When to Plant Garlic: Fall Planting Times by Region

Garlic runs on a calendar unlike any other vegetable. You plant single cloves in fall, they root and then sit through winter, and each clove becomes a full bulb the next summer. Get the fall timing right and the rest is easy. This guide pulls together what university extension services say about when to plant garlic in different parts of the country, why fall planting works, what happens if you plant too early or too late, and how to plant if you missed the window. For which crops make good neighbors once spring arrives, see what to plant with garlic.

Why garlic goes in the ground in fall

• It needs a cold spell to make bulbs. Nebraska Extension says dormant cloves and young plants must be exposed to temperatures of about 32 to 50°F for one to two months to trigger bulb formation. Texas A&M AgriLife's garlic guide puts the requirement at temperatures below 40°F for 6 to 8 weeks.
• Roots first, shoots later. Planting in fall lets the clove grow roots before the ground freezes. UMN Extension notes that roots and shoots start inside the clove before the ground freezes hard, but shoots usually do not show above the soil until spring.
• Bulbs form as days lengthen. Once the cold requirement is met, Texas A&M says bulbing begins when days pass about 13 hours and the soil warms above about 60°F. A plant that is well rooted by then has more leaves to feed the bulb.

The timing rule: count back from freeze-up

Extension services phrase the rule in two ways that point to the same goal, which is roots in place before the soil freezes solid:

• Weeks before the ground freezes. Illinois Extension's garlic info sheet says 4 to 6 weeks before the ground freezes, and Nebraska Extension uses the same 4 to 6 weeks. Some guides allow more lead time: Illinois Extension's Good Growing blog and UW–Madison Extension in far-northern Wisconsin both say 6 to 8 weeks. NC State Extension says cloves need at least 4 to 6 weeks to get established before the ground freezes.
• After the first killing frost. UMN Extension recommends planting one or two weeks after the first killing frost, which in Minnesota falls a few weeks before freeze-up.

If you do not know when your ground usually freezes, your average first fall frost date is a useful starting point. NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals include frost and freeze dates for weather stations across the country, and your county extension office will usually know the local garlic window. For the other crops that go in during fall, see what to plant in fall.

When to plant garlic by region

These windows come straight from each state's extension guidance. Use the one closest to your climate, then fine-tune with your own frost and freeze dates. Colder spots plant toward the start of a window and milder or coastal spots toward the end.

A pattern runs through the table: the colder your winter, the earlier garlic goes in, because the ground freezes sooner. In the warmest areas there may be no freeze-up at all, which changes the question from "how early" to "is it cold enough."

Garlic in warm-winter areas

Garlic is still a fall crop in the South. NC State Extension gives late October to November in North Carolina, possibly through December farther south, for a harvest in May to June. University of Florida Extension says Florida gardeners can plant from late fall through early winter and recommends softneck varieties such as Artichoke or Creole, which suit mild winters.

The catch is the cold requirement. Where winters rarely stay below about 40°F for weeks at a time, the cloves may not get the chill Texas A&M describes, and bulbs can come out small or poorly divided. Choose softneck types sold for your region, buy from a supplier who can tell you how their stock performs in warm climates, and follow your state extension service's calendar. Gardeners in Texas and the Gulf Coast should check their county extension office for local dates.

What happens if you plant too early or too late

• Too early: Nebraska Extension warns that garlic planted too early can grow too much in warm fall weather, and that top growth can then be killed over winter, which reduces the number of cloves the next spring. A few green shoots in fall are not a disaster; Colorado State's Tri River Area Extension notes that shoots that sprout in a warm spell can tolerate cold winter temperatures.
• Too late: the cloves do not grow enough roots before the soil freezes, and growth is delayed in spring (Nebraska Extension). If you are only a little late, plant anyway and mulch well; a slightly late planting is usually better than skipping the crop.

