When to plant garlic in USDA Zone 7b

Plan your garlic planting around local frost risk and soil temperature, then work backward from the harvest week your buyers need. The calendar below is a starting point, not a field-level weather forecast.

Raleigh, Greensboro, Richmond, Knoxville, Memphis. Average last spring frost April 8, first fall frost October 22 — a 197-day frost-free season.

Zone fit: excellent
Garlic is well suited to Zone 7b. Standard planting dates work with minor adjustments for microclimates.

Key dates

Direct-seed outdoors
June 24 – July 15
Expected first harvest
February 26 – March 26
Fall planting window
September 17 – October 8
Fall harvest window
May 22 – June 19

Windows are calculated from your zone's average frost dates. Adjust ±1 week for microclimates, elevation, and your own frost records.

Spacing and soil

Plant spacing
6″
Row spacing
12″
Seed depth
2″
Soil temperature
45–60°F
Frost tolerance
hardy
Days to harvest
240 days

Grower notes for Zone 7b

Fall-planted only. Plant 4–6 weeks before first frost so roots establish before soil freezes. Harvest when lower 3 leaves brown.

Plant near: tomatoes, brassicas

Keep away from: beans, peas

Other alliums for Zone 7b

Same crop, other zones

Track your own plantings

BAU Farm Intelligence turns these windows into per-field tasks — indoor seed-start reminders, transplant dates, harvest projections — using your farm's actual frost history.