When to Plant Garlic in Zone 7 for a Bountiful Harvest

Garlic, beloved by home and commercial cooks, is one of those crops people love to grow. Its flavorful cloves complement many ingredients like shrimp, chicken, and lentils.

If you’re pondering when to plant garlic in zone 7, September to early December is the general planting schedule, with October 15 to December 1 being the optimal timespan.

By following this calendar, you can expect a bountiful harvest of garlic come summer.

Best Time to Plant Garlic in Zone 7

1. In the fall, from September to December

Fall is the ultimate time for planting garlic zone 7, since this crop needs to undergo a period of cold dormancy before resuming growth in spring. In this hardiness region, one to two weeks after the first frost is the best time to plant fall garlic.

So long as the ground isn’t frozen and temperatures remain between 32 to 50℉, you can put garlic bulbs into the soil so that they can form roots and survive winter.

For instance, Arlington (zone 7b) in Tennessee has its first frost around October 24, making October 31 to November 7 an excellent planting period.

Meanwhile, Dillard (zone 7a) in Georgia experiences winter temperatures around October 20, so October 27 to November 3 would make for a suitable gardening time.

Be sure to look up your region’s frost estimate for accurate scheduling.

2. In the spring, when the ground is workable and the garlic has been stratified

1. If fall doesn’t work for you, another garlic growing season is spring. It’s a must to refrigerate garlic bulbs under 32℉ for eight weeks before planting them during this season, or you’ll end up with a small clove instead of multiple big ones.
2. Interestingly, the same requirement applies to garlic bulbils or seeds, though you only need to stratify them for two weeks before sowing.

This planting medium, however, grows much slower than regular bulbs, taking about two to five years to produce sizable cloves.

Bulbils also make it impossible to cultivate softneck garlic, which is a shame, as softneck varieties adapt very well to warm climates like zone 7.

If there’s one advantage to consider, it’s that bulbils are cheaper to grow between the two types of garlic, and they’re equally suitable for fall planting like their counterparts following the same schedule.

Tips for Successful Garlic Planting in Zone 7

Which garlic to grow in zone 7? Both softneck and hardneck varieties are possible choices. Still, remember that softneck will do better than hardneck garlic for planting, as the latter suits hardiness zone 6 and cooler areas more.

Some garlic varieties you can try are Inchellium Red, Idaho Silverskin, and Red Torch for softneck bulbs, or German Extra Hardy, Spanish Roja, and Chesnok Red for hardneck types.

Other than that, some essential planting tips to follow are:

1. Sow garlic cloves two inches deep and six inches apart. Mulch them with four inches of pine needles or straw after putting the stringy bottom of the cloves down with the tips facing up.
2. Aim for a pH of 6.5 to 7 and six to eight hours of full sun daily.
3. Water the ground once a week, then stop after the plant enters its dormancy. Do not over-soak or drench the soil to prevent rot, and resume irrigation in the spring with one inch of moisture per week.
4. Once spring comes, feed garlic with a general-purpose fertilizer in March and May. You may also opt for a high-nitrogen formula to encourage quicker growth.
5. As summer approaches, harvest garlic when the tops begin to flop over, the bulb skin is thick and dry, and the bottom leaves have turned brown. Use a garden fork to dig around and lift the plant.

Can I Plant Garlic in January?

In the south, it’s possible to sow garlic as late as January. But usually, in the north, this month is when bulbs start to come out of dormancy.

Conclusion

Garlic growing zones are quite extensive. Because the crop can mature well in zone 3 to 8, zone 7 planting is more than feasible.

If you have any further questions regarding when to plant garlic in zone 7, leave them in the comments below. We wish you success in your gardening project.

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Click to know the best time to plant the most common vegetables in zone 7:

• Potatoes
• Onions
• Carrots
• Brussel Sprouts