Planting calendar
When to plant garlic in Montana
Montana spans USDA hardiness zones 3-6. Average last spring frost: 05-25. This calendar gives you the indoor start, transplant, and direct-sow dates for Allium sativum.
Montana planting dates for garlic
| Phase | Date in Montana | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Direct sow outside | November 9 | 24 weeks after last frost |
Why these dates
Garlic is fall-planted. Plant cloves 4-6 weeks before the ground freezes (October-November in most zones). Harvest the following July when the bottom 3-4 leaves brown.
The dates above are anchored to Montana's average last spring frost date of 05-25, with offsets standard across university Extension publications. For zone-specific local timing, use the frost date lookup tool with your ZIP code.
More on growing garlic
The full growing guide for garlic - varieties, soil, fertilization, pests, harvest, storage - is here: Garlic growing guide.
More Montana planting information
- Full Montana planting calendar (all crops + ornamentals)
- Find your exact USDA zone by ZIP
- Look up your average frost dates
- Seed starting timeline calculator