When to plant Elephant Garlic in Bristol

Allium ampeloprasum var. ampeloprasum

Elephant Garlic
Elephant Garlic · Allium ampeloprasum var. ampeloprasum

A hardy allium grown from planting cloves, not true seed. Use named planting stock, not supermarket bulbs. It does best in a sunny, free-draining bed. Autumn is the main crop. Lift the following summer.

120 cm · Full Sun · Moderate Water

Add to garden

Calibrated to Bristol · last frost ≈ 19 Apr

Plant out March to April, harvest July to October. Frost risk November to April.
ActivityJanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember
Plant outNoNoYesYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
HarvestNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesNoNo

Growing guide

What to do through the growing season

Growing guide for

Change the guide to see different planting timelines and tips.

Use this if the ground was too wet in autumn. Heads are usually smaller. They still need a free-draining site.

  1. 01

    Prepare the Bed

    5 Mar to 20 Mar

    Dig over the soil around 5th March - 20th March. Mix in compost or well-rotted manure. Raise the bed slightly if the ground is heavy.

  2. 02

    Plant Cloves

    20 Mar to 5 Apr

    Use named planting stock, not supermarket bulbs. Plant cloves during 20th March - 5th April, pointed end up, with the tip about below the surface. Space apart, in rows apart. Water only if the soil is dry.

    • Skip planting if the bed sits wet.
    • Birds pull cloves. Cover the row with fleece or mesh until they root.

  3. 03

    Keep Weed Free

    19 Apr to 2 Oct Dates as each sowing reaches this stage

    From 19th April to 2nd October, hoe off weeds while they are small. Keep the planting evenly moist in dry weather. Do not leave the soil soggy.

  4. 04

    Harvest Bulbs

    18 Jul to 2 Oct Dates as each sowing reaches this stage

    Lift the crop from 18th July - 2nd October once the tops begin to yellow and flop over. Ease the bulbs up carefully, then dry them somewhere warm and airy for two to three weeks before trimming and storing them.

Suggested varieties

Popular varieties of Elephant Garlic to consider

Russian Giant

The classic elephant garlic for UK gardens. Produces very large bulbs with a mild, sweet flavour and stores well over winter. Reliable in most soils, as long as they are not waterlogged.

Elephant Garlic guides by town

See how Elephant Garlic timing shifts in other towns with different frost dates.