I work to a 4 crop rotation plan, and in my plan the plant family that falls into crop rotation after garlic is solanum. That is the nightshade family, including potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, chillies, and aubergines.
Garlic Crop Rotation
Garlic and onions should follow brassicas, and be followed by potatoes. In a 4 crop rotation system garlic is only in the same bed every 4 years. This will keep soil bound pests and diseases at a minimum and improve the health of all crops.
For the following year, as garlic is not a very heavy feeding plant, it should not take many nutrients from the soil. That being said it will do the soil no harm to be treated to some well rotted manure or compost once the garlic is harvested.
Succession Planting
Garlic takes 9 months to grow and is planted in Autumn, around October/November. So it will be ready to harvest in July/August which gives enough time to grow a succession crop.
If growing space is at a premium and let’s face it, we gardeners never have enough space. Then you will want to squeeze in a quick crop before Winter comes and make the most of that late, free space.
What to Grow Straight After Garlic
It needs to be something that is either quick growing, or something that will over Winter. Better still, something that can benefit from the remaining garlic aroma and roots left in the soil. It’s time to look at companion planting.
Companion Planting Garlic
The practise of companion planting has been used for at least 10,000 years with proven scientific results. Garlic makes a great companion plant to many vegetables mainly by disguising them from their usual pests. below is a list of the most common vegetables that garlic will be a good companion to and a few flowers too.
Grow garlic with:-
- Spinach
- Brassicas (members of the cabbage family)
- Beetroot
- Tomatoes
- Peppers
- Chillies
- Aubergines
- Carrots
- Rhubarb
- Roses
- Nasturtiums
- Marigolds
- Geraniums
Herbs that will improve the health of garlic include:-
- Savory
- Yarrow
- Chamomile
- Rue
So given that garlic is harvested in July/August there is time to sow carrots, beetroot, spinach, and some brassicas. Although in the UK at least it will be too late to sow tomatoes and the like, if the plants have been pot grown they can be planted out until the first sign of frosts. So if you’re lucky that allows tomatoes, peppers, chillies, and aubergines to get at least some fruit.
What Not to Grow With Garlic
Garlic will adversely affect members of the legume family (peas and beans) and also Asparagus.
Greetings, I live in the northeastern part of Connecticut, USA. I just harvested my hard neck garlic and am wanting to plant bush beans in that spot, and I will be planting my garlic there in October. Will the beans leave anything behind in the soil that will deter the garlic from growing once I have harvested the beans?
Hi Barbara, It’s the opposite of your question that’s the problem, the garlic roots left in the soil will contain certain compounds that will inhibit the bacteria the beans rely on to fix nitrogen. I would consider growing the beans elsewhere if possible. It’s ok for garlic to follow beans but not for beans to follow garlic. I hope this is helpful and thanks for reading my posts.
I grow garlic in every box EXCEPT the one I am growing beans in the current year and next year. I plant my tomato transplants behind my growing garlic in last week of May or first week of June. By the time the garlic is ready to harvest, the week after the 4th, my tomato plants are ready to be fenced or staked. I do the same with peppers, zucchini, egg plant and cucumbers. I harvested over 400 bulbs of garlic this year. My tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, egg plant and cucumbers are growing great. Best yield ever. Also no beetles or ground pests at all. By keeping two boxes clear of garlic, I always have a box for my beans. You don’t have to wait until after the garlic is harvested to plant other crops, but after I pull my garlic, I usually fill in with their types of peppers, beets, and radishes and sometimes carrots. I have also planted lettuces with success. Garlic is the best and easiest crop ever.
Hi Elaine,
I have to agree with you garlic is one of the easiest crops to grow. It is also great for keeping pests and diseases away from companion plants. As long as you say you don’t grow garlic or any other alliums near beans.
Thanks for taking the time to reaad my post and also for commenting.
Can I grow lettuce in the soil that garlic has come out of. Lettuce grows quickly and I can get it in the ground And done
Hi Mary,
Lettuce should do fine in the soil that garlic has been lifted from. In fact it should benefit from the aroma left in the soil to deter some pests.
Just watch out for cabbage white butterflies because if you are anywhere near my garden they have been a big problem this season.
I hope this helps
All the best
Steve
Thank you for the information As i grow local food in Southwest Colorado and NOW know to plant carrots and beets in the soil behind the garlic….
Thank You
Thanks for the comment my friend, happy gardening.
All the best
Steve