Garlic Planting in California

Maturity Dates

• Garlic is a long-season plant that takes up to 240 days to grow from bulb to fully mature plant. Gardeners must care for garlic during this entire length of time.

Planting Time -- Cold Zones

• Garlic requires a start in fall or winter. In cooler areas of California, where USDA growing zones 4 to 7 reign, gardeners should start garlic two to three weeks after the first frost in their area. This timing will range from August to October.

Planting Time -- Warm Zones

• In USDA zones 9 to 11 of California, gardeners can start their garlic as late as February. This planting will still give garlic the time it needs to grow to maturity.

Planting Conditions

• Garlic always requires full sun for eight hours a day, and a rich, crumbly soil foundation. Gardeners should plant garlic in a combination of quick-draining soil and organic compost, to give the plant room and nutrition to grow.