Missed the window? Planting garlic in spring

You can plant garlic in early spring, but Illinois Extension says the cloves should first be refrigerated for at least 8 weeks so they get the chilling they need, and that spring-planted garlic tends not to yield as reliably as fall-planted garlic. Plant as soon as the soil can be worked. Expect smaller bulbs, or use spring-planted cloves for green garlic, harvested young like scallions.

How to plant garlic cloves

1. Start with seed garlic

   Buy bulbs from a garden center or seed catalog. Illinois Extension notes grocery-store garlic is usually treated to prevent sprouting, and UMN Extension adds that many garlic diseases arrive on infected cloves. Choose the largest, firmest cloves.

2. Pick a sunny, well-drained spot

   Full sun and soil rich in organic matter. Avoid places where water sits in fall and spring. Illinois Extension suggests not planting garlic where you recently grew onions, since they share pests and diseases. Onions are usually a spring crop instead; see when to plant onions.

3. Split the bulb right before planting

   Separate the cloves but leave their papery skins on.

4. Plant pointed end up

   Illinois Extension gives 1 to 2 inches deep and 4 to 5 inches apart, in rows 15 to 18 inches apart; Nebraska Extension gives 2 to 3 inches deep and 3 to 5 inches apart. In a bed, you can space cloves about 5 inches apart in all directions.

5. Mulch

   Straw or shredded leaves help prevent frost heaving, hold moisture and suppress weeds. UW–Madison Extension in far-northern Wisconsin suggests 3 to 4 inches of straw; Nebraska Extension suggests a light layer applied after the ground freezes. In spring, pull mulch back as shoots come up if the soil needs to warm and dry.

A garlic year at a glance

1. Fall: plant and mulch.

   In your region's window, a few weeks before freeze-up.

2. Winter: wait.

   Roots grow until the soil freezes; tops usually stay underground.

3. Spring: weed and water.

   Garlic competes poorly with weeds, so keep the bed clean. UMN Extension suggests about an inch of water a week during the growing season.

4. Late spring: cut scapes.

   Hardneck types send up curling flower stalks; cutting them helps the bulbs, and they are edible.

5. Early summer: harvest.

   When about half the leaves have turned brown. NC State gives May to June in North Carolina; UMN gives late June to late July in Minnesota.

6. Then: replant the space.

   Fall lettuce, kale, spinach or broccoli can follow in the gap; see succession planting.

Plan garlic's neighbors

Because garlic shares the bed with next spring's crops, choose its spot with them in mind. Virginia Extension lists the onion family, garlic included, as a good neighbor for tomatoes, carrots and cabbage-family crops, and as a poor neighbor for beans, peas, lettuce and asparagus. Details are in what to plant with garlic and what to plant with onions, and every pair to separate is in the keep-apart chart.

Frequently asked questions

When should I plant garlic?

In fall, a few weeks before your ground freezes. Illinois and Nebraska Extension say 4 to 6 weeks before freeze-up, and University of Minnesota Extension says 1 to 2 weeks after the first killing frost. That is roughly late September to October in the North, October to November in the middle of the country, and late October into December in the South.

Is it too late to plant garlic in November?

Not always. Many milder areas, including the Pacific Northwest and the Southeast, plant into November or later. In cold areas where the ground freezes in November, Nebraska Extension notes that late planting leaves too little time for roots, so plant as soon as you can and mulch well.

Can I plant garlic in the spring?

Yes, but Illinois Extension advises refrigerating the cloves for at least 8 weeks first so they get the cold they need to form bulbs, and spring-planted garlic usually yields less reliably than fall-planted garlic.

How deep should I plant garlic cloves?

About 1 to 2 inches deep according to Illinois Extension, or 2 to 3 inches according to Nebraska Extension, pointed end up and 3 to 5 inches apart. Mulch with straw to help prevent frost heaving.

Can I plant garlic from the grocery store?

It is better not to. Grocery-store garlic is often treated to prevent sprouting and may be a type suited to a different climate, and infected cloves can bring diseases into your garden. Buy seed garlic from a garden center or seed supplier.