Full Sun
Medium
Mulch heavily after planting to prevent soil heaving – particularly with less-hardy elephant garlic varieties. Roots will begin to grow even though topgrowth may not be evident in late fall and winter. Remove mulch in spring, leaving only what is needed to suppress weeds.
For larger bulbs, remove woody flower stalks (scapes) as they appear. Bulblets at top of scape can be used in cooking.
Plant large cloves to produce the largest bulbs. Plant smaller cloves at closer spacings or in patches for harvest as garlic greens. Save largest bulbs for planting your next crop.
Bulbs may rot in heavy, wet soils. Otherwise, few serious disease problems. Do not plant where other onion family crops have been grown in the past 3 years.
Propagate by division or separation – Cloves must be exposed to temperatures below 65 F or they may fail to form bulbs when planted. Plants may produce flowers, but they are usually sterile.
Ensure a distance of 6.01 inches (15.42 cm) between seeds when sowing - look to sow at a depth of approximately 2.97 inches (7.62 cm).Break bulbs apart at planting time, keeping papery husks on the individual cloves. Plant with tips up, 2 inches deep and 4 to 6 inches apart in rows 15 to 24 inches apart. Plant elephant garlic varieties about 3 inches deep and 8 to 12 inches apart.
Ensure that temperatures are mild and all chance of frost has passed before planting out, as Elephant garlic is a half hardy plant.Elephant garlic should be ready to pick when the leaves are bent over and drying back, about 90 days after planting.1
These estimates for how long Elephant garlic takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world.
Average 4 days | Min 2 days | Max 31 days (5)
Average days | Min days | Max days (0)
Average 140 days | Min 127 days | Max 162 days (3)
Russian garlic, Great-headed garlic
1 www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/garlic/grow-elephant-garlic-plants.htm