Garlic is the one crop you plant when everything else is going to sleep.
Push a clove into the soil in fall, and by summer you have a whole bulb.
Here is how to plant garlic in fall, 10 easy ways, with the right timing, depth and spacing. Three come with full step by step cards.
Quick Picks
- Simplest: Plant Garlic Cloves in a Garden Bed (way 1)
- No garden: Pots and Grow Bags (way 3)
- Remember this: How Deep and How Far Apart (way 7)
- Winter protection: Mulch Garlic for Winter (way 8)
1. Plant Garlic Cloves in a Garden Bed
This is the simplest way. Loosen the soil, push in the cloves and walk away until spring.
Plant the cloves with the pointed end up and the flat root end down. Aim for about 2 inches deep and 4 to 6 inches apart. Rows about 12 inches apart give them room to grow.
⏱ 45 minutes💲 Low🛠 Easy
Materials Needed
- Seed garlic bulbs
- Garden compost
- Hand trowel
- A garden fork, a string line and plant labels
How to Make It
- Pick a sunny spot with well drained soil and loosen it about 8 inches deep.
- Mix in a few inches of compost.
- Mark a row with string and dig holes about 2 inches deep, 4 to 6 inches apart.
- Drop a clove in each hole with the pointed end up.
- Cover with soil, water gently and add a label.
Tip: Don’t use garlic from the grocery store. It may be treated to stop sprouting. Garlic is toxic to dogs and cats, so keep cloves and tops away from pets.
2. Plant Garlic in Raised Beds
Raised beds are perfect for garlic. The soil drains well, and garlic hates wet feet in winter.
Use a bed at least 8 to 12 inches deep, filled with loose soil and compost. Plant in a grid, 5 to 6 inches apart, so you can fit more cloves in less space.
⏱ 45 minutes💲 Low🛠 Easy
Materials Needed
- Raised garden bed soil mix
- Straw mulch bale
- Seed garlic cloves and a trowel
- A watering can and a ruler
How to Make It
- Fill the raised bed with a loose soil and compost mix.
- Mark a grid with a ruler, 5 to 6 inches between spots.
- Press each clove in, pointed end up, so the tip is about 2 inches below the surface.
- Cover the soil, water well and smooth the top.
- Spread 3 to 4 inches of straw over the bed.
Tip: Let cloves drain between waterings. Garlic rots in soggy soil. Wear gloves when handling cloves if your skin is sensitive.
3. Plant Garlic in Pots and Grow Bags
No garden? No problem. Garlic grows well in a deep pot or a fabric grow bag on a balcony or patio.
Use a pot at least 8 to 10 inches deep, with drainage holes. Space cloves about 4 inches apart. In cold areas, move the pot to a sheltered spot, or wrap it so the roots don’t freeze solid.
⏱ 30 minutes💲 Low🛠 Easy
Materials Needed
- Fabric grow bag, 10 gallon
- Potting mix
- Seed garlic cloves
- A trowel and a saucer
How to Make It
- Fill the pot or bag with potting mix, leaving 2 inches at the top.
- Space cloves 4 inches apart, pointed end up.
- Push each one in until the tip is about 2 inches below the soil.
- Cover, water until it drains from the bottom and add a layer of straw.
- Set the pot in a sunny, sheltered place for winter.
Tip: Don’t let the pot sit in a full saucer of water. Keep pots out of reach of pets that dig or chew.
4. Choose Seed Garlic: Hardneck or Softneck
The type you choose changes the harvest. Hardneck does best in cold winters and gives you tasty scapes in spring.
Softneck does better in mild climates and stores longer, so you can braid it. Buy seed garlic from a garden center or a grower. It’s grown for planting and free from the problems grocery garlic can bring.
You’ll need: hardneck seed garlic
Best for: cold and mild climates
5. When to Plant Garlic in Fall
Timing is everything. Plant about 4 to 6 weeks before the ground freezes for good.
That gives the cloves time to grow roots, but not much top growth. In many places this is October or November. In warm climates it can be later. Soil around 50 degrees is a good sign.
You’ll need: soil thermometer
Best for: planning ahead
6. How to Separate and Prepare Cloves
Break the bulb into cloves a day or two before planting. Leave the papery skin on each clove.
Pick the biggest, plumpest ones for planting, since they make the biggest bulbs. Use the small ones in the kitchen. Don’t peel them, and throw out any soft or moldy ones.
You’ll need: garden gloves
Best for: every gardener
7. How Deep and How Far Apart to Plant
Depth and spacing are the two numbers to remember. About 2 inches deep, and 4 to 6 inches apart.
In very cold areas, go a little deeper, about 3 inches. Keep rows about 12 inches apart. Cloves planted too shallow can heave out of the soil in freezing weather.
You’ll need: garden ruler dibber
Best for: neat rows
8. Mulch Garlic for Winter
Mulch is garlic’s winter blanket. A thick layer keeps the soil from freezing and thawing again and again.
Spread 4 to 6 inches of clean straw or shredded leaves over the bed. Skip hay full of weed seeds. In spring, pull the mulch back a little so the shoots can get through.
You’ll need: garden rake
Best for: cold winters
9. Plant Garlic Between Flowers and Roses
Garlic fits in around flowers, too. Many gardeners tuck it among roses and say it helps keep aphids away.
Plant a few cloves in the gaps in the flower bed. Keep it away from beans and peas, which don’t like it nearby. Garlic is toxic to pets, so don’t plant it where dogs dig.
You’ll need: organic rose fertilizer
Best for: mixed beds
10. Fall and Spring Garlic Care
After planting, garlic mostly looks after itself. You’ll see green shoots in late winter or early spring.
Water if the soil is dry. Feed lightly in early spring. Remove the flower scapes on hardneck types in early summer, and you’ll get bigger bulbs. Harvest when about half the leaves turn brown.
You’ll need: watering can
Best for: patient gardeners
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I plant garlic in fall?
About 4 to 6 weeks before the ground freezes. In many places that’s October or November.
How deep do I plant garlic cloves?
About 2 inches deep, with the pointed end up. Go to 3 inches in very cold areas.
How far apart should garlic be planted?
4 to 6 inches apart, in rows about 12 inches apart.
Can I plant garlic from the grocery store?
It’s best not to. It may be treated to stop sprouting or carry disease. Buy seed garlic.
Do I need to water garlic in winter?
Water well after planting. After that, only if the soil gets very dry.
Is garlic safe for pets?
No. Garlic is toxic to dogs and cats. Keep cloves, tops and bulbs out of reach.
Final Thoughts on How to Plant Garlic in Fall
Garlic is one of the easiest crops to grow. Plant it in fall, cover it for winter and forget it until spring. Next summer, you’ll be glad you did.
Amir Ali is the founder and site administrator of HomeDecorEdge, a modern home decor and interior design platform. Since starting the site, he has combined his passion for interior design, practical styling, and color coordination with hands-on content strategy and site management. He guides authors, curates high-quality articles, and ensures readers have access to actionable, visually inspiring, and user-focused home decor advice for apartments, small rooms, and family homes.
