When to Plant Garlic by Zone: Best Months for Zones 1–13

Plant garlic in fall, 4 to 6 weeks before the ground freezes — September to November depending on zone. See zone-by-zone dates and spring options.

2026-07-10 by admin

garlic planting timing zones

When to Plant Garlic

Plant garlic in fall, about 4 to 6 weeks before the ground freezes. That gives cloves time to root without sending up much top growth before winter. In most of the United States, the window runs from late September through November, shifting later as you move to warmer zones. Garlic then overwinters, resumes growth in spring, and is harvested in early to mid summer.

For variety selection and harvest details, see the ThriveThyme garlic plant page and the garlic hardiness zone guide.

Garlic Planting Dates by Zone

• Zones 1 to 3: Mid to late September. Plant early enough to root before the ground freezes hard, and mulch heavily.
• Zone 4: Late September to early October.
• Zone 5: Late September through mid October. A common target is around the first fall frost.
• Zone 6 (including 6a and 6b): Mid October through early November. In zone 6a lean toward mid October; in 6b, late October still works well.
• Zone 7: Late October through November.
• Zone 8: November into early December.
• Zones 9 to 10: Late November through January. Choose softneck varieties and consider pre-chilling seed garlic 4 to 8 weeks in the refrigerator, since warm winters provide little natural cold.
• Zones 11 to 13: Garlic is difficult without artificial chilling; grow pre-chilled softnecks in the coolest season or grow green garlic instead.

State Timing Examples

• Missouri: Most of the state is zones 6 to 7 — plant mid October to early November, a week or two earlier in the cooler north.
• New Jersey: Zones 6 to 7 — mid October through early November, with coastal south Jersey on the later end.
• South Carolina: Zones 7 to 8 — late October through November, and softnecks handle the mild winters best.
• Wisconsin: Zones 3 to 5 — late September to mid October, then mulch heavily before the ground freezes.
• North Texas: Zones 7 to 8 — late October through November, once summer heat has fully broken.
• Central Texas: Zone 8 — November is the main window; softnecks are the reliable choice.
• Ohio: Zones 5 to 6 — early to late October, after the first light frost.
• Nebraska: Zones 4 to 5 — late September through mid October.
• Northern California: Zones 7 to 9 — October through November inland, into December near the coast.
• Portland, Oregon: Zone 8b — October through November; well-drained soil matters more than exact date in a wet fall.
• Upstate New York: Zones 4 to 5 — late September to mid October, with heavy mulch before winter.
• Florida: Zones 8 to 11 — November through January with pre-chilled softneck varieties; north Florida is easiest, and south Florida is a challenge even with chilling.

How Far Apart to Plant Garlic

Plant garlic cloves 4 to 6 inches apart, in rows 10 to 12 inches apart, and about 2 inches deep with the pointy end up. Wider spacing (6 inches) grows larger bulbs; tighter spacing fits more plants but yields smaller heads. One pound of seed garlic plants roughly a 25 foot row.

Can You Plant Garlic in Spring?

Yes, but expect smaller bulbs. Spring-planted garlic misses the long winter cold period that triggers cloves to divide into full bulbs, so it often produces small bulbs or single rounds. If you want to try, plant as early as the ground can be worked — in zone 5, that means March to early April — and use cloves pre-chilled in the refrigerator for 4 to 8 weeks. Spring planting is also a fine way to grow green garlic, the mild shoots harvested like scallions. For full-size bulbs, fall planting at your zone's window above is always the better bet.

Can You Plant Garlic in Summer?

No — summer-planted garlic almost always disappoints. Cloves planted in warm soil either rot, sprout weak top growth that burns out, or produce small single-clove bulbs because they never receive the cold period that triggers bulb division. If it is summer now, hold your seed garlic somewhere cool and dry, then plant at your zone's fall window. The one exception is green garlic: you can plant cloves in late summer to harvest the shoots like scallions.

Hardneck or Softneck?

Hardneck garlic needs a real winter chill and thrives in zones 6 and colder. It produces scapes — curly edible flower stalks — and larger, easier-to-peel cloves. Softneck garlic tolerates mild winters, stores longer, and is the right choice for zones 8 and warmer. Gardeners in zones 6 to 7 can grow either.

Next Steps

Find your zone's window above, source seed garlic now — popular varieties sell out by early fall — and prepare a full-sun bed with loose, well-drained soil. Plant cloves pointy end up, 2 inches deep and 4 to 6 inches apart, then mulch.