Can You Plant Store Bought Garlic?
Yes, you can plant store bought garlic, but the outcome depends heavily on which garlic you choose. Grocery store garlic is often treated to prevent sprouting, so you will have the best luck with organic bulbs, farmers' market garlic, or any variety that shows signs of life.
Can I Plant Any Store Bought Garlic?
Technically, you can plant almost any garlic clove from the store. The real question is whether it will grow into a full, healthy bulb. Store bought garlic may be sprayed with growth inhibitors to keep it from sprouting on the shelf. These chemicals can slow or stop the germination process once you put the cloves in the ground.
Garlic that has been refrigerated for a long time may also have trouble growing. Cold storage can throw off the garlic’s internal clock, leading to tiny bulbs or no growth at all. If you want the highest success rate, choose bulbs that are firm, feel heavy for their size, and have no soft spots or mold.
Another factor is variety. Many grocery stores sell softneck garlic because it stores well and has a mild flavor. Softneck garlic can be planted, but it often performs better in warmer climates. Hardneck garlic, which you sometimes find at farmers’ markets or specialty stores, tends to produce larger bulbs in colder areas.
What Kind of Store Bought Garlic Grows Best?
Your best bet is organic garlic from a natural foods store or a farmers’ market. Organic bulbs are less likely to have been treated with sprouting inhibitors. Even better, look for garlic that already has a small green shoot poking out of the top. That is a sign the clove is ready to grow.
If you see a bulb labeled “seed garlic” at a garden center, that is ideal. Seed garlic is grown specifically for planting, so it is disease-free and adapted to your region. But if you only have a grocery store bulb, pick one that is plump, firm, and locally grown if possible. Local garlic will be more adapted to your climate.
Watch out for garlic that has been bleached or waxed. Some imported garlic is bleached to look white and clean, but the chemicals can damage the clove’s ability to sprout. Stick with unpeeled, natural-looking bulbs with papery skin that is still slightly purple or streaked.
How Do I Prepare Store Bought Garlic for Planting?
Preparation is simple. First, gently separate the bulb into individual cloves. Keep the papery skin on each clove – that skin protects the clove from rot and pests. Remove any cloves that feel soft, have dark spots, or look shriveled.
Before planting, you can give the cloves a quick soak in water for 12 to 24 hours. This helps wake them up and can loosen any inhibitors. Some gardeners also soak cloves in a solution of baking soda water (1 tablespoon per quart) to kill surface fungi. That step is optional but can improve success.
Right before planting, cut off the papery tip of each clove if it looks very long. Do not cut into the flesh – just snip the very end so the sprout has an easy exit. Then your cloves are ready to go into the soil.
When Should I Plant Store Bought Garlic?
Garlic is a cool-weather crop. The best time to plant store bought garlic is in the fall, about 4 to 6 weeks before the ground freezes. In most climates that means September through November. The cloves need a cold period (vernalization) to trigger bulb formation. If you live in a mild winter area, you can plant in late fall or even early winter.
Spring planting is possible in regions with cold springs, but the bulbs will be smaller. For spring planting, put cloves in the ground as soon as the soil can be worked, usually March or April. The garlic will still form a bulb, but it may not reach full grocery-store size.
To check soil temperature, use a simple soil thermometer. You want the soil temperature around 50°F (10°C) at planting time. A tool like a reliable soil thermometer can help you get the timing just right.
How Deep Should I Plant Garlic Cloves?
Plant each clove 2 to 3 inches deep with the pointy end facing up. The depth depends on your climate: in colder areas, plant deeper (3 inches); in warmer areas, 2 inches is fine. Space cloves 6 inches apart in rows that are 12 inches apart.
If you plant too shallow, the cloves may freeze or get pushed out of the ground by frost heave. If you plant too deep, the bulbs may be small or misshapen. A good rule of thumb is to cover the clove with soil so that there is about 1 to 2 inches of soil above the tip.
For quick, consistent depth, a bulb planter tool can save time and ensure every clove is set at the same depth. This is especially helpful if you are planting a lot of garlic.
What About Garlic from the Supermarket vs. Seed Garlic?
