When to plant garlic in San Antonio, Texas

December 5 – December 12

Fall planting · typical San Antonio year

Climate basis: NOAA station San Antonio Incarnate Word, TX (USC00417947), 3 mi (5 km) from downtown San Antonio (ZCTA 78205 centroid), elevation 700 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 28). One year in ten still freezes after March 19.

Last spring freezeFebruary 251-in-10 after Mar 19
First fall freezeNovember 281-in-10 before Nov 7
Frost-free season277 daysmedian at 32°F
Hard freeze, 28°Feb 5Dec 15kills even hardy greens
USDA zone9a20 to 25°F winter low not frost timing

The San Antonio year

Fall plantingDec 5 – Dec 12
  • indoors under lights
  • in the garden
  • frost-free season
  • 1-in-10 years still freeze to Mar 19
Garlic in San Antonio · freeze context from San Antonio Incarnate Word, TX, 1991–2020 normals.

Every method, with its sources

Fall planting

Dec 5 – Dec 12

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 28). 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)

Keep exploring