When to Plant Garlic in Iowa
Iowa spans USDA hardiness 4b to 6a (zones 4b to 6a on this page). Plant garlic by your local frost date, not the calendar — pick your zone below for exact start-indoors, transplant, and harvest dates.
Jump to: Zone 4b · Zone 5a · Zone 5b · Zone 6a
Garlic planting calendar for Iowa, Zone 4b
Average last spring frost
May 10
Average first fall frost
September 25
Direct sow
Nov 9
Projected first harvest
Jul 7
Most garlic mature in about 240 days. Full zone 4 guide (both 4a and 4b) →
Garlic planting calendar for Iowa, Zone 5a
Average last spring frost
May 5
Average first fall frost
October 1
Direct sow
Nov 4
Projected first harvest
Jul 2
Most garlic mature in about 240 days. Full zone 5 guide (both 5a and 5b) →
Garlic planting calendar for Iowa, Zone 5b
Average last spring frost
April 30
Average first fall frost
October 5
Direct sow
Oct 30
Projected first harvest
Jun 27
Most garlic mature in about 240 days. Full zone 5 guide (both 5a and 5b) →
Garlic planting calendar for Iowa, Zone 6a
Average last spring frost
April 25
Average first fall frost
October 10
Direct sow
Oct 25
Projected first harvest
Jun 22
Most garlic mature in about 240 days. Full zone 6 guide (both 6a and 6b) →
Not sure which half-zone you're in? Set your ZIP in HomeSown for dates tuned to your exact location.
Varieties to grow
6 varieties of garlic in the HomeSown library. Tap any for its full grow guide.
Common problems with garlic
What to watch for, with identification and treatment for each
🌱 Grow garlic with a calendar built for your exact yard
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