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 rather than true seed, with large bulbs and a milder flavour than garlic. In the UK it does best in a sunny, free-draining bed, planted in autumn and lifted the following summer.

120 cm · Full Sun · Moderate Water

Add to garden
Sow outdoors April, harvest August to October.
ActivityJanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember
Sow outdoorsNoNoNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
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 for a later start if the ground was too wet in autumn. Bulbs still need a free-draining site and a long growing season to make decent-sized heads.

  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 and mix in compost or well-rotted manure. Raise the bed slightly if your ground is heavy, as elephant garlic dislikes sitting wet.

  2. 02

    Plant Cloves

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

    Set the cloves in during early April to mid-April, with the pointed end up and the tip about below the surface. Space cloves apart in rows apart, then water only if the soil is dry.

  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 and keep the planting evenly moist in dry weather. Avoid overwatering, as the bulbs need steady growth rather than soggy soil.

  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.