Depending on the variety, each clove planted propagates an entire bulb consisting of 10-15 cloves at harvest. Garlic is planted in March-April in NSW and Victoria, earlier in the warmer climates of Queensland and later in cooler areas such as Tasmania. There are a large number of different varieties available and it is important to choose a variety suitable for the climate in which the crop is to be grown. This is usually based on leaf tissue analysis throughout the season. Applications of nitrogen are stopped before the initiation of bulbing to avoid problems with side-shooting.
Irrigation is essential to ensure the plants are never stressed for water.
The supply of water to the plant is stopped as the bulb reaches maturity. Watering at this stage often causes staining and can lead to storage problems. Weed control is important and is initiated with a pre-emergent herbicide. This allows the plants to become established without too much competition. Regular applications for both broad leaf and grass weeds are required throughout the season.