Collection: Seed Garlic

Grow a delicious and dependable garlic crop with Peaceful Valley garlic seeds and bulbs for planting. These seeds promote strong growth, great taste, and reliable yields. We offer robust hardneck garlic and mild softneck garlic. Our certified organic options include special types of garlic for every region and taste.

Why Choose Our Seed Garlic

• Certified Organic Quality – Many of our garlic seeds are certified organic, ensuring clean, chemical-free planting stock.
• Flavorful Varieties – Explore diverse hardneck garlic like Russian Red, German White, and Music garlic. Or try softneck seed garlic for a longer storage life and a mild flavor.
• Specialty Selections – Delight in sizable, easy-to-peel Elephant garlic and vibrant purple garlic types like Spanish Roja and porcelain garlic, known for their impressive bulbs.

Best Time to Plant

Plant garlic in the fall for a great harvest. This is usually from September to October. This timing helps the roots grow before winter.

Use our What Is My Growing Zone guide to choose varieties suited to your climate. Fall planting sets up strong growth for harvesting garlic in late spring or summer.

Planting & Growing Garlic

• Site & Soil – Choose well-drained soil in a sunny spot. Garlic is easy to grow when planted in loose, fertile ground.
• Cloves to Bulbs – Break each bulb into separate cloves. Plant each clove 2 to 3 inches deep and 6 inches apart, with the pointed end facing up. Each clove grows into a full bulb by harvest.
• Spacing & Water – Keep rows 12 inches apart and water regularly until the ground freezes.

Check out these helpful resources:

• Preparation for Planting Garlic in the Fall
• Garlic Growing Tips for Beginners
• Companion Planting with Garlic

Caring for Garlic Plants

Growing garlic at home is rewarding, but getting those big, flavorful bulbs takes some care throughout the season. Garlic plants thrive when the soil is kept evenly moist and free of weeds. Because their roots are shallow, weeds compete heavily for nutrients, so mulching with straw or leaves helps keep soil moisture steady while reducing weed pressure.

During early growth, garlic benefits from regular watering and a light feeding of fertilizer if leaves start yellowing. Balanced nutrients support strong foliage, which is critical because large, healthy leaves translate into bigger bulbs underground.

As the season winds down and bulbs approach maturity, begin to reduce watering. This encourages the protective bulb wrappers to dry and tighten, which results in firmer bulbs that hold up well in storage. Overwatering late in the season can lead to loose, split wrappers that shorten storage life.

Harvesting & Storing Garlic

When the lower leaves brown but a few green leaves remain, it’s time for harvesting garlic. Gently lift bulbs with a garden fork—avoid pulling by the tops. Cure your garlic by hanging it in a cool dry and ventilated area for 3–4 weeks. Proper curing allows garlic grown in your garden to store for months and maintain full flavor.

The timing of garlic harvest is key. Watch the foliage—when about one-third to one-half of the leaves have turned brown while several remain green, the bulbs are ready. Dig carefully with a garden fork or spade, loosening soil and lifting bulbs instead of tugging by the tops, which can damage necks.

After harvest, proper curing is essential. Hang or spread bulbs in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area for three to four weeks. During this time, the necks tighten and the skins dry, sealing in flavor and extending storage life. Once cured, trim the roots and tops and store bulbs in breathable containers like mesh bags or baskets. With the right conditions—cool, dry, and dark—garlic will keep for months without losing flavor.

Hardneck vs. Softneck Varieties

When you’re planning to buy garlic seeds online, it helps to understand the difference between hardneck and softneck varieties.

Hardneck garlic varieties, such as German White or Russian Red, thrive in colder climates. They produce flower stalks called scapes, which are edible and delicious, and their cloves are typically large and easy to peel. They may not store as long as softnecks, but they pack exceptional flavor.

Softneck garlic grows well in milder regions and is the type you often see braided together. These bulbs produce more cloves per head, and though the cloves are smaller, softneck varieties typically last longer in storage—sometimes well into the following spring. Their long shelf life makes them a favorite for home gardeners who want garlic available year-round.

Tips for a Successful Garlic Crop

• Start with quality seed garlic for sale—not garlic from the grocery store, which may carry disease or be treated to prevent sprouting.
• Rotate crops yearly to keep seed stock healthy and ensure vigorous garlic growing from one season to the next.
• Fertilize and weed regularly so your garlic plants produce large, flavorful bulbs.

With high demand and limited quantities each season, we recommend ordering early. For details on our germination coverage and claim process, please review our Limited Seed Garlic Guarantee.