- Hardiness
- Grown as a yearly crop in every zone
- Light
- Full sun
- Water
- Average, about an inch a week
- Size
- 1 to 2 ft
- Days to harvest
- 240 (fall to summer)
Growing tip. Plant cloves in fall, a few weeks before the ground freezes, and harvest the next summer when the lower leaves brown.
When to plant garlic by zone
| Zone | Median last / first frost | When to plant |
|---|---|---|
| 3b | May 16 / Sep 25 | Plant cloves: Aug 28 to Oct 9 |
| 4a | May 12 / Sep 28 | Plant cloves: Aug 31 to Oct 12 |
| 4b | May 8 / Oct 1 | Plant cloves: Sep 3 to Oct 15 |
| 5a | May 3 / Oct 5 | Plant cloves: Sep 7 to Oct 19 |
| 5b | May 1 / Oct 10 | Plant cloves: Sep 12 to Oct 24 |
| 6a | Apr 29 / Oct 16 | Plant cloves: Sep 18 to Oct 30 |
| 6b | Apr 22 / Oct 22 | Plant cloves: Sep 24 to Nov 5 |
| 7a | Apr 16 / Oct 25 | Plant cloves: Sep 27 to Nov 8 |
| 7b | Apr 5 / Nov 1 | Plant cloves: Oct 4 to Nov 15 |
| 8a | Mar 29 / Nov 7 | Plant cloves: Oct 10 to Nov 21 |
| 8b | Mar 16 / Nov 14 | Plant cloves: Oct 17 to Nov 28 |
| 9a | Mar 2 / Nov 26 | Plant cloves: Oct 29 to Dec 10 |
| 9b | Feb 1 / Dec 9 | Plant cloves: Nov 11 to Dec 23 |
Zones 10 and warmer have little or no frost. There, plant cool-season plants in fall and warm-season plants from late winter.
Similar vegetables
Winter squashFull sun · Grown as a yearly crop in every zonePumpkinFull sun · Grown as a yearly crop in every zoneWatermelonFull sun · Grown as a yearly crop in every zoneOkraFull sun · Grown as a yearly crop in every zoneSweet potatoFull sun · Grown as a yearly crop in every zoneGreen beansFull sun · Grown as a yearly crop in every zone
Frequently asked questions
What zone does garlic grow in?
Garlic is grown fresh each year, so it fits every zone. What changes is when you plant. Find your zone by ZIP code.
How much sun does garlic need?
Full sun. Full sun means at least six hours of direct sun a day; part shade means about three to six.
Hardiness ranges, light and size are typical figures from university extension services and botanic garden plant records; a named variety can differ, so check its tag. Planting dates come from each zone's median frost dates (NOAA 1991 to 2020 climate normals) and the timing rules in how we check.