When To Plant Garlic In Spring

Knowing when to plant garlic in spring is the key to getting a decent harvest from a less-than-ideal situation. While fall planting is usually prefered for most climates, spring planting is your best option if you missed the autumn window or your bulbs arrived too late.

Timing is everything with spring-planted garlic. The goal is to give the cloves as much time as possible to grow before summer’s heat arrives.

The Ideal Spring Planting Window

You should plant your garlic cloves 4-6 weeks before your area’s last expected spring frost date. This is typically early to mid-spring for most regions.

Cold Climates (Zones 0-4): Plant as soon as the ground is workable in late April or May. The soil doesn’t need to be warm, but it must be thawed and not waterlogged.
Moderate Climates (Zones 5-7): Aim for March or early April. This is a very common planting time for spring garlic.
Warmer Climates (Zones 8-9): You can plant as early as February or even late January in some areas.

A good rule is to get them in the ground at the same time you would plant peas or onions sets. If you’re unsure of your frost date, check with your local university extension service.

Why Fall Planting is Usually Better

It’s helpful to understand why spring planting is the backup plan. Garlic planted in autumn establishes roots before winter, undergoes a natural chilling period (vernalization), and is ready to burst into growth first thing in spring. This results in much larger bulbs. Spring-planted garlic skips the root-development phase and has a shorter growing season, often leading to smaller cloves. But don’t worry—with good care, you can still get a usefull harvest.

Choosing the Right Garlic for Spring

Not all garlic is created equal for spring planting. Your choice here makes a big difference.

Softneck Garlic: This is often the better choice for spring. It’s less dependent on winter chilling to form bulbs, making it more adaptable. It also stores longer.
Hardneck Garlic: It really prefers a cold period. If you must plant hardneck in spring, choose a variety known for being more adaptable, like ‘Music’ or ‘German Red.’ The bulbs might be smaller and the clove count lower.

Always source fresh, firm seed garlic from a reputable supplier. Do not use garlic from the grocery store, as it may be treated to prevent sprouting and could introduce disease.

Preparing for Planting: A Step-by-Step Guide

Proper preparation sets your garlic up for success from day one.

Step 1: Select and Prepare Your Cloves

Break apart your garlic bulb into individual cloves just before planting. This protects the basal plate (where roots emerge). Choose the largest, healthiest-looking cloves—they produce the biggest bulbs. The smaller cloves can be used for cooking.

Step 2: Prepare the Soil

Garlic thrives in loose, fertile, and well-draining soil. Work in several inches of compost or well-rotted manure. A balanced, organic fertilizer mixed into the bed will give them a strong start. Raised beds are excellent for ensuring good drainage, which is critical to prevent rot.

Step 3: Planting Your Cloves

Make holes or furrows about 3 inches deep.
Place each clove pointy-side up, root-side down. If you plant it upside down, it will grow poorly.
Space cloves 4-6 inches apart in rows that are 12 inches apart.
Cover the cloves with soil and pat gently.
Water the bed thoroughly after planting.

A light layer of mulch, like straw or shredded leaves, can help retain moisture and supress weeds. In colder areas, it also protects against a late frost.

Caring for Your Spring Garlic

Consistent care throughout the season is non-negotiable for a good harvest.

Watering and Feeding

Garlic needs about 1 inch of water per week. Keep the soil consistently moist but never soggy. Reduce watering in the last few weeks before harvest to let the bulbs cure in the ground. Feed your garlic with a nitrogen-rich fertilizer in early spring and again about a month later to support leaf growth, which fuels bulb development.

Weeding and Scaping

Weeds compete fiercely with garlic for nutrients. Keep the bed meticulously weeded. If you planted hardneck varieties, you’ll see a curly flower stalk called a scape emerge in early summer. Cut it off! This directs the plant’s energy back into growing the bulb underground, making it significantly larger.

When and How to Harvest Spring Garlic

Spring-planted garlic is usually ready to harvest 2-3 weeks later than fall-planted garlic, often in mid-to-late summer.

Look for Signs: The lower leaves will turn brown, while the top 5-6 leaves remain green. Don’t wait for all the leaves to die back.
The Test Dig: Gently dig up a bulb or two to check. The cloves should be well-formed and filling out the skin.

Use a garden fork to loosen the soil and lift the bulbs. Be careful not to bruise or pierce them, as this affects storage life. Brush off excess dirt, but don’t wash the bulbs.

Curing and Storing Your Harvest

Proper curing is essential for storage.

Bundle 6-8 plants together and hang them, or lay them in a single layer on a rack.
Place them in a warm, dry, dark, and well-ventilated area for 3-4 weeks.
Once the necks are tight and papery and the outer skin is dry, trim the roots and cut the stalks.
Store your cured garlic in a cool, dark place with good air circulation. Softnecks will store longer, often into winter.

FAQ: Spring Garlic Planting

Can you really plant garlic in the spring?
Yes, absolutely. While the bulbs are often smaller than fall-planted garlic, you can get a respectable harvest by choosing the right type and planting as early as possible.

What happens if you plant garlic too late in spring?
If planted too late, the cloves won’t have enough time to develop into full-sized bulbs before the hot weather triggers them to stop growing. You’ll end up with very small, single-clove bulbs often called “rounds.”

Does spring-planted garlic need to be chilled?
It can help. Some gardeners refrigerate seed garlic for 4-6 weeks before spring planting to mimic winter vernalization. This is especially beneficial for hardneck varieties and can lead to better bulb formation.

Can I plant grocery store garlic in spring?
It’s not recommended. Store-bought garlic is often from varieties unsuited to your climate and may be treated with sprout inhibitors. It can also carry diseases into your garden soil. Always buy certified disease-free seed garlic.

How do you know when spring garlic is ready?
Watch the leaves. When about half of the lower leaves have turned brown and died back, but several upper leaves are still green, it’s time to do a test dig and check bulb size.

Spring-planted garlic requires a bit more attention to timing and care, but the reward of homegrown garlic is worth the effort. By getting your cloves in the ground early and providing consistent care, you’ll be on your way to enjoying your own harvest in just a few months. Remember, the single most important factor is giving them the longest possible growing season you can.