Garlic planting calendar for USDA Zone 8b

Charleston SC, Savannah, Mobile, Austin, Jacksonville. Average last spring frost March 15, first fall frost November 15 — a 245-day frost-free season.

Zone fit: excellent
Garlic is well suited to Zone 8b. Standard planting dates work with minor adjustments for microclimates.

Key dates

Direct-seed outdoors
May 31 – June 21
Expected first harvest
February 2 – March 2
Fall planting window
October 11 – November 1
Fall harvest window
June 15 – July 13

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 8b

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 8b

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.

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