When to plant garlic in Salt Lake City, Utah

November 15 – November 22

Fall planting · typical Salt Lake City year

Climate basis: NOAA station Salt Lake Triad Ctr, UT (USC00427606), 1 mi (2 km) from downtown Salt Lake City (ZCTA 84111 centroid), elevation 4280 ft, on the 1991–2020 climate normals. Plant garlic cloves from approximately the dates above, anchored to the median first fall 32°F freeze (November 8). One year in ten still freezes after April 19.

Last spring freezeMarch 311-in-10 after Apr 19
First fall freezeNovember 81-in-10 before Oct 23
Frost-free season224 daysmedian at 32°F
Hard freeze, 28°Mar 8Nov 18kills even hardy greens
USDA zone7b5 to 10°F winter low not frost timing

The Salt Lake City year

Fall plantingNov 15 – Nov 22
  • indoors under lights
  • in the garden
  • frost-free season
  • 1-in-10 years still freeze to Apr 19
Garlic in Salt Lake City · freeze context from Salt Lake Triad Ctr, UT, 1991–2020 normals.

Every method, with its sources

Fall planting

Nov 15 – Nov 22

Minnesota: plant cloves in the fall, usually one or two weeks AFTER the first killing frost (before the ground freezes). Harvest is the following summer. Anchored to the median first fall freeze (Nov 8). University of Minnesota Extension

Start seeds indoors

Not calculated

Garlic is grown from cloves planted in fall, not from seed or spring transplants.

Transplant outdoors

Not calculated

The cited extension guides do not time an outdoor transplanting window for this crop.

Direct-sow outdoors

Not calculated

The cited extension guides do not time direct sowing for this crop.

Variety assumption: Overwinters in the ground; bulbs are harvested the following summer.

These windows describe typical years (1991–2020 climate normals), not this year's forecast. Freezes happen outside them — especially in frost pockets, valleys, and urban edges. Watch the forecast before committing tender plants.

This week, not a typical year:
Crop rule sources (1)

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