Growing garlic in Western Australia

Page last updated: Tuesday, 13 September 2016 - 10:05am

Please note: This content may be out of date and is currently under review.

Garlic (Allium sativum) is a member of the Alliaceae plant family and is closely related to onions, shallots, chives and leeks.

Garlic grows well in south-western Western Australia. While garlic is a high value vegetable it is labour intensive and requires irrigation in autumn and spring. Specialised machinery for planting and harvesting can reduce labour costs, however large-scale production is needed to absorb the cost.

This article is a general guide to production of garlic in Western Australia.

General information

In the past 20 years the consumption of garlic in Australia has increased. It is used mainly as a flavouring for other foods and as a health food. Garlic contains alliin which is converted to allicin, a natural antibiotic compound, when garlic is cut or crushed. Various health claims including cardiovascular health have been made relating to allicin.

Garlic plants grow to 40–60cm high. The leaves are flat with a slight 'v' shape. The mature garlic bulb consists of modified storage leaves that contain six to 30 segments or cloves, held together by outer skins.

White, pink and purple-skinned varieties are available. Plants produce only a few flowers which are sterile and do not produce seed. Cloves are used as planting material.

New producers are advised to grow only a small area in the first year to gain an understanding of the crop before expanding. It may take several years to obtain an economic return. Garlic has a high value compared to many vegetables because of the high labour requirement for production and preparation for market. The high cost of planting material also contributes to the cost of production for new growers.

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