If you’re planning your fall garden in zone 6b, knowing when to plant garlic is the most important step for a successful harvest. Getting the timing right ensures your cloves develop strong roots before winter and produce large, healthy bulbs next summer. This guide will walk you through the optimal timing and simple steps for planting garlic in our climate.
Planting garlic is a rewarding fall task. It’s one of the last things you put in the ground, and it requires very little work for a big payoff. The key is to work with nature’s schedule, not against it. Let’s break down exactly what you need to do.
When To Plant Garlic In 6b
The classic rule for zone 6b is to plant garlic in the fall, about 4-6 weeks before the ground freezes solid. This usually means a window from mid-October through mid-November. The goal is to give the cloves enough time to establish roots, but not so much time that they send up significant green growth above the soil before winter arrives.
You can use the first hard frost as a good marker. Aim to get your cloves in the ground around the time of your first frost, or shortly after. A soil thermometer is your best friend here. Ideal planting time is when the soil temperature at 4 inches deep is about 50°F (10°C). If you plant too early in warm soil, the garlic may sprout too much top growth, which can be damaged by winter cold.
Why Fall Planting is Essential
Garlic needs a period of cold, called vernalization, to properly develop a bulb. Planting in the fall mimics it’s natural cycle. The cold winter months trigger the biochemical changes needed for the clove to split and form a multi-cloved bulb come spring. Without this chill, you often get a single, large round bulb called a “round,” which won’t have the familiar cloves.
- Root Development: The clove spends the fall growing roots, sometimes several inches long, which anchors it and gathers nutrients.
- Early Spring Start: As soon as the soil warms in late winter, the planted garlic is ready to explode with growth, giving it a long season to mature.
- Bigger Bulbs: This head start translates directly into larger, more robust bulbs at harvest time compared to spring-planted garlic.
Signs You’re Planting at the Right Time
How do you know you’ve hit the sweet spot? Watch nature’s cues. When other perennials are starting to go dormant and the days are consistently cool, it’s a good signal. If you’re unsure, it’s generally better to plant a little later rather than a little earlier in zone 6b. A clove with just roots underground is more protected than one with tender green leaves exposed to freezing temperatures.
What If You Miss the Fall Window?
Life gets busy, and sometimes the fall slips by. If you miss the optimal window, you can try planting in very early spring as soon as the ground can be worked. The bulbs will likely be smaller, but you’ll still get a harvest. Use the largest cloves you have and give them the best conditions possible. Some gardeners even pop spring-planted cloves in the fridge for a few weeks to simulate a cold period before planting.
Choosing the Right Garlic for Zone 6b
Not all garlic is the same. There are two main types, and choosing the right one affects your success.
Hardneck Garlic
This is the best choice for colder climates like zone 6b. Hardneck garlic produces a hard, central stalk called a scape and typically has fewer, larger cloves per bulb. It has a more complex, often spicier flavor and peels easier. It’s also more cold-hardy.
- Popular varieties for 6b: ‘Music,’ ‘German White,’ ‘Chesnok Red.’
- Produces edible scapes in early summer.
Softneck Garlic
Softneck garlic is what you commonly see in supermarkets. It doesn’t produce a hard central scape, stores longer, and often has more cloves per bulb. It’s generally less cold-hardy than hardneck, but many varieties do very well in zone 6b with proper mulching.
- Popular varieties for 6b: ‘Inchelium Red,’ ‘California Early.’
- Great for braiding due to it’s flexible stalks.
Always buy seed garlic from a reputable nursery or garden center. Garlic from the grocery store is often treated to prevent sprouting and may not be suited to your local climate.
Step-by-Step Planting Guide
Follow these simple steps for a successful planting.
- Prepare the Bed: Choose a sunny spot with well-draining soil. Garlic hates wet feet. Work in several inches of compost or well-rotted manure to improve soil fertility and structure. A balanced organic fertilizer mixed in at planting is a good idea.
