Living in zone 5 as a gardener, You are in a spot where winter doesn’t knock… it slams the door!
The ground freezes fast, and spring takes its sweet time coming back.
In this kind of climate, garlic’s survival and success depend entirely on when it is planted.
Garlic needs time to grow roots before the soil freezes solid, and that moment comes quickly in Zone 5.
That’s exactly what I am trying to say: “Planting time depends on the local climate and the plant variety”
So, let’s prove that by understanding when a cool-season crop like garlic should be planted in a cold region like Zone 5.
USDA Zone 5 and Garlic Plant
Zone 5 brings the cold that garlic actually needs, but only if it’s planted at the right time.
Garlic, especially hardneck types, depends on winter chill to form proper bulbs. That’s exactly why Zone 5’s freezing temperatures can work in your favor.
It is true that garlic needs cold to form bulbs, but it also needs a few weeks of mild soil to grow roots first.
That makes the importance of frost dates in gardening and regarding zone 5, you must have an idea about its frost dates and growing season.
Do you know? Zone 5 also covers some southern parts of Alaska, if you live there, check out a detailed guide on growing garlic in Alaska’s Zone 5.
When to Plant Garlic in Zone 5? Hard-neck and Soft-neck Varieties
In Zone 5, garlic planting mostly follows the usual advice: hardneck in fall and softneck in spring. But in reality, garlic doesn’t care about the calendar… it follows the frost.
The first frost usually hits between late September and late October, and the last frost shows up between late March and late April. That means there is a different planting time for both garlic varieties. Here’s how;
When to plant hard-neck in Zone 5?
Hardneck garlic loves the cold, and Zone 5 gives it just that. Here, the best time to plant it is between late September and mid-October. It gives the cloves a few weeks to grow roots before the ground freezes.
Worried about those deep winter temps? Don’t be. Once rooted and covered with mulch, hardneck garlic can handle -20°F or even lower without a problem.
By late spring, you’ll notice those curly green shoots called scapes. They look pretty, but they steal energy from the bulbs.
Just snip them off early (bonus: they’re great for cooking!), so your garlic puts all its power into growing big, solid bulbs.
When to Plant Hard Neck in Zone 5?
Softneck garlic isn’t as winter-tough as hardneck, so in Zone 5, it’s safer to plant it in early spring, just after the ground thaws and heavy frost is out of the way.
Since Zone 5 winters can stretch into April, waiting too long can shorten your growing season.
That’s why many gardeners start softneck garlic indoors, like in trays or small pots, while it’s still cold outside.
Then, once the soil is workable, they simply transplant it into the garden.
It gives softneck garlic a head start without risking frost damage.
And even though it doesn’t grow scapes like hardneck does, it still delivers a great harvest, especially if you catch that early spring window.
How to Grow Garlic In Zone 5? Care and Maintenance
Growing garlic in a cold zone like Zone 5 isn’t tricky; you just need to work with the climate, not against it. Follow five steps to plant garlic from their own cloves.
But make sure to sow cloves at the right depth and distance, here discover the best!
Whether you’re planting hardneck in fall or softneck in early spring, garlic needs loose, well-draining soil to stay healthy throughout the season.
Heavy or compact soil can cause rot, especially in winter when moisture lingers. So make sure your planting bed is soft and slightly raised if needed.
Watering
Once the ground cools down in late fall, garlic doesn’t need much water. If you have planted in the fall, water deeply once after planting, then let winter do the rest. Overwatering during freeze periods can harm the garlic bulbs.
Hard-neck garlic protection during winters
Hardneck garlic usually stays outside all winter; just cover it with a thick layer of mulch after the ground starts freezing. No need to dig it up or bring it in!
When to Harvest Garlic in Zone 5?
Harvesting garlic is not about guessing; it’s about knowing how long your garlic has been growing and what signs it’s giving you.
In Zone 5, that timeline depends on two things: which type you planted and when.
Harvesting Hard-neck garlic in zone 5
One key thing about hardneck garlic is the scapes, those curly green shoots that pop up in late spring. If you don’t cut them, the plant will shift its energy from the bulb to those shoots.
That can lead to smaller bulbs or even cause the plant to behave more like a perennial, growing unevenly or putting up multiple shoots instead of one solid bulb.
And absolutely, garlic is perennial natively and botanically, (here’s how)
That’s why it’s important to remove scapes early to keep plants focused on bulb development.
Harvesting Soft-neck Garlic in Zone 5
Softneck garlic grows a bit faster; it usually takes about 6 to 7 months to reach full size.
If you planted it in early spring or started it indoors and transplanted it once the frost passed, you will likely harvest it around late July to early August.
Unlike hardneck, softneck garlic doesn’t grow scapes. Instead, you will rely on leaf color to know when it is ready.
Once the bottom three or four leaves have turned brown and the top ones are still green, that’s your signal.
If you wait too long, until all the leaves turn brown, the bulbs can split underground, which shortens their storage life.
Explore More ‘When to Plant”
- When to Plant Garlic in Zone 5? Discover Here
- When to Plant Tomatoes in Zone 5 for Healthy Harvest?
- When to plant lettuce in zone 5? YEAR-ROUND Planting Window
- When to Plant Lettuce in NC (North Carolina): Explore Here!
- When to Plant Lettuce in Georgia? Two Planting Window
- When to Plant Lettuce in Texas (North, Central & South Zones)
