Growing Garlic in Zone 11A

Garlic is planted in fall and harvested in summer. It’s one of the most rewarding low-maintenance crops.

Zone 11A has a very long growing season with mild winters. Many crops can be grown nearly year-round with successive plantings.

Top Growing Tips

• Plant individual cloves in fall, 6 weeks before ground freezes
• Hardneck varieties for cold climates (zones 3-6), softneck for warm (zones 7+)
• Mulch heavily after planting to protect through winter
• Cut scapes (flower stalks) in spring to redirect energy to bulbs
• Harvest when lower 1/3 of leaves have browned

Companion Planting

Good companions: tomatoes, roses, fruit trees, beets

Avoid planting near: beans, peas, asparagus

Harvest Timeline

8-9 months from fall planting

About Zone 11A

USDA Hardiness Zone 11A has an average last spring frost around Jan 1 and first fall frost around Dec 31. All planting dates above are calculated from these frost dates. Your specific location may vary — check with your local extension office for the most accurate dates.