How to grow garlic
Allium sativum · Amaryllidaceae · Vegetable
When to plant garlic: the short answer
Plant in fall, about 3 weeks after the first frost. Seeds germinate in soil from 32 to 75°F, fastest near 55°F.
Cold winters (zone 5): sow -, or sow Oct 16 – Nov 2 for a fall crop. Mild winters (zone 9): sow Dec 11 – Dec 28 for fall and winter harvests; the spring window (-) closes before the summer heat. Skip the hottest months for garlic. See every zone.
Garlic is a cool-season vegetable in the Amaryllidaceae family, almost always sown straight into the ground where it will grow. It wants full sun (six or more hours of direct light) and modest, occasional watering. From sowing to first pick is about 240–270 days. It is one of the toughest crops here, standing through hard frost and often improving for it.
Grower’s note: Plant cloves 2-4 weeks after the first fall frost, pointy end up, and mulch. Hardneck types need this cold period; softneck types suit mild-winter regions and braid well. Harvest the following summer when the lower leaves brown.
Sowing
Sow about 2″ deep, into soil between 32–75°F — germination is quickest near 55°F. It is slow and often erratic to germinate (14–56 days). It does not transplant well, so sow it in its final position rather than starting it in pots.
Spacing & layout
Give each plant about 6″ along the row with roughly 12″ between rows. On a square-foot grid that is 9 per square foot. Allow at least 12″ of loose, workable soil for the roots. It grows well in containers at least 8″ deep.
Fitting it to your season
As a cool-season crop, garlic does its best growing in the mild weather of spring and fall and tends to bolt or turn bitter in summer heat. A second sowing in late summer, timed to mature as the weather cools, is usually the better crop of the year — and light frost only sweetens it.
Quick facts
Growth stages: how long garlic takes to grow
From sowing to first harvest takes roughly 240-270 days (34-39 weeks), with seedlings appearing after 14-56 days in soil around 55°F.
When to plant garlic
When to plant garlic by USDA zone
Dates worked out from each zone’s typical frost dates for 2026. Find your zone on the zone map, or pick your state below for dates from its own frost dates. Zones 11 and above are frost-free, so timing there depends on heat and rain instead.
| Zone | Last / first frost | Start indoors | Sow or plant out | Fall or second sowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | May 15 / Sep 15 | - | - | Sep 26 – Oct 13 |
| Zone 4 | May 10 / Sep 25 | - | - | Oct 6 – Oct 23 |
| Zone 5 | Apr 30 / Oct 5 | - | - | Oct 16 – Nov 2 |
| Zone 6 | Apr 15 / Oct 15 | - | - | Oct 26 – Nov 12 |
| Zone 7 | Apr 5 / Oct 25 | - | - | Nov 5 – Nov 22 |
| Zone 8 | Mar 20 / Nov 5 | - | - | Nov 16 – Dec 3 |
| Zone 9 | Feb 20 / Nov 30 | - | - | Dec 11 – Dec 28 |
| Zone 10 | Jan 30 / Dec 15 | - | - | Dec 26 – Jan 12 |
Or browse garlic planting dates for every state as static pages.
Companions
Tomato, Cabbage, Kale, Carrot, Beet
Bush Bean, Pole Bean, Pea
Common problems
Pests: onion maggot, onion thrips, stem nematode.
Diseases & disorders: white rot, rust, basal rot.
Same family (Amaryllidaceae)
Rotate these so they don’t follow each other in the same bed year to year.
Questions gardeners ask
When should I plant garlic?
Plant in fall, about 3 weeks after the first frost. Seeds germinate in soil from 32 to 75°F. The table on this page gives dates for each USDA zone, and the planting calendar gives dates for your own state or ZIP code.
How long does garlic take to grow?
About 240-270 days from sowing to the first harvest. Seeds germinate in 14-56 days, fastest in soil around 55°F.
How much sun does garlic need?
It needs at least six to eight hours of direct sun a day.
What soil pH does garlic need?
A soil pH between 5.5 and 7.5. It tolerates fairly acidic soil better than most vegetables. Test before adding lime or sulfur - see the soil pH and testing guide.
How far apart should I plant garlic?
Space plants about 6 inches apart in rows 12 inches apart, or 9 per square foot in a square-foot bed. Sow seeds about 2 inches deep.
Can I grow garlic in a container?
Yes. Use a container at least 8 inches deep with drainage holes and a good potting mix, and water more often than you would in the ground.
Figures are typical home-garden ranges from Cooperative Extension planting guides, cross-checked against multiple state sources. Your variety and conditions will vary.