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Historical frost averages plus extension guidance, not a forecast. Check the forecast and soil temperature before planting.
Plant garlic cloves in fall, from about 2 weeks before to 3 weeks after your first fall frost. That gives the cloves time to grow roots before the ground freezes, but not enough warmth to push a lot of top growth. Harvest comes the next summer.
- Frost tolerance
- Hardy: overwinters
- Soil temperature
- Plant in cool fall soil
- Days to harvest
- About 8–9 months from fall planting
The rule we use
- Plant cloves: 2 weeks before to 3 weeks after the first fall frost
Why garlic goes in during fall
Garlic needs a cold spell to form a bulb with separate cloves. Planted in fall, it roots in cool soil, sits through winter, then grows fast in spring and fills out as days lengthen. Spring-planted garlic often makes small, single-clove bulbs.
A good rule from extension advice is to plant about 3 weeks before the ground freezes. In much of the country that lands in October or early November, which is why your dates cluster around the first frost.
Hardneck or softneck?
Hardneck garlic grows a stiff flower stalk called a scape and handles hard winters well, so it suits the North and the mountains. Snap the scapes off in early summer; they're good to eat, and the plant puts more energy into the bulb.
Softneck garlic has no stiff stalk, stores longer and is better for mild winters in the South and on the West Coast. It's the type you can braid.
Planting and mulching
Split bulbs into cloves just before planting and keep the biggest ones; big cloves make big bulbs. Set each clove pointed end up, 2 inches deep and about 6 inches apart, in well-drained soil.
In cold areas, cover the bed with 4–6 inches of straw or shredded leaves once the ground starts to freeze. This stops freeze–thaw cycles heaving the cloves out. Pull most of the mulch back in spring when shoots appear. Harvest when the lower third of the leaves have turned brown.
Seeds and supplies for garlic
- Seed garlic at True Leaf Market
- Park Seed for seeds and young plants.
- Straw mulch to protect the bed through winter.
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Questions about planting garlic
What month do you plant garlic?
Most gardeners plant in October or November. In the far North it can be late September, and in the Deep South November or December. Enter your ZIP above to time it from your local first frost.
Can I plant garlic in the spring?
You can, as early as the soil can be worked, but bulbs are usually smaller because they get less cold. Fall planting gives the best results.
How deep do you plant garlic?
About 2 inches deep, pointed end up, 6 inches apart. Add a thick straw mulch where winters are cold.
Can I plant garlic from the grocery store?
It may work, but store garlic is often a softneck grown for a mild climate and can be treated to stop sprouting. Seed garlic suited to your region is more reliable.
Sources
- Growing Garlic: Fall Planting, Penn State Extension
- Vegetable Planting Calendar for Central Maryland (2026), University of Maryland Extension
- Vegetables for Spring and Fall Planting; Vegetables for Summer Planting, University of Maryland Extension Master Gardeners
- Central North Carolina Planting Calendar for Annual Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs, NC State Extension
- Frost dates: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (doi:10.25921/4ek7-fk11)