When to plant Garlic

Where the average last spring freeze is April 10, USDA's table says to plant garlic from Feb 20 to Mar 20. The planting dates depend on your average frost dates. Enter a ZIP code to get yours, or read the USDA table below.

Earliest safe spring planting dates: garlic
Average last freezePlant
Jan 30Generally fall-planted
Feb 8Generally fall-planted
Feb 18Generally fall-planted
Feb 28Generally fall-planted
Mar 10Generally fall-planted
Mar 20Feb 1 – Mar 1
Mar 30Feb 10 – Mar 10
Apr 10Feb 20 – Mar 20
Apr 20Mar 10 – Apr 1
Apr 30Mar 15 – Apr 15
May 10Apr 1 – May 1
May 20Apr 15 – May 15
May 30May 1 – 30
June 10May 15 – June 1
Latest safe fall planting dates: garlic
Average first freezePlant by
Aug 30Generally spring-planted
Sept 10Generally spring-planted
Sept 20Generally spring-planted
Sept 30Generally spring-planted
Oct 10Generally spring-planted
Oct 20Generally spring-planted
Oct 30Generally spring-planted
Nov 10Aug 1 – Oct 1
Nov 20Aug 15 – Oct 1
Nov 30Sept 1 – Nov 15
Dec 10Sept 15 – Nov 15
Dec 20Sept 15 – Nov 15

Source: USDA Home and Garden Bulletin No. 9 (1967), “Suburban and Farm Vegetable Gardens,” tables 4 and 5. The bulletin scan.

Garlic by state

Updated