When to Plant Garlic
Set your conditions — the recommendation updates instantly.
GardenSays
Plant garlic cloves Sep 14 – Oct 19 — around your first fall frost — late june – late july next year.
- Plant
- Sep 14 – Oct 19
- First frost (typ.)
- Oct 5
- Next season
- Late June – late July
Garlic cloves run on the opposite calendar from tomatoes: in Minneapolis, MN the typical first killing frost lands around Oct 5, and planting from 21 days before to 14 days after the first frost (Sep 14 – Oct 19) gives roots time to establish before the ground freezes — without enough warmth for top growth that winter would burn.
Do this this week
- 1.Nothing to plant yet — the fall window opens Sep 14
- 2.Coming up: plant garlic cloves Sep 14 – Oct 19; it overwinters and finishes late june – late july
Calculated result · 4 verified sources · Checked 2026-07-16 · How we decide
Why
The crop overwinters under mulch and finishes late june – late july. Mulch after the ground firms up to keep soil temperature steady.
- Fall planting uses the shoulder season: warm enough soil for roots, cold enough air to hold back shoots.
- Winter chill is part of the crop's biology — spring-planted cloves/bulbs skip it and underperform.
When this doesn't apply
- Garlic needs winter cold to divide into cloves — spring-planted garlic makes one small round instead of a bulb. Extension timing varies: UMN says 1-2 weeks after the first killing frost; UMD says mid-late October — the weeks around your first frost cover both.
- If your ground freezes unusually early, plant at the early end of the window.
How this was calculated
- 1. First fall frostOct 5Source guidance
Minneapolis, MN: typical first 32°F frost — the anchor for fall planting
- 2. Fall planting windowSep 14 – Oct 19Calculated result
Garlic: plant from 21 days before to 14 days after the first frost, while the ground is still workable
- 3. Next seasonLate June – late JulySource guidance
Garlic overwinters and finishes next season
Data sources
- University of Minnesota Extension — Growing garlic in home gardens — Plant cloves in the fall, usually one or two weeks after the first killing frost; harvest between late June and late July depending on variety and zone. (checked 2026-07-16)
- University of Maryland Extension — Growing Garlic in a Home Garden — Plant individual cloves mid-late October so they have time to grow roots and a few leaves before cold weather sets in. (checked 2026-07-17)
- NOAA NCEI — 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals (freeze date probabilities) (checked 2026-07-15)
- National Gardening Association — frost date lookup (checked 2026-07-15)
What changes this answer
Your location
47 options — use the search field in the calculator above.
Every change updates the answer, the math, the weekly steps and the share link instantly.
People also ask
Can you plant garlic in spring?
Plant garlic cloves Sep 14 – Oct 19 — around your first fall frost — late june – late july next year. Calculate yours →
How far apart should garlic cloves go?
Your 8×4 ft raised bed fits 171 garlic cloves at 5-inch spacing. Calculate yours →
When to harvest garlic?