Planting guide · zone 5a
When to plant garlic in zone 5a
In zone 5a, the average last spring frost is May 15 and the first fall frost is Oct 1. Here is garlic's whole year, counted from those dates.
Oct 1Plant clovesFall
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Soil & site
Fertile, well-drained soil with compost worked in. Waterlogged winter beds rot the cloves.
Seedling care
No seedlings — plant individual cloves, pointy end up, right at first frost. Biggest cloves grow the biggest bulbs.
Growing notes
Mulch 4–6 in with straw or leaves after planting. Rows 10 in. Hardneck types send up scapes in spring — snap them off and eat them.
Harvest
Next June–July, when the bottom 3–4 leaves brown. Cure whole plants in a shaded, airy spot for 2 weeks.