Generally, the fall season (from October to November) is considered the best time to plant garlic. Actually, two main factors, including garlic variety and local climate are tools to examine the right planting time.
Similarly, when a question about when to plant garlic comes to the mind of Texas’s gardeners, here too those two factors are viewed so, let’s try to identify the right planting time for garlic in your Texas.
Texas Climate and Suitable Garlic Variety
Texas offers slightly shorter to longer growing seasons, depending on the specific area, such as north and west Texas experiences growing seasons of 5 to 7 months. On the other hand, the growing season in south and east Texas may last for 8 to 11 months.
You should have an idea of how long garlic takes to grow. It will help you decide the right planting time according to Texas’s growing season. Soft-neck garlic takes 6 to 7 months, while hard-neck varieties may mature within 8 to 9 months.
Here, you need to choose a suitable garlic variety that loves to grow in Texas. Hard-neck garlic is the best option for north and west Texas because frost happens early there, and these varieties can tolerate intense frost below -25C.
Soft-neck varieties are well-suited for east and south Texas, where frost duration is limited and growing seasons are long, and, that too, these varieties can not handle temperatures below -5C.
When to Plant Garlic in Texas?
Now, you have to analyze the factors in your matter! For example, it is fixed that you live in Texas, but what type of garlic you are growing, and where are you living locally in Texas? These things add a slight difference in their planting time.
Planting Hard-neck Garlic in North, West, and Central Texas
You should plant hard-neck garlic before 2 to 3 weeks of the first frost date usually in mid to late October. While living in North Texas, you can easily plant garlic cloves in late October. But at this time, the ground is being frozen in Amarillo, and there, you have to plant in late September.
In West to Central Texas, frost usually comes in late October to early November, so aim to plant garlic from late September to early October, when some days are remaining from arriving frost.
Planting Soft-neck Garlic in Southern and Eastern Texas?
Soft-neck garlic also needs a little chilly period to establish roots gently under the ground. Plant it also before the ground freezes up in your area. But you have to make sure that there is a minimum temperature above -5C, not below.
Frost comes late in south Texas, from December to late January to early February, so sow soft-neck garlic cloves in late October to early September.
Moreover, the ground freezes a bit earlier than in December in East Texas so, if you live in East Texas, plant garlic before 14 to 28 days of November, typically around early to mid-October.
How to Grow Garlic in Texas?
Do you know the numerous factors that affect the method of planting garlic? Regional climate is also included in these factors. As you are growing garlic in Texas, so you need to plan accordingly.
Similarly, care and maintenance also depend on this factor because garlic may need different (little care or considerable maintenance) from area to area.
However, the steps to plan garlic cloves remain the same whether you are growing in a raised bed, container, or open ground, but planting depth for garlic slightly changes in warmer areas like Texas.
Gardening know-how says to plant garlic cloves at 7 to 8 inches deep in warmer areas, but if there is soft-neck garlic, you should sow its small and soft cloves 4 to 5 inches deep in the ground.
How to Care Garlic in Texas?
If suitable garlic varieties are grown in their preferred climate (hard-neck in west and north Texas, soft-neck in East and South Texas), then you may need low care and maintenance. However, the maintenance rate may be up and down in regarding exchange.
General Ideal Conditions for Garlic
| Condition | Softneck Garlic | Hardneck Garlic |
|---|---|---|
| Soil Type | Loamy, well-drained, rich in organic matter | Loamy, well-drained, fertile with good compost |
| Sunlight | Full sun (6–8 hours per day) | Full sun (6–8 hours per day) |
| Ideal Temperature | 50–75°F (10–24°C) for growing | 40–70°F (4–21°C) for growing |
| Frost Tolerance | Tolerates mild frost, best in warm winters | Requires cold period (vernalization), best in colder climates |
| Fertilizing | Balanced fertilizer at planting, side-dress in spring | Rich compost at planting, nitrogen boost in early spring |
| Watering | Moderate; increase during active growth, stop 2 weeks before harvest | Regular; keep moist in spring, reduce before harvest |
| Scapes | Does not produce scapes | Produces edible scapes that should be removed |
| Storage Life | Longer shelf life (6–9 months) | Shorter shelf life (3–6 months) |
Hard-neck Garlic in The East and South Texas
Hard-neck garlic requires 6 to 10 weeks of the chilly period for vernalization to make scapes and flowers because it is genetically perennial, but if you are aiming to get whole bulbs, you should cut scapes when they often come in the spring.
To plant hard-neck varieties in East and South Texas, where frost lasts for little time, you should keep cloves in the fridge at 0/2 Celcius for 4 to 6 weeks. Try to plant too early from frost, decrease watering during winter, and increase as spring begins.
Soft-neck Garlic in The West and North Texas
For soft-neck garlic, 30 to 40 chilly days are necessary. Western and Northern Texas offer a naturally chilly period, allowing planting outdoors.
Whether, we talk about its growth in Eastern and Southern Texas, where frost lasts for about 2 months, then still, you do not need to worry much about its care.
Because soft-neck garlic also requires chilly periods in any way but less than hard-neck garlic. Since frost arrives early there, so plant its cloves before 2 to 3 weeks, typically in late September to early October.
Note: Soft-neck garlic does not develop scapes, but sometimes it may be, especially when garlic is in a stressed environment. This all happens due to the role of environmental factors on plant growth.
When to Harvest Garlic in Texas?
Hard-neck garlic matures after 8 to 9 months, while you can see bulbs of soft-neck garlic after 6 to 7 months, depending on the planting time and provided growing conditions in Texas.
If ideal growing conditions are delivered to garlic after understanding the local weather, it will be able to be harvested within 6 to 9 months. Otherwise, the harvest may be late or poor, especially, when there was less attention on fertilization and irrigation.
In Texas, hard-neck garlic will be ready after 3 to 4 weeks of cutting stalks (scapes), usually from early to late summer, while soft-neck may mature to harvest from late spring to early summer.
Note: Always Harvest when 1/3 to 1/2 of leaves start to turn yellow or dried, and when soil is dry with no risk of heavy rainfall.