- Break the Bulbs: Carefully break the seed garlic bulbs into individual cloves. Do this just before planting to keep the basal plate (the flat root end) from drying out. Plant only the largest, healthiest-looking cloves. Save the smaller ones for cooking.
- Plant the Cloves: Plant each clove pointy-end up, root-end down. The general rule is to plant them 2-3 inches deep. Space cloves 4-6 inches apart in rows that are 12 inches apart. This gives them plenty of room to grow.
- Mulch Heavily: After planting, water the bed well if the soil is dry. Then, apply a 4-6 inch layer of loose mulch like straw, shredded leaves, or grass clippings. This mulch is crucial—it prevents frost heave, suppresses weeds, and conserves moisture.
Spring and Summer Care
In early spring, you’ll see green shoots poking through the mulch. Leave the mulch in place to supress weeds. Keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy, especially during bulb formation in May and June. If you planted hardneck garlic, you’ll see scapes curl in early summer. These should be cut off to direct the plant’s energy into the bulb. Don’t throw them away—garlic scapes are delicious in pesto or stir-fries!
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Planting Too Shallow: Cloves planted less than 2 inches deep are more susceptible to winter injury and frost heave.
- Using Poor Quality Seed: Small cloves from the grocery store often yield small, disappointing bulbs.
- Skipping Mulch: Without mulch, freezing and thawing cycles can push cloves out of the ground, damaging the roots.
- Overwatering: Especially as harvest nears, too much water can promote rot and reduce storage life.
Harvesting and Curing Your Crop
Knowing when to harvest is as important as knowing when to plant. In zone 6b, harvest typically falls in late June to July. Watch for the lower leaves to turn brown while the top 5-6 leaves are still green. Don’t wait for all the leaves to die back. Gently loosen the soil and lift the bulbs with a garden fork.
Brush off excess soil, but don’t wash the bulbs. Cure them in a warm, dry, well-ventilated place out of direct sun for 3-4 weeks. This process allows the outer skins to dry and the flavor to develop fully. After curing, trim the roots and cut the stalks, leaving about an inch on hardnecks or more if you plan to braid softnecks.
FAQ: Planting Garlic in Zone 6b
Can I plant garlic from the grocery store in 6b?
It’s not recommended. Store-bought garlic is often from a different climate (like China or California), may be treated with sprout inhibitors, and can carry diseases into your soil. For best results, buy certified disease-free seed garlic adapted to northern climates.
What is the absolute latest I can plant garlic in fall?
You can plant until the ground is frozen. Even if you plant in early December, the cloves will often still root in the cold soil. The harvest might be slightly smaller, but you’ll likely still get bulbs. It’s always worth a try rather than saving the cloves until spring.
Should I fertilize my garlic?
Yes. Garlic is a heavy feeder. At planting, use a balanced fertilizer. In early spring as growth resumes, a nitrogen-rich fertilizer (like blood meal) is beneficial. Stop fertilizing once scapes appear, as too much nitrogen late can hinder bulb development.
My garlic sprouted green tops in fall. Is this bad?
A little green growth (an inch or two) is usually fine in zone 6b, especially if you have a thick mulch layer. The mulch will protect the shoots. If they get taller, a hard freeze could damage them, but the plant will often regrow in spring. Try to aim for root growth only next season.
Can I grow garlic in containers in zone 6b?
Absolutely. Choose a deep container (at least 12 inches) with excellent drainage. Use a quality potting mix and follow the same planting depth and timing. Containers freeze faster, so provide extra insulation by wrapping the pot or moving it to a protected location like an unheated garage.
Getting your garlic in the ground at the right time in zone 6b sets the stage for an easy, low-maintenance crop. By following these guidelines on optimal timing, selection, and care, you’ll be well on your way to a bountiful harvest of homegrown garlic next summer. There’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of pulling up your own flavorful bulbs.