Do you have your cloves in the ground yet? Garlic is incredibly useful in the kitchen and surprisingly easy to grow in the garden. The best time to plant these tasty bulbs is in the fall. Learn how and when to plant garlic to maximize your harvest!
When to Plant Garlic in the Fall
Fall is traditionally the optimal time to plant garlic in most regions. Planting in the fall—about 3 weeks before the ground freezes—gives the roots a chance to establish without the shoots poking through the soil before winter. A good rule of thumb is to plant after the autumnal equinox in late September, though this can vary slightly based on your local first frost dates. Garlic, like other allium crops, is sensitive to day length and develops underground over the winter, so planting in the fall gives it a head start on the growing season. Come spring, it will be one of the first things to emerge in your garden.
| Season / Month | What to Do |
|---|---|
| Fall (Sept–Nov) | Plant garlic cloves 2 inches deep, pointy side up. Mulch 5–8 inches deep. |
| Winter (Dec–Feb) | Garlic stays dormant underground, roots continue to develop. |
| Early Spring (Mar–Apr) | Shoots emerge through mulch; begin light fertilizing. |
| Late Spring (May–Jun) | Garlic grows rapidly; water regularly. Cut off scapes to boost bulb growth. |
| Mid–Summer (Jul) | Stop watering 2–3 weeks before harvest; watch for leaves turning brown. |
| Late Summer (Jul–Aug) | Harvest when 1/3 to 1/2 of leaves are brown. Cure bulbs in a shady, ventilated spot. |
| Fall (Next Year) | Save largest cloves to replant for another harvest cycle. |
Planting Garlic in the Fall
Selecting Bulbs
Choosing the right garlic cloves is key to a successful harvest. There are two main types to consider: Hardneck and Softneck.
- Hardneck garlic produces a stiff central stalk and typically grows best in cooler climates. It has a more complex flavor and produces larger cloves that are easy to peel. Varieties include Rocambole, Purple Stripe, and Porcelain. Hardneck types also produce scapes, edible flower stalks that can be harvested in late spring.
- Softneck garlic is the type most commonly found in grocery stores. It thrives in warmer climates, stores well for longer periods, and is the type usually braided for decorative purposes. Popular varieties include Silverskin and Artichoke garlic.
Avoid using garlic from grocery stores for planting, as these are often treated to prevent sprouting and may carry diseases.
The best source for planting garlic is seed garlic from reputable garden centers, local nurseries, or online suppliers specializing in garlic varieties. Look for disease-free, certified cloves suited to your climate for the best results.
How to Plant Garlic
Garlic is extremely easy to grow, but good soil preparation is necessary if you want to produce the best and biggest bulbs.
Use quality seed garlic and plant several varieties just in case one does poorly. The largest cloves will produce the biggest bulbs. Plant individual cloves, peels intact, pointy end up, 2 inches deep and 6 inches apart.
Mulch 5 to 8 inches deep with seedless straw. Your garlic will form roots but little or no top growth before the ground freezes solid.
Early next spring, your garlic will be ready to grow, sending up tiny green shoots as soon as the ground thaws.
Caring for Garlic Plants
Feed the plants every other week with a liquid fish emulsion fertilizer from when shoots emerge in early spring until approximately June 1. Water is critical during the bulb-forming stage in early summer, so give your plants 1 inch per week, including rainfall.
If you are growing hardneck garlic—the best type for the Northeast—around the summer solstice, your garlic will send up a scape (seed stalk). This should be cut off to encourage the plants to put all their energy into bulb formation.
Leave one or two flower stalks standing to help you decide when to harvest your garlic. About 4 weeks before harvest, the outer wrappers on the garlic bulbs start to dry, so stop watering in July. Too much water at that stage can stain the wrapper or even cause mold.
Garlic Pests and Diseases
Not too many pests bother garlic, but don’t plant it where you have had trouble with wireworms or nematodes. Disease is more of an issue in poorly draining soils. See our Pest & Diseases Pages for more information.
How and When to Harvest Garlic
Harvest your garlic around the end of July or early August, when the lower third to half of the leaves have turned brown and wilted, but the upper leaves are still green.
It can be tricky deciding exactly when to harvest, which is where the flower stalks can come in handy. If the leaves start turning brown and the scapes uncurl and stand up straight, it is time to harvest. Learn more about harvesting garlic.
Storing Garlic
Hang bunches of newly harvested garlic to dry in a cool, well-ventilated, shady spot for 3 to 4 weeks to cure. After the leaves, roots, and outer wrappers are completely dry, brush off any loose soil, trim the roots to 1/4 inch, and cut the tops back to an inch or two above the bulb before storing. Under optimum conditions of near-freezing temps and 65 to 70% humidity, hardneck garlic will keep for 5 months and softneck for 8 months.
Save your biggest cloves to replant for next year. Old-timers say garlic “learns” because it adapts to your growing conditions and improves yearly. Go ahead—plant some garlic this fall!
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the best time to plant garlic?
Garlic is typically planted in the fall, about 4–6 weeks before the first hard frost. This timing allows the cloves to establish roots before winter without producing top growth. In most regions, this means planting garlic in late September through November.
How deep should I plant garlic in the fall?
Plant garlic cloves about 2 inches deep, with the pointed end facing up. Space cloves 4–6 inches apart in rows that are 12–18 inches apart. Cover with soil and mulch to protect them from cold temperatures.
When should I harvest garlic planted in the fall?
Garlic planted in the fall is usually ready to harvest in mid- to late summer, around July, depending on your local climate. Harvest when the lower leaves start to turn brown, but the upper leaves are still green. This ensures bulbs are fully developed and will store well.
Learn more about garlic on our Garlic Growing Guide page.
Do you have any tips or tricks for planting garlic in the fall?
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Comments
If you live in a cold climate and the table bed allows frigid air to freeze the bed solidly from all sides I would guess that the bulbs froze and rotted away. I'm surprised because they are a hardy crop. Maybe the bulbs you planted were diseased.
Unless your soil is really dry or you live in an area that has been experiencing drought, you shouldn't need to water after planting. If you think watering is necessary it can be done at any time, either before or after mulching but especially before the ground freezes.
Get that garlic planted asap! As for fall crops, they should also have been planted by now. If you can find transplants of cole crops you could try planting them with the stipulation that when the temps get below freezing you are going to need to protect the plants with row covers or grow them in a cold frame. It is late to be starting veg from seed but you could try spinach, a leaf lettuce bred for winter growing, mache, or radishes. Again, when the weather gets really cold they will need protection. I know it is hard to think about planting a fall garden when the temperatures are still in the 80s or above but many of the plants need to be started then, whether direct seeded into the garden or started in the house to transplant later. Check out the Almanac's All Season Gardening Calendar for planting dates for your area.
Yes, it's possible to grow garlic in containers that are sized at least 8 inches diameter and provide the same depth so the roots have enough room. Just add compost, and plant 1 inch deep (4 inches apart) and don't plant too close to the edges of the container.
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I think you might have onion root maggots. They can overwinter in soil where any plant in the allium family has grown before so rotating your garden crops is one way to prevent infestation. The adult is a small gray fly that is attracted to rotting plant material so if any of your garlic bulbs were rotting due to a cold wet start this spring that might be where they started. There can be 3 or more generations of this pest per year in your garden but the worst damage is usually found in the spring. Not much you can do now except pull out the affected plants. Make sure to harvest all the garlic and any other alliums this fall and to plant next year's garlic well away from any spot that has had alliums growing in it for the past 3-4 years.