How to Plant Garlic in Spring

Learn how to plant garlic in spring, when to plant, and what to expect from spring-planted garlic, including green garlic and small bulbs.

Missed your chance to plant garlic in the fall? You’re not out of luck. Garlic can be planted in spring, and while it grows a little differently than fall-planted garlic, it can still be a rewarding crop.

In this guide, you’ll learn when and how to plant garlic in spring, what to expect as it grows, and how to harvest and use spring garlic for the best results.

Can You Plant Garlic in Spring?

Yes, garlic can be planted in spring. But it’s helpful to understand how spring planting affects the final harvest.

Garlic is traditionally planted in fall because exposure to cold winter temperatures helps it form large, well-defined bulbs. When planted in spring, garlic has a shorter growing season and may not develop full heads, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth growing.

Spring-planted garlic shines as green garlic, producing tender shoots, mild-flavored immature bulbs, and fresh garlic flavor early in the season. These early harvests are ideal for fresh eating and cooking.

If your goal is big, long-storing bulbs, fall planting is the better choice. But if you missed that window, want an early garlic harvest, or simply enjoy growing food in every season, planting garlic in spring is worth doing.

How Garlic Grows and Why Spring Planting Is Different

Garlic has a unique growth cycle that’s closely tied to the seasons. Understanding how it grows helps explain why spring-planted garlic looks and behaves differently than garlic planted in fall.

In a typical growing cycle, garlic is planted in fall. After planting, the cloves focus on developing roots before winter sets in. When cold weather arrives, growth slows, and the plant goes dormant. This exposure to cold winter temperatures stresses the clove and stimulates it to divide into separate cloves that form a head of garlic, a process known as vernalization.

As temperatures warm and daylight increases in spring, fall-planted garlic resumes growth right where it left off. Garlic is triggered to begin bulbing when day length increases to about 14 hours. The more time a garlic plant has to grow foliage before this point, the larger the heads will be at harvest time.

Spring-planted garlic bulbs skip much of this process. It doesn’t get a head start forming roots, receives little or no prolonged cold exposure, and has less time to grow foliage before day length triggers bulb formation.

As a result, spring-planted garlic often produces smaller bulbs or single, round cloves instead of fully divided heads.

That shorter growing window doesn’t mean spring garlic fails, it simply grows with a different outcome. Rather than focusing on storage-sized bulbs, spring-planted garlic excels at producing tender green garlic, mild immature bulbs, and fresh garlic flavor early in the season.

Knowing this upfront helps set realistic expectations and lets you enjoy spring garlic for what it does best.

Can You Trick Garlic into Bulbing When Planted in Spring?

If you’re hoping to encourage better bulb formation, you can try mimicking winter conditions by giving garlic cloves a cold treatment before planting. This process simulates the vernalization garlic would normally experience outdoors over winter.

If garlic doesn’t receive a period of cold temperatures around 40°F for 4 to 8 weeks, it may not divide into cloves that form a full bulb. To provide this cold exposure, you can place garlic cloves in the refrigerator before planting in spring.

To cold-treat garlic, place the cloves in a breathable bag or container and store them in the fridge for 4 to 8 weeks. Keep the cloves dry and away from fruits, which release ethylene gas that can interfere with growth.

This cold exposure may help spring-planted garlic divide more readily into cloves, especially in cooler climates. But it’s important to keep expectations realistic. Cold treatment doesn’t guarantee large bulbs, and results can vary depending on variety, timing, and growing conditions. I’ve tried this method many times, and outcomes aren’t always consistent.

If you don’t have the time or space to cold-treat garlic, it’s still worth planting. Even without vernalization, spring-planted garlic will produce flavorful green garlic and usable bulbs that can be enjoyed fresh.

What to Expect from Spring-Planted Garlic

Spring-planted garlic doesn’t behave exactly like fall-planted garlic, but it still offers plenty to harvest and enjoy. Knowing what to expect helps you decide how to space your plants, when to harvest, and how you’ll use the garlic in the kitchen.

Green Garlic Shoots

One of the earliest rewards of planting garlic in spring is the emergence of tender green shoots. These shoots have a mild garlic flavor and can be snipped and used much like garlic chives or scallions. Use them fresh in salads, scrambled eggs, soups, or as a finishing garnish.

You can begin harvesting shoots once they are several inches tall, taking just a few at a time so the plant can continue growing.

Green (Immature) Garlic Bulbs

As spring-planted garlic matures, it forms small, tender bulbs that haven’t fully divided into cloves. These green garlic bulbs are mellow and juicy, with a flavor that’s less sharp than cured garlic.

