When to Plant Garlic in Wisconsin
In Wisconsin, the time to plant garlic in fall runs from Oct 4 – Nov 1 in Wausau to Oct 26 – Nov 23 in Oak Creek. In Milwaukee, it's Oct 18 – Nov 15. The average first fall frost differs by about 3 weeks across the state (Oct 4 in Wausau, Oct 26 in Oak Creek), so use the dates for the town nearest you.
Garlic is planted in fall, around the first frost, and harvested the next summer. Cloves need a cold winter to form good bulbs.
- Plant: from the first fall frost up to 4 weeks after it.
Garlic planting dates in Wisconsin by city
| City | Zone | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|
| Appleton | 5b | Oct 6 – Nov 3 |
| Beloit | 5b | Oct 12 – Nov 9 |
| Brookfield | 5b | Oct 14 – Nov 11 |
| Caledonia | 6a | Oct 24 – Nov 21 |
| De Pere | 5b | Oct 9 – Nov 6 |
| Eau Claire | 4b | Oct 14 – Nov 11 |
| Fitchburg | 5b | Oct 9 – Nov 6 |
| Fond du Lac | 5b | Oct 19 – Nov 16 |
| Franklin | 5b | Oct 14 – Nov 11 |
| Germantown | 5b | Oct 8 – Nov 5 |
| Green Bay | 5b | Oct 9 – Nov 6 |
| Greenfield | 5b | Oct 14 – Nov 11 |
| Howard | 5b | Oct 9 – Nov 6 |
| Janesville | 5b | Oct 15 – Nov 12 |
| Kenosha | 5b | Oct 19 – Nov 16 |
| La Crosse | 5a | Oct 13 – Nov 10 |
| Madison | 5a | Oct 9 – Nov 6 |
| Manitowoc | 5b | Oct 20 – Nov 17 |
| Menomonee Falls | 5b | Oct 8 – Nov 5 |
| Mequon | 5b | Oct 8 – Nov 5 |
| Middleton | 5a | Oct 15 – Nov 12 |
| Milwaukee | 6a | Oct 18 – Nov 15 |
| Mount Pleasant | 5b | Oct 24 – Nov 21 |
| Muskego | 5b | Oct 14 – Nov 11 |
| Neenah | 5b | Oct 6 – Nov 3 |
| New Berlin | 5b | Oct 14 – Nov 11 |
| Oak Creek | 6a | Oct 26 – Nov 23 |
| Oshkosh | 5b | Oct 20 – Nov 17 |
| Pleasant Prairie | 5b | Oct 26 – Nov 23 |
| Racine | 6a | Oct 24 – Nov 21 |
| Sheboygan | 6a | Oct 23 – Nov 20 |
| Stevens Point | 4b | Oct 7 – Nov 4 |
| Sun Prairie | 5a | Oct 10 – Nov 7 |
| Superior | 5a | Oct 9 – Nov 6 |
| Watertown | 5b | Oct 12 – Nov 9 |
| Waukesha | 5b | Oct 13 – Nov 10 |
| Wausau | 4b | Oct 4 – Nov 1 |
| Wauwatosa | 5b | Oct 18 – Nov 15 |
| West Allis | 5b | Oct 22 – Nov 19 |
| West Bend | 5b | Oct 12 – Nov 9 |
Calculated from each town's average (50%) frost dates, from the nearest NOAA station (1991–2020). Typical dates for the 2027 planting season, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 averages. They are long-term odds, not a forecast: always check your local forecast before planting. Zones: 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (USDA-ARS and Oregon State University). Not the official map; see planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.
See all frost dates in Wisconsin, or the general guide to when to plant garlic.
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