When to plant garlic in USDA Zone 9a

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.

Gainesville FL, Houston, New Orleans, southern GA coast. Average last spring frost February 25, first fall frost December 1 — a 279-day frost-free season.

Zone fit: good
Cool-season crops bolt fast under Zone 9a heat. Prioritize the fall planting window and use shade cloth for any spring succession.

Key dates

Direct-seed outdoors
May 13 – June 3
Expected first harvest
January 15 – February 12
Fall planting window
October 27 – November 17
Fall harvest window
July 1 – July 29

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 9a

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 9a

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.