When to plant garlic
Short answer
Plant garlic about 3 weeks before your first fall frost. In a mid climate (zone 5) that's around Oct 4. Enter your ZIP for your exact dates.
| Climate zone | Start indoors | Plant outside | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | — | Nov 29 | Jul 27 (next yr) |
| Zone 2 | — | Nov 14 | Jul 12 (next yr) |
| Zone 3 | — | Nov 4 | Jul 2 (next yr) |
| Zone 4 | — | Oct 20 | Jun 17 (next yr) |
| Zone 5 | — | Oct 4 | Jun 1 (next yr) |
| Zone 6 | — | Sep 19 | May 17 (next yr) |
| Zone 7 | — | Sep 4 | May 2 (next yr) |
| Zone 8 | — | Aug 15 | Apr 12 (next yr) |
Higher climate-zone numbers are colder, so planting shifts later. Garlic is a hardy crop. Enter your ZIP in the calculator for your exact zone and dates.
What sets the timing for garlic
When to plant garlic comes down to one date: your first fall frost. Garlic is a hardy crop, so it goes in about 3 weeks before your first fall frost. In a mid climate (zone 5) that's around Oct 4.
Garlic is usually sown straight into the ground — no indoor start needed. From there it's roughly 240 days to harvest.
Because that anchor date moves with climate, plant-out for garlic ranges from about Nov 4 in warm zone 3 to Sep 4 in cold zone 7. Enter your ZIP in the calculator for the exact dates in your zone.
What sets the timing
| Factor | Effect on timing |
|---|---|
| Frost anchor | Timing counts from your first fall frost |
| Hardiness | Garlic is hardy — it goes in before the last frost |
| Indoor start | Direct-sow — no indoor start needed |
| Days to harvest | About 240 days from planting to harvest |
| Climate zone | Higher (colder) zones push plant-out later; warmer zones let you start sooner |
| Soil & weather | Tolerates cool soil and light frost |
How garlic compares
Plant-out date in a mid climate (zone 5), against an early hardy crop and a late tender one.
| Crop | Plant outside (zone 5) |
|---|---|
| Peas (hardy · plants early) | Mar 11 |
| Garlic | Oct 4 |
| Tomatoes (tender · plants late) | Apr 29 |
Tips for growing garlic
- Start garlic early — it tolerates cool soil and a light frost, so you can plant before your first fall frost.
- Count roughly 240 days from planting to harvest, and stagger sowings a few weeks apart for a longer picking window.
- Enter your ZIP in the calculator for garlic dates tuned to your exact climate zone.
Your exact dates
Open the planting calendarOther crops
Frequently asked questions
When should I plant garlic?
Plant garlic about 3 weeks before your first fall frost. In a warmer zone 4 that's around Oct 20; in a colder zone 6, Sep 19.
How is garlic planted?
Garlic is planted directly in fall — as bulbs or cloves — not started indoors.
How long until garlic is ready to harvest?
About 240 days from planting until first harvest, the following year. In zone 6, garlic planted around Sep 19 is typically ready near May 17 (next yr).