In this article we are going to walk through the steps I use to successfully plant garlic in my fall or winter garden. Garlic is pretty easy to grow and a staple in our kitchen year round. We are planting our garlic in November.
We had our first dip below freezing in early November in Zone 8b. Make sure to check your zone for the right planting time. Special Note: USDA Plant Hardiness Zones were updated in November of 2023, check for any changes at the link above.
It’s also important to grow the right garlic for your growing zone. We are growing a soft neck garlic because we are in a somewhat mild winter area and soft neck garlic stores for longer periods of time. If you live in an area with more severe winters you may want to pick a different variety. Here is great video from Baker Creek on how to chose the best garlic for your garden.
Sprouting Garlic (optional)
I like to sprout garlic a few weeks before I plant the cloves to make sure the cloves are good and that the garlic will establish itself before we start to experience hard freezes in our area.
We sprout the garlic by separating the cloves and placing them between damp paper towels in a zip lock bag. The bag goes in the fridge for a few weeks. Check the garlic cloves periodically to make sure the paper towel stays moist but not wet.
In a few weeks the garlic cloves will have sprouted and started to form roots. See the white roots in the photo below. You can discard any cloves that have not sprouted and plant the rest by following the steps below. I plant them all, because some just may be slow starters. We also have plenty of room in our winter garden.
Materials/Tools to Plant Garlic
- Garlic Cloves (I grow soft neck, be sure to pick the right type of garlic for your zone)
- Garden Trowel
- Ruler and tape measure
- Cordless Drill and Auger Bit (optional)
- Epsoma Bio-Tone Starter
- Watering can/water
How to Plant Garlic
Time needed: 20 minutes
How to plant garlic
- Make the rows
Make the rows for planting by creating a shallow trench in your garden bed. Onions are pictured below to demonstra
- Position the garlic cloves
Position the garlic cloves at the recommended spacing. My planting instructions advise that the cloves should be planted 6 inches apart. I like to use a ruler or a tape measure to make sure I have the cloves spaced properly. Garlic takes a long time to grow and I want the biggest heads possible, spacing is important and can impact bulb size.
- Use the drill/auger or trowel to dig to the right depth.
We are planting our cloves at 2-3 inches deep which is what planting instructions recommended. This will give the garlic time to establish before we get into the part of winter where we have hard freezes. Drill the holes for each of the cloves in the row.
While some instructions may suggest you plant the whole row at once, I use this method to loosen the soil and address any compaction concerns at planting.
My bed had Espoma Starter mixed in before we started. It’s important to remember garlic is a heavy feeder and will require fertilization throughout the growing season.
- Place the garlic in the pre-dug holes.
Place the garlic in the pre-drilled holes with the root end pointing down. Cover the cloves and fill the holes with soil. Water the garlic in, this will remove any air pockets and let the garlic know its time to start growing roots.
Planting Garlic – What to Expect Next
Your garlic may sprout or form shoots above the ground prior to a hard freeze in your area. Don’t worry, this is normal and actually good according to Ohio State University. The plants will go dormant and start to regrow in the spring.
It’s important to keep the area weed free (or in my yard, leaf and acorn free) this will help prevent pests from overwintering and becoming a bigger problem in the spring.
Here is a picture of the garlic we planted two weeks after planting. We expect we will be harvesting this crop in early July.
Conclusion – Planting Garlic
We hope you found this article on how to plant garlic helpful and that you will check back for updates as we will be updating this page as our plants grow and when we are ready for harvest.
Garlic Plant Care Reference Card
| Garlic Plant Care Reference | |
| Common Name | Garlic |
| Botanical Name | Allium sativum |
| Family | Amaryllidaceae |
| Plant Type | Perennial (usually grown as an annual) |
| Size | 12 to 18 inches in height and spread |
| Sun Exposure | Full sun |
| Soil Type | Well-drained, loamy soil |
| Soil pH | Neutral to slightly acidic (pH 6.0 to 7.0) |
| Bloom Time | Rarely blooms; harvested for its bulb |
| Hardiness Zones | 4 to 9 |
| Native Area | Central Asia and northeastern Iran |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic to humans; toxic to pets, especially cats and dogs |