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When to plant garlic
Plant garlic in fall, from the first fall frost to 4 weeks after it. That works out to zone 5b (early October to early November), zone 7a (late October to late November) and zone 9a (late November to late December).
Garlic planting dates by zone
| Zone | Plant |
|---|---|
| 4a | Sep 26 – Oct 24 |
| 4b | Sep 29 – Oct 27 |
| 5a | Oct 1 – Oct 29 |
| 5b | Oct 8 – Nov 5 |
| 6a | Oct 15 – Nov 12 |
| 6b | Oct 19 – Nov 16 |
| 7a | Oct 25 – Nov 22 |
| 7b | Nov 1 – Nov 29 |
| 8a | Nov 7 – Dec 5 |
| 8b | Nov 15 – Dec 13 |
| 9a | Nov 26 – Dec 24 |
| 9b | Dec 10 – Jan 7 |
How to plant garlic
| Plant as | cloves |
|---|---|
| Depth | 2 in, pointed end up |
| Spacing | 6 in |
| Light | Full sun |
| Time to harvest | 240–270 days |
Garlic is planted in fall and harvested the following summer.
Plant after the first fall frost so cloves root but do not sprout much before winter.
Mulch with straw after the ground freezes in cold zones. Cut hardneck scapes in June to push energy into the bulb.
When to harvest garlic
Harvest the next summer when the lower third to half of the leaves have browned, usually June–July; cure 2–3 weeks before storing.
Planting garlic in warm climates
In zones 8–10 plant October–December; softneck types do best in mild climates.
Exact dates for your town: planting calendar · frost dates by state.
More vegetables to plant
Tomatoes · Bell peppers · Potatoes · Pumpkins · Cucumbers · Okra · Zucchini · Watermelon