.0 and 7.0. A simple soil test can tell you if you need to make adjustments. It’s a hungry feeder, so rich soil is key to big bulbs.

Step 2: Separating and Planting the Cloves

Don’t plant the whole bulb. You need to carefully break it apart into individual cloves just before planting. This preserves the protective papery layer on each one.

Gently break the bulb apart, keeping the papery skin on each clove intact.
Select the largest, healthiest-looking cloves for planting. Smaller cloves often produce smaller bulbs, so you can use those in the kitchen.
Plant cloves pointy-end up, root-end down. The pointy tip is where the shoot will emerge from.
Make holes 3-4 inches deep and space cloves 8-10 inches apart. Rows should be about 12-15 inches apart. The generous spacing gives the bulbs room to expand.
Place a clove in each hole, cover with soil, and firm it gently.

Step 3: Mulching and Initial Watering

Right after planting, give the bed a thorough watering to settle the soil around the cloves. Then, apply a thick layer of mulch.

Use 4-6 inches of straw, shredded leaves, or another loose material. This mulch is vital. It insulates the cloves from harsh winter freezes and thaws, prevents weeds in spring, and helps retain soil moisture. In spring, you can pull back some of the mulch as the weather warms, but a layer can remain to supress weeds.

Caring for Your Growing Garlic

Once spring arrives, you’ll see green shoots poking through the mulch. Care from here is simple but consistent.

Watering

Garlic needs consistent moisture, especially during bulb formation in spring and early summer. Aim for about 1 inch of water per week, from rainfall or supplemental watering. Reduce watering in the last few weeks before harvest to let the bulbs cure in the ground and prevent mold.

Feeding

Give your plants a boost in early spring when growth resumes. Side-dress the plants with a bit more compost or use a balanced organic fertilizer. A second feeding as the bulbs begin to swell (usually when the leaves are well developed) can support their large size.

Weeding and Scaping

Keep the bed weed-free, as garlic doesn’t compete well for nutrients. Be careful not to damage the shallow roots when weeding. In early summer, elephant garlic will send up a tall, curly flower stalk called a scape. You should cut this off as soon as it appears. This directs the plant’s energy back into growing the underground bulb, not the flower. The scapes are edible and have a mild garlic flavor—great for pesto!

Step 4: Knowing When and How to Harvest

Harvesting at the right moment ensures your bulbs store well. Elephant garlic is typically ready in mid to late summer, a few weeks after standard garlic.

Watch the leaves. When the bottom 3-4 leaves turn yellow and brown, but the top 5-6 leaves are still green, it’s harvest time. Don’t wait for all the leaves to die back completely, as the bulbs may begin to separate and won’t store as long.

On a dry day, gently loosen the soil with a garden fork, inserting it well away from the bulb to avoid spearing it.
Lift the plants carefully and brush off excess soil. Do not wash the bulbs, as introduced moisture can cause rot during curing.
Handle the bulbs gently to avoid bruising.

Step 5: Curing and Storing Your Harvest

Curing is the process of drying the bulbs outer layers to prepare them for storage. Skipping this step leads to moldy garlic.

Gather your harvested plants, with leaves and stalks still attached.
Bundle 4-6 stems together and hang them in a cool, dark, dry, and well-ventilated place. A garage, shed, or covered porch is ideal.
Let them cure for 3-6 weeks. The outer skins will become papery, and the roots will shrivel.
Once fully cured, trim the roots close to the bulb and cut the stalks back to about an inch above the bulb.

Store your cured bulbs in a mesh bag or a shallow basket in a cool, dark place with good air circulation. Properly cured elephant garlic can last for 8-10 months. Remember to set aside your largest, best-formed bulbs for replanting in the fall!

Troubleshooting Common Problems

Elephant garlic is generally robust, but here are a few issues to watch for.

White Rot: A fungal disease causing yellow leaves and white, fluffy growth on the bulb. There is no cure; remove and destroy infected plants. Practice crop rotation to prevent it.
Leek Moth: Larvae can tunnel into leaves. Use row covers in early season to prevent moths from laying eggs.
Poor Bulb Formation: Often caused by late planting, insufficient cold period, or lack of nutrients. Ensure you plant on time in fertile soil.
Bulbs Rotting in Ground: Usually a sign of poorly draining soil or to much late-season watering. Improve bed drainage for next year.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the difference between elephant garlic and regular garlic?

Elephant garlic is actually a type of leek, but it grows like hardneck garlic. It produces much larger cloves with a milder, slightly sweet flavor compared to the strong pungency of regular garlic.

Can I plant elephant garlic from the grocery store?

It’s not recommended. Store-bought garlic is often treated with a sprout inhibitor and may be unsuitable for your climate. It can also carry soil-borne diseases. For best results, buy seed garlic from a trusted supplier.

How long does it take for elephant garlic to grow?

From fall planting to summer harvest, elephant garlic takes about 8-9 months. It needs that long growing season to develop it’s impressive size.

Do you need to remove elephant garlic scapes?

Yes, you should cut off the scape (flower stalk) when it appears. This tells the plant to put its energy into the bulb underground, resulting in a larger harvest. The scapes are a tasty bonus crop.

Why is my elephant garlic so small?

Small bulbs can result from planting small cloves, overcrowding, insufficient nutrients, or harvesting too early. Make sure to plant the largest cloves, give them plenty of space and compost, and wait for the right harvest signals.

Growing your own elephant garlic is incredibly satisfying. With it’s minimal care requirements and impressive yield, it’s a crop that makes any gardener feel proud. Follow these steps, and you’ll be on your way to a bountiful harvest of sweet, mild garlic that will enhance your cooking for months to come.