Green garlic can be used whole. Both the bulb, stalk, and leaves can be used in both raw and cooked dishes. Slice it into stir-fries, roast it with vegetables, or sauté it gently to bring out its sweetness.

Garlic Scapes (Hardneck Varieties Only)

If you planted a hardneck variety, your garlic may produce a scape, or flower stalk, in early summer. These curly stems have a mild garlic flavor and are delicious when chopped into pesto, sautéed, or grilled.

Removing the scape also helps the plant direct more energy into bulb development, even if the bulbs remain small.

Smaller Cloves or Single Round Bulbs

Because spring-planted garlic has less time to grow foliage before bulbing begins, it often produces smaller heads or single, round bulbs instead of fully segmented cloves. While these bulbs won’t store well long-term, they still contain all the flavor of regular garlic and can be used in any recipe.

Fresh Use Over Storage

Spring-planted garlic is best enjoyed fresh, as it doesn’t cure or store as well as fall garlic. It fills the gap by offering fresh garlic flavor early in the season and making the most of your garden when fall planting isn’t possible. Harvest for immediate use and preserve any extras by freezing.

When to Plant Garlic in Spring

Timing is especially important when planting garlic in spring. Because garlic needs time to grow leaves before forming bulbs, the earlier you can plant, the better.

Garlic can be planted in spring as soon as the soil has thawed and is workable. You don’t need to wait for warm weather. Garlic is cold-hardy and grows best when planted early, while temperatures are still cool.

Plant as Early as Possible

In colder climates, aim to plant garlic in early spring, as soon as garden soil can be worked. In milder regions, garlic can be planted slightly later, but early planting still gives the best chance for leaf growth before bulbing begins.

Garlic is not harmed by frost, so don’t worry if spring frosts are still in the forecast.

If you plan to cold-treat garlic in the refrigerator before planting, factor that time in so the cloves are ready to go as soon as the soil is workable. Then plant garlic in spring as early as your soil allows. The extra time spent growing leaves will improve the size and quality of your harvest.

Choosing Garlic for Spring Planting

Choosing the right garlic for spring planting helps set realistic expectations and improves your results. While fall planting is usually done with specific seed garlic, spring planting offers a bit more flexibility.

Use Seed Garlic When Possible

If you can find seed garlic from a local garden center, farm store, or seed supplier in early spring, that’s your best option. My farm store usually carries garlic bulbs for spring planting, alongside onion sets and seed potatoes, and most online seed companies also offer seed garlic for spring planting.

Seed garlic is garlic that’s grown specifically for planting and is more likely to be healthy and free from disease. While it’s called garlic seed, it isn’t a seed at all; it’s a bulb. You divide the bulb into individual cloves and plant each clove. Each clove can grow into a new garlic plant.

Both hardneck and softneck garlic can be planted in spring, but they grow slightly differently:

• Hardneck garlic may produce garlic scapes and tends to have a stronger flavor.
• Softneck garlic usually does not form scapes and often grows more uniformly.

Choose Healthy, Firm Bulbs

No matter the variety, select garlic bulbs that are:

• Firm and solid.
• Free from mold or soft spots.
• Made up of plump, well-formed cloves.

Larger cloves generally produce stronger plants, so it’s best to save the biggest, healthiest cloves for planting and use smaller ones in the kitchen.

How to Plant Garlic in Spring (Step-by-Step)

Planting garlic in spring follows many of the same steps as fall planting, with a few small adjustments for the season. The process is simple and doesn’t require any special equipment, just healthy garlic cloves, workable soil, and a little patience.

The steps below walk you through preparing your garden bed, planting the cloves, and caring for spring-planted garlic so it grows strong and provides a flavorful harvest.

Step 1: Prepare the Garden Bed

Garlic grows best in loose, well-draining soil with plenty of organic matter. Choose a planting area that receives at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight per day.

Before planting, remove any weeds and loosen the soil to a depth of 6 to 8 inches. Mix in finished compost to improve soil structure and fertility. If your soil is poor or hasn’t been amended recently, a light application of an organic fertilizer can help support early growth.

Garlic doesn’t like soggy soil, so raised beds or well-drained garden beds work especially well for spring planting.

Step 2: Separate the Garlic Bulbs into Cloves

Just before planting, gently break the garlic bulb apart into individual cloves. Try to keep the papery skins intact, as they help protect the clove in the soil.

Choose the largest, healthiest cloves for planting, since larger cloves generally produce stronger plants. Set aside any small, damaged, or soft cloves to use in the kitchen instead.

Step 3: Plant the Garlic Cloves

Dig planting holes about 2 inches deep. Space the cloves 2 to 4 inches apart, depending on your goal:

• Closer spacing encourages a harvest of green garlic.
• Slightly wider spacing allows more room for bulb development.

