I'm planting garlic for the first time and got a bit eager, planting it in early September. We had a mild fall, but now I've noticed that everything sprouted and then died back. It's pretty chilly now, and I haven't seen any sprouts yet, which has me worried we messed up by planting too early or if something happened to them since there were some divots in the garden. Should I be seeing sprouts by now? If nothing's coming up, I'll have to figure out something else to plant in that space.
5 Answers
It’s not a good sign that your garlic died back. I grow garlic in a colder zone and usually plant around November, and mine stays up all winter. I suggest digging a couple of bulbs to see if they’re alive or dead. You'll know for sure if nothing's sprouting.
I planted garlic in 7b too, and it's already a few inches tall. Just a day ago, I was surprised to spot a new sprout coming up because I thought the ones that didn't grow last winter had perished. You might want to gently dig down to check what's going on with your cloves—either you'll see some shoots or just dried shells. It's great to know so you can plan your garden space accordingly. Good luck!
I’m also in 7b and planted my garlic in the fall, which sprouted right away and stayed green throughout winter. Since yours died back, that’s a bit concerning. Definitely dig into the soil to see what's really going on.
I’m in 8b and usually plant in mid-October. My garlic typically comes up late December or early January. If there was a mild fall, I’ve noticed it can poke through a bit earlier. If yours died back, I’d dig down and check out the bulbs to see what’s actually happening down there.
This is so relatable! I’m also in zone 7b, and after planting garlic in early October, it sprouted but died back when it got cold. I checked a few days ago and found one clove showing bulb development and some roots but no actual sprouts yet. I’m planning to wait until May 1st to see if anything appears; if not, I’ll dig it all up and use the space for something else.