How Close Should I Plant Garlic?

Garlic (Allium sativum) is widely grown both commercially and in the home garden. When planting garlic, spacing is important. Plants that are spaced too close result in many small garlic cloves at harvest time. When planted farther apart, the plants produce larger cloves, but too far apart and space and yield are lost. A bed dedicated to garlic is ideal when a large, reliable harvest is desired, but garlic also makes a good companion plant in flower and vegetable gardens because the pungent odor deters harmful pests.

Trowel

Instructions

- 1
  Plant garlic in a garden bed six plants per row leaving 6 to 8 inches between plants. This spacing is good for a small home garden and will maximize the harvest without compromising the size of the garlic heads. It is also a manageable size and spacing to weed and harvest by hand.
- 2
  Create a double row of garlic 8 inches apart and 8 inches between plants along each row. Space multiple double rows 30 inches apart. This spacing is ideal for larger scale planting in a home field or other large area.
- 3
  Plant garlic in the herb or vegetable garden to ward off pests. Space garlic 2 to 8 inches away from vegetable plants to discourage pests.
- 4
  Space garlic plants between roses and raspberry plants to ward off Japanese beetles. Plant garlic in a cluster around the base of rose plants leaving 6 to 8 inches between the garlic and the rose bush. Plant a row of garlic 6 to 8 inches from the base of a raspberry patch.

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