Giant Garlic

How to grow Giant Garlic

Written by the GardenDecoded editorial team · Last reviewed 21 July 2026 · Written for UK gardens · How we research our guidance

Planting

Sow in spring in modules and plant out in small clumps, or buy a pot and split it into three or four. It grows perfectly well in a container by the kitchen door, which is where it gets used. Dies back completely in winter and reappears in early spring.

Pruning

Cut whole clumps down to about 5 cm two or three times through the season to force fresh tender leaf — snipping the tips off just leaves you with brown-tipped stubs. Removing the flowers extends leaf production, though the flowers are edible and worth having on at least one plant.

Propagation

Divide established clumps in spring or autumn, every two or three years, which also keeps them vigorous. Seed germinates readily but plants take a season to bulk up.

Pests and diseases

Rust can appear as orange spots on the leaves in damp weather — cut the clump right down and the regrowth is usually clean. Allium leaf miner and downy mildew occur in some areas.

Value to wildlife

The purple pompom flowers are worked steadily by bees in June, making it one of the more useful herbs for pollinators.

Notes

It self-seeds freely if you leave the flowers to set, so deadhead if you do not want seedlings through the border. Containers benefit from being divided and repotted annually — an old, congested clump produces thin, weak leaves.

This guidance was researched and written by GardenDecoded — see our editorial policy for how guides are checked and reviewed.

Other names for this plant

These names have all been used for Allium schoenoprasum but are no longer the accepted name. You may still meet them on old labels, in books, or in nursery catalogues.

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