How Deep to Plant Garlic in the Fall, How Close, and When

How Deep to Plant Garlic in the Fall

Plant garlic cloves so the tip is covered by 1 to 2 inches of soil, with the pointed end up and the flat root end down. That is the depth given by University of Maryland Extension and Rutgers, and Iowa State and Penn State narrow it to 1 to 1.5 inches. In the coldest and driest sites, go deeper: the University of New Hampshire and Utah State both say 2 to 3 inches. Set cloves 3 to 6 inches apart, and plant from late September to November depending on where you live.

The spread in those numbers follows the climate each guide was written for. The deepest figures come from New Hampshire and Utah, and the shallower ones are paired with a straw mulch that guards against winter injury and frost heaving.

Source	State	Depth	Mulch
Iowa State University Extension	Iowa	1 to 1.5 inches	4 to 6 inches of straw in November
Penn State Extension	Pennsylvania	1 to 1.5 inches	2 to 4 inches of straw at planting
University of Maryland Extension	Maryland	1 to 2 inches of soil over the clove	Shredded leaves or straw beside the row
Rutgers	New Jersey	1 to 2 inches	3 to 4 inches of grass clippings
University of New Hampshire Extension	New Hampshire	2 to 3 inches	4 inches once the ground is frozen
Utah State University Extension	Utah	2 to 3 inches	Organic mulch, depth not given
University of Georgia Extension	Georgia	1 to 3 inches	2 to 3 inches

If your state is not listed, use the nearest climate. Every one of these guides sets the clove with the pointed side up.

How Close to Plant Garlic

Space cloves 3 to 6 inches apart within the row. Iowa State gives 3 to 5 inches, Penn State 4 to 6, and Maryland and Rutgers 3 to 6. Closer spacing fits more plants into a bed, and wider spacing gives each bulb more room to size up. The University of New Hampshire recommends at least 6 inches between neighbors on all sides.

Row spacing depends on how you weed. The published range runs from 6 to 12 inches (Penn State) up to 18 to 24 inches (Iowa State), and Georgia sets rows 12 to 14 inches apart. Narrow rows suit hand weeding in a raised bed, and wide rows leave space for a hoe.

In a bed, a 6 inch grid is the simplest layout. A patch 2 feet by 4 feet holds 32 cloves in four rows of eight. Rutgers counts 4 to 12 cloves in a hardneck bulb and 10 to 40 in a softneck bulb, so buy seed garlic by the number of large cloves you need. Plant the biggest cloves and send the small inner ones to the kitchen.

When to Plant Garlic in Fall

Fall planting gives garlic time to root before winter. Penn State describes the target: cloves should go in early enough that a good root system develops before the ground freezes, and late enough that shoots do not emerge above the soil line. For most of the country that lands in October.

State	Planting window	Harvest
New Hampshire	October in northern sites, into November farther south	Late June to mid-July
Iowa	October to early November	July or August
Maryland	Mid to late October	Around July 1 in central Maryland
New Jersey	October	June or July
Utah	Late September to November	When tops yellow
Georgia	Late September through November	Late May to mid-July

Garlic needs the cold that follows. Maryland notes that cloves must be exposed to temperatures of 32 to 50°F for two months before bulbs will enlarge, and Georgia puts the requirement at 6 to 8 weeks of cool weather below 40°F after planting. From planting to harvest takes 250 to 270 days, about nine months.

If fall gets away from you, Iowa State allows planting as soon as the ground can be worked in spring, late March to early April in central Iowa. Fall is still the better season wherever the ground can be worked in October.

When to Plant Softneck Garlic

Softneck garlic goes in on the same fall schedule as hardneck. The difference is where each type does best. The University of New Hampshire describes hardneck varieties as hardier and better able to withstand cold winters. University of Georgia Extension describes softneck types as well adapted to the more temperate South because they do not bolt easily and can get through erratic winter temperatures.

In practice, plant softneck from late September through November in the South and in October in the North, and mulch it well where winters are severe.

	Hardneck	Softneck
Best region	Cold-winter states	The South and other mild-winter areas
Cloves per bulb	4 to 12	10 to 40
Flower stalk (scape)	Yes	No
Storage life	2 to 4 months	6 to 8 months
Braiding	No	Yes

Clove count and storage figures are from Rutgers. Among hardnecks, Iowa State lists Porcelain types at about 4 large cloves per bulb, Rocambole at 6 to 11 and Purple Stripe at 8 to 12.

Prepare the Bed Before You Plant

Garlic occupies its bed for nine months, so the preparation done in fall has to last until summer. Choose a spot with at least 6 hours of direct sun a day. The soil should drain freely and be rich in organic matter. The University of New Hampshire gives a pH of 6.0 to 7.0 as ideal, the usual range for a vegetable garden. A soil pH check in early fall leaves time to adjust it, and working compost in as part of fall bed preparation improves drainage.

Rutgers advises a minimum three-year rotation, so avoid a bed that grew garlic or onions in the last three seasons.

1. Break bulbs into cloves just before planting and leave the papery skin on.
2. Make holes or a furrow to the depth for your region, 1 to 2 inches in most gardens.
3. Set each clove pointed end up, 3 to 6 inches from the next.
4. Cover, firm the soil lightly, and water once if the ground is dry.

Mulch and Winter Care

Mulch holds soil temperature steady and suppresses the winter weeds that compete with garlic in spring. How much depends on the winter. Iowa State calls for a 4 to 6 inch layer of weed-seed-free straw in November, and the University of New Hampshire applies a 4 inch layer of straw, leaves or grass clippings once the ground is frozen, to prevent frost heaving. In Georgia, 2 to 3 inches is enough, kept 2 to 3 inches back from the stems. Straw and shredded leaves are the usual materials, and a guide to mulch for the vegetable garden compares them.

A few green tips showing through the mulch in late fall are normal. Through spring, Penn State recommends 1 inch of water per week during dry periods until mid-June. Harvest when the lower third of the leaves have yellowed, which falls between late June and mid-July in New Hampshire. Cure the bulbs with tops attached in a dry, shady, well-ventilated place. Maryland cuts the tops off after 7 to 14 days of drying, and Rutgers leaves bunches hanging for 4 to 6 weeks.

Quick recap

• Depth: 1 to 2 inches of soil over the tip in most gardens, 2 to 3 inches in the coldest sites
• Spacing: 3 to 6 inches apart, or a 6 inch grid, which fits 32 cloves in a 2 by 4 foot patch
• Timing: October for most states; late September through November in Georgia and Utah
• Softneck follows the same calendar and suits the South; hardneck suits cold winters
• Mulch 4 to 6 inches in cold states and 2 to 3 inches in the South