There is a difference. Seed garlic is grown under strict conditions to be free of soil-borne diseases and nematodes. Supermarket garlic may carry diseases or pests that can infect your garden soil for years. That is why many gardeners recommend buying certified seed garlic for the best results.
However, if you are just experimenting and have a small garden, store bought garlic is fine. Just be aware that the yield might be lower and the bulbs could be smaller. If you plan to save your own seed garlic for future years, starting with disease-free stock is worth the extra cost.
Also, some grocery store garlic comes from China or other countries where it may have been irradiated or chemically treated. That garlic often fails to sprout. Stick with domestic or local garlic when possible. Look at the label or ask the produce manager where the garlic comes from.
A Simple Planting Checklist for Store Bought Garlic
Here is a quick reference table to make sure you do not miss a step. Print it or save it on your phone.
| Step | What to Do | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Choose bulbs | Pick organic, firm, unbleached garlic with no green sprouts yet | Higher chance of germination |
| 2. Separate cloves | Keep skin on; discard soft or spotted cloves | Prevents rot and disease |
| 3. Soak (optional) | 12–24 hours in water or baking soda solution | Removes growth inhibitors |
| 4. Pick planting time | Fall, 4–6 weeks before first hard frost | Cold period needed for bulbs |
| 5. Prepare soil | Loose, well-draining soil with compost added | Roots need air and nutrients |
| 6. Plant cloves | Pointy end up, 2–3 inches deep, 6 inches apart | Proper spacing and depth |
| 7. Water and mulch | Water well after planting, cover with 3–4 inches of straw | Insulates and retains moisture |
| 8. Wait through winter | Garlic will sprout in early spring | Don’t disturb until leaves appear |
How Do I Care for Growing Garlic?
Once your garlic is in the ground, care is straightforward. Water deeply once a week if there is no rain. Stop watering about three weeks before harvest to let the bulbs dry out in the soil. Overwatering can cause rot or split bulbs.
In early spring, apply a nitrogen-rich fertilizer like compost or a balanced organic fertilizer. Garlic is a heavy feeder. You can side-dress with a good organic garlic fertilizer when the leaves are about 6 inches tall. Avoid high-nitrogen chemical fertilizers that can burn the roots.
Watch for weeds. Garlic does not compete well with weeds. Keep the bed free of weeds by pulling them by hand or using a light layer of mulch. Also, cut off any flower stalks (scapes) that appear on hardneck garlic. Scapes steal energy from the bulb, so remove them when they curl. You can eat them in stir-fries or pesto.
Pests are usually not a big problem, but keep an eye out for onion thrips or root maggots. A strong spray of water can knock off thrips. If you see yellowing leaves, check the bulbs for soft spots.
When and How Do I Harvest Homegrown Garlic?
Garlic is ready to harvest when the lower leaves turn brown but the upper leaves are still green. That usually happens in mid to late summer, depending on when you planted. Do not wait until all leaves are dead, or the bulbs will split open and not store well.
To harvest, carefully loosen the soil around each bulb with a garden fork or trowel. Pull the garlic by the stem, not the bulb. Shake off loose dirt but do not wash the bulbs. Then cure the garlic by hanging it in a dry, airy place out of direct sun for two to three weeks. After curing, trim the roots and cut the stems leaving an inch or two.
Store cured garlic in a cool, dark, dry place. Properly cured garlic can last up to 8 months. A simple durable garden trowel makes harvesting easier and helps you avoid damaging the bulbs.
Can I Replant Garlic from My Own Harvest?
Yes, absolutely. In fact, saving some of your own bulbs for planting next year is a great way to save money and adapt the garlic to your garden. Choose the largest, healthiest bulbs from your harvest. Those bulbs will produce the best plants the following season.
Store your saved seed garlic in the same cool, dry place until planting time in the fall. Do not mix it with your eating garlic – keep a separate stash for planting. Replanting your own garlic year after year can lead to a strain that is perfectly suited to your local soil and climate.
Just be aware that over time, garlic can accumulate diseases if you always replant from the same bed. To prevent this, rotate your garlic patch to a different spot each year. Wait at least three years before planting garlic or onions in the same soil.