Should You Soak Garlic Cloves Before Planting?
, by Earthwise Garlic, 2 min reading time
Soaking garlic cloves before planting is optional but recommended. Here's when it helps, when to skip it, and how to do it right.
Quick Answer: Soaking garlic cloves before planting is optional but recommended. While not essential, it offers real benefits that can improve germination and reduce disease risk — especially if you've experienced problems in the past.
Do You Need To Soak Garlic Before Planting?
No, you don't absolutely need to soak garlic cloves before planting. Countless gardeners plant garlic directly in the soil and get excellent results. However, soaking is a simple, low-cost step that can give your garlic a better start — particularly if you're planting in less-than-ideal conditions or have had crop issues before.
Why Soak Garlic Before Planting?
- Hydration boost: Cloves absorb moisture before entering the soil, jumpstarting germination and helping them establish roots more quickly.
- Disease prevention: A fungicide or mild bleach soak can reduce the risk of root rot and fungal infections, especially if you've had crop failures before.
- Faster growth: Properly hydrated cloves often sprout more reliably and establish faster, particularly in cold fall soil.
How to Soak Garlic Cloves: Step-by-Step
Step 1: Choose your soaking solution
- Plain water: safest option, simply hydrates cloves
- Fertilizer soak: 1–2 tbsp liquid kelp per gallon of water
- Fungicide soak: use diluted fungicide, follow product instructions
- Mild bleach solution: 1 part household bleach to 9–10 parts water for 15–30 minutes if you've had fungal issues
Step 2: Soak for the right duration
- Plain water: 2–12 hours (overnight is common)
- Fertilizer: follow product instructions, typically 12 hours
- Bleach: 15–30 minutes maximum to avoid damage
Step 3: Use room temperature water (60–70°F)
Step 4: Plant immediately after. Don't let soaked cloves dry out. Plant them within an hour or two while they're still moist.
Important: Avoid over-soaking. Garlic cloves can rot if soaked for too long. 12 hours is usually the maximum for plain water soaks.
When Soaking Actually Matters
Soaking is most beneficial if you've had disease problems before, your soil drains poorly, you're in a wet climate, your seed garlic is from an unknown source, or you're planting in cold soil.
When You Can Safely Skip Soaking
You probably don't need to soak if your soil has excellent drainage and you've never had garlic disease issues, you're using certified disease-free seed garlic from a reputable source, or you're in a dry climate with good air circulation.
The Bottom Line
Should you soak garlic before planting? It depends on your situation, but it's a low-risk, high-reward practice. If you're uncertain, a simple 4–6 hour soak in plain water costs nothing and takes minimal time.
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