Can I Plant Garlic in Fall in Coastal California?
Yes, and fall is the best time to do it. Garlic needs a period of cool weather to develop properly, and planting between October and November in Santa Cruz gives cloves the winter chill they need to form full bulbs by early summer.
Plant individual cloves (not whole bulbs) pointed end up, about 2 inches deep and 6 inches apart. Softneck varieties like California Early and Inchelium Red are the most reliable types for coastal California because they need fewer chill hours than hardneck types. UC Master Gardeners of Santa Cruz County recommend softneck garlic for most of the county, noting that hardneck varieties can work in Scotts Valley and the San Lorenzo Valley where nights are colder.
After planting, water in well and mulch with 2 to 3 inches of straw or shredded leaves. Garlic is surprisingly low maintenance through winter. It sends up green shoots within a few weeks and grows slowly through the cool months. Reduce watering once spring rains start and stop watering entirely about 2 weeks before harvest (late May or June, when the lower leaves start browning).
Elephant garlic is popular but worth a note: it is actually a leek relative, not true garlic. It produces large, mild cloves and grows well here, but if you want strong garlic flavor, stick with standard softneck or hardneck types. For seed garlic, buy from a reputable supplier rather than planting grocery store bulbs, which may be treated to prevent sprouting and may carry diseases not suited to your soil.
This week: Order seed garlic from a California-based supplier. Local nurseries in Santa Cruz also stock planting garlic in September and October. Choose 2 to 3 softneck varieties to find which performs best in your particular garden.
Our free Planting Calendar includes garlic planting and harvest timing for each Santa Cruz microclimate. For step-by-step fall bed prep, see our Seasonal Tasks Checklist.
