When to Plant Garlic in Minnesota

Growing Garlic in Minnesota: Complete Guide

Garlic (Allium sativum) is fall-planted — it goes in the ground a few weeks before the first fall frost and overwinters for harvest the following summer. Depending on your zone, Minnesota gardeners plant between September 1, 2026 (Zone 3a) and September 20, 2026 (Zone 5a).

Because Minnesota stretches across 5 USDA hardiness zones (3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a), planting windows can shift by as much as six to eight weeks from one end of the state to the other. Gardeners in the warmer southern zones can start earlier, while those in cooler northern zones should wait until the zone table above shows their last frost has passed.

With 240 days to maturity, Garlic fits comfortably within Minnesota's growing season in most zones. In the warmest parts of the state, a second planting later in the season may be possible.

Garlic requires full sun (6+ hours) and low to moderate moisture. Midwest growing seasons are compressed between late spring frosts and fall cold snaps, so timing transplants precisely pays off.

For the most precise planting dates tailored to your exact location, enter your ZIP code on our planting calendar or use the zone table above to find the schedule for your area of Minnesota.