Many sources and gardeners recommend planting garlic in the fall, but when there comes a question in our mind, When is the best time to plant garlic in my area? then you need to consider your local climate.
Because two main factors together decide the exact planting time of any crop. One is the plant variety and the second is the region’s climate.
However, other sub-factors are also included in these two concepts, such as plant season preference, mini and max temperature tolerances, first and last frost dates, etc.
When is the Best Time to Plant Garlic?
Generally, fall/autumn is the best time to plant garlic, but timing varies by garlic variety and regional climate. Here’s how!
Plant/Garlic Variety
Now, as we are talking about garlic planting time, the plant variety is garlic, a cool-season perennial that thrives best in cooler temperatures.
(Here, I have described, that planting perennial seeds at the right time is very necessary)
But at the same time, garlic is divided into two main types based on the mini and max temperature tolerances;
- Soft-neck garlic: Prefer warmer conditions at 10 to 16C and can tolerate high temperatures of 30C.
- Hard-neck garlic: Thrives best in cooler situations at 0 to 10C and can tolerate a minimum temperature range of -35C.
That’s the thing that changes the planting time of different garlic varieties.
Since soft-neck garlic, such as silver screen and Artichoke, grows perfectly in warmer weather and should be planted from early to late spring.
Spring season is a mild duration in which the cool-season and warm-season crops flourish. So, this time provides cool to mild conditions for establishing roots before the summer.
On the other hand, hard-neck needs a a cooler temperature. Planting these types of garlic varieties from early to late fall allows them to set roots before the first frost.
Region Climate
I usually plant my soft-neck garlic in the fall from October to November. Even though I also planted my hard-neck garlic at this time. It seems like confusing, right?
To plant garlic at the ideal time, you need to consider your local climate. My country (Pakistan) is considered a subtropical region. The minimum temperature, where I live is 5C. It truly means I can grow both garlic types in the fall.
Apart from this, if I plant these garlic types, especially soft-neck in the late spring, or during the summer, hard-neck will not be able to survive more, while the growth of soft-neck garlic will almost slow down.
I am describing the situation in my area where temperatures often go up 40C during summer. Therefore, fall is the best time to plant both types of garlic in my area.
When is The Best Time to Plant Garlic in Your Area
As you will have guessed, garlic variety and regional climate decide the right and exact planting time for garlic. Now, for your area, you have to look at your regional climate situations, its season patterns, and the first to last frost date. Then, choose the right garlic variety according to your seasonal patterns of year.
Warmer Regions
For example, my area experiences a hot summer and mild winter, so both can thrive here. At the same time, in other tropical and subtropical regions, such as Florida, Texas, and Hawaii, both types may grow healthy also there. However, examining local conditions is still important for everyone, especially when the day temperature starts going up to 30C, even in early spring.
Colder Regions
When planting garlic in colder regions where the mini temperature may go below 0 Celcius, you should plant hard-neck garlic from late winter to early spring because their summers are mild and usually do not affect garlic growth.
But in some cases, like heavy snowfall rainfall, and storms, you may need to move indoors or cover with a frost blanket, or use a heavy mulch layer around the garlic plants. Here’s a winter gardening guide!
💡 Remember
There are different regions in the world, some of which are slightly different from each other, and some have completely different temperature ranges and seasonal patterns, so I always recommend considering your local climate and local seasonal patterns.
Permanent Factor You Need to Consider
However, whatever region, you have to look for your local season length from winter to fall (including spring and summer). Then consider which variety would grow best in your area. You can examine the following table, showing the ideal, mini, and max temperature ranges of hard-neck and soft-neck garlic varieties.
| Variety | Ideal Temperature (°C) | Minimum Tolerance (°C) | Maximum Tolerance (°C) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hard Neck | 0°C to 10°C | -35°C | 24°C |
| Soft Neck | 10°C to 16°C | -5°C | 30°C |
The right answer to When is the best time to plant garlic truly depends on you and your consideration of both factors (garlic variety and region climate).
As I better Know about my area, similarly, you better have experiences about your area’s weather situations.
Final Thoughts: When is the Best Time to Plant Garlic
Fall/ Autumn (from September to October) is the best time to sow garlic cloves when the soil temperature is cool between 10 to 15C. This general planting time for garlic allows it to set roots before the first frost date.
As environmental factors, including seasonal patterns of your local area highly affect plant growth and planting time so, the timing to plant garlic keeps changing accordingly.
Late fall to early winter is best for warmer regions, while late winter to early spring is ideal for colder areas. But, it can still vary slightly depending on the variety of garlic and local locations.
