When to plant Elephant Garlic in the UK

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
Plant out April, harvest August to October.
ActivityJanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember
Plant outNoNoNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
HarvestNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesYesNoNo

UK averages · set your town for dates worked out from your local frost records · how dates are worked out

Growing guide

What to do through the growing season

Dates for your town

Set your town to see planting windows worked out from local frost history, not a generic UK calendar.

Growing guide for the UK

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

    mid-March to early April UK average · set your town for your exact dates

    Dig over the soil around mid-March to early April. Mix in compost or well-rotted manure. Raise the bed slightly if the ground is heavy.

  2. 02

    Plant Cloves

    early April to mid-April UK average · set your town for your exact dates

    Use named planting stock, not supermarket bulbs. Plant cloves during early April to mid-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

    early May to mid-October UK average · set your town for your exact dates Dates as each sowing reaches this stage

    From early May to mid-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

    early August to mid-October UK average · set your town for your exact dates Dates as each sowing reaches this stage

    Lift the crop from early August to mid-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.