Spring Garlic Bulb

Spring-planting garlic gives you a tasty crop by mid-summer to early autumn. It’s often a good solution if you have heavy soil where winter rain can be a problem. Plant cloves from January to March and get ready to add a Mediterranean touch to your cooking from late summer. For a longer growing season, check out our autumn planting garlic range. Many of the spring-planting varieties here are 'softneck' types, making them ideal for plaiting and storing well into the winter.

How to choose spring-planting garlic

To get the best out of your spring-planting garlic, allow 10cm between cloves and space rows 15-20cm apart. Make sure they are planted with the flat end at the bottom and the pointed end on top.

Garlic is a rewarding and straightforward crop to grow in the UK. Our garlic growing guide gives you tips and hints, and the FAQs below will help you choose the right varieties for your garden.

When is the best time to plant spring garlic?

Plant spring garlic like Garlic ‘Flavor’ (Spring Planting), and Garlic ‘Picardy Wight’ (Spring Planting) from January/February through to April, once the worst of the winter frosts have passed and the soil is workable.

As a beginner, which spring garlic varieties are easiest to grow successfully?

Softneck garlic is often considered very reliable. Garlic ‘Cledor’ (Spring Planting) is a great option as it's known for being easy to grow and productive. Garlic ‘Picardy’ Wight (Spring Planting) is also a dependable choice for those new to growing garlic in the spring.

Which spring planting garlic variety has the strongest flavour?

Garlic ‘Picardy Wight’ (Spring Planting) is a softneck that also offers a strong, classic garlic taste. Garlic ‘Flavor’, as the name suggests, also has a rich, full-bodied flavour.

Which spring planting garlic stores well?

Softneck varieties generally store longer. ‘Cledor’ (Spring Planting) is an excellent choice known for its very good storing capabilities, often lasting well into winter.

What’s the latest I can plant spring garlic?

You can plant spring varieties between February and April. Planting earlier rather than later is always better to ensure the best crop.

Do spring-planted bulbs produce smaller bulbs?

As long as you plant in well-prepared soil early in the season, you should get a crop of good-sized bulbs. Autumn-planting varieties generally have a longer growing season, which allows them to develop more size, but the spring varieties are excellent in their own right!

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