Plant each garlic clove in each hole with the flat, root end facing down and the pointy side facing up. Cover with soil and gently firm it around the plant to remove air pockets.

Step 4: Water the Garlic Bed

After planting, water the garlic bed thoroughly to help settle the soil around the cloves and encourage root growth. Moist soil helps eliminate air pockets and gives the cloves a good start.

Keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy during the early stages of growth. Garlic doesn’t like standing water, so be sure excess moisture can drain away easily.

Once the plants are established and actively growing, regular rainfall is often enough in spring. Water during dry spells as needed, especially if the soil begins to dry out.

Step 5: Mulch the Garlic Bed

After planting and watering, cover the garlic bed with a 2 to 3 inch layer of organic mulch, such as straw or shredded leaves. Mulching helps protect the soil surface, reduce weeds, and retain moisture as the garlic begins to grow.

Organic mulch also improves soil health over time as it breaks down, feeding soil microbes and helping maintain an even soil temperature, both especially helpful for spring-planted garlic.

If you’d like to learn more about why mulching matters, see 5 Ways Organic Mulch Helps Your Vegetable Garden, which explains how mulch supports plant growth and soil health throughout the growing season.

As the garlic grows, check the mulch occasionally and pull it back slightly if shoots struggle to push through.

Harvesting Spring Garlic

Spring-planted garlic can be harvested at several stages, depending on how you plan to use it. Unlike fall-planted garlic, which is grown primarily for storage, spring garlic is best enjoyed fresh.

Harvesting Green Garlic

Green garlic can be harvested as soon as the plants develop tender shoots and a small bulb at the base. This usually happens in late spring to early summer.
To harvest green garlic:

• Gently loosen the soil around the plant.
• Pull the entire plant, including the bulb.
• Rinse off soil and trim roots if needed.

Green garlic has a mild, fresh garlic flavor and can be used much like scallions. Both the stalks and small bulbs are edible and delicious raw or cooked.

Harvesting Immature Garlic Bulbs

If you allow spring-planted garlic to grow longer, it will form small or partially developed bulbs. These bulbs may not divide into separate cloves, but they still contain full garlic flavor.

Garlic is generally ready to harvest when:

• Several lower leaves begin to yellow.
• Upper leaves remain green.

At this stage, gently lift the plants from the soil and use them fresh in the kitchen. These bulbs are ideal for cooking but won’t cure or store well.

Fresh Use Is Best

Because spring-planted garlic hasn’t had enough time to fully mature, it doesn’t store like fall-planted garlic. Plan to use it soon after harvest or preserve it for later use.

Freezing garlic is an easy way to extend your harvest and keep garlic ready to use without drying or curing.

Spring garlic may not fill your pantry for winter, but it offers something just as valuable: Fresh garlic flavor early in the season, when little else is ready to harvest.

Is Spring Garlic Worth Planting?

Yes, spring garlic is absolutely worth planting, especially if you missed the fall planting window or want to make good use of early garden space.

While spring-planted garlic doesn’t usually produce large, long-storing bulbs, it offers plenty in return. Green garlic and immature bulbs bring fresh, mild garlic flavor to the kitchen at a time when few crops are ready to harvest. The plants are easy to grow, quick to establish, and adaptable to a range of garden conditions.

Planting garlic in spring is also a practical way to stay productive and flexible as a gardener. Instead of letting an entire season slip by, you can enjoy an early garlic harvest and gain a better understanding of how garlic grows throughout the year.

If your goal is to grow big bulbs for winter storage, plant garlic in the fall. But if you’re looking for fresh flavor, seasonal eating, and a simple way to grow more food in spring, spring garlic is a rewarding choice.

Related Garlic Guides

If you’d like to learn more about growing and using garlic throughout the season, these guides can help:

• How to Grow Garlic: A complete guide to growing garlic from start to finish, including types of garlic, how to plant, harvesting garlic scapes, and and how to tell when garlic is ready to harvest.
• Planting Garlic in the Fall: Step-by-step instructions for fall planting to grow large, long-storing bulbs.
• How to Harvest, Cure, and Store Garlic: Learn when to harvest garlic and how to cure and store it for winter use.
• How to Freeze Garlic: An easy way to preserve garlic for later without drying or curing.

Good planning is key to a successful vegetable garden

Whether you are new to growing your own food or have been growing a vegetable garden for years, you will benefit from some planning each year. You will find everything you need to organize and plan your vegetable garden in my PDF eBook, Grow a Good Life Guide to Planning Your Vegetable Garden.