Start indoors or direct sow?

Plant healthy, certified seed garlic cloves directly in the garden, since cloves establish best where they will grow. Do not start ordinary garlic from grocery-store bulbs, which may carry diseases or be unsuited to your climate.

When to start Garlic seeds

In most of the United States, plant cloves in fall, roughly 4 to 6 weeks before the ground freezes. In regions with mild winters or for spring planting, plant as soon as soil can be worked, usually several weeks before the last spring frost.

How to sow the seeds

Plant each clove point up, about 2 to 3 inches deep in loose, fertile, well-drained garden soil. Garlic is not normally started in indoor containers, so a seed-starting mix and cell trays are unnecessary.

Germination

Fall-planted cloves often root before winter and send up shoots in late winter or spring. Soil that is cool, moist, and well drained supports rooting, while waterlogged soil can rot cloves.

Seedling care

Keep the bed weed-free and evenly moist during active spring growth, but do not overwater. Mulch fall plantings after the ground begins to cool to moderate temperature swings and suppress weeds.

Transplanting & hardening off

Transplanting does not apply because garlic cloves should be planted directly where they will mature. If garlic was accidentally started in a pot, move it with its root ball intact as early as possible, but direct planting is preferable.

Tips

Buy seed garlic from a reputable supplier and choose hardneck or softneck types suited to your winter conditions. Break bulbs into cloves just before planting, leaving each clove's papery wrapper on.

General seed-starting guidance for US home gardens; timing depends on your local frost dates and variety. Page updated Aug 4, 2026.