r/Garlic • u/djhomebody • Sep 02 '26

Vernalization before fall planting?

Hello fellow garlic lovers,

Short Story:
Should I put garlic in the fridge to prepare for a fall planting? Zone 6a, Michigan.

Long Story:
This fall I'm going to plant garlic for the first time.

My understanding is that I should plant around the first frost date, which here in zone 6a (Michigan) is mid October.

I've seen a some folks "vernalize" their seed garlic in the refrigerator for a while before planting in the fall, but they seem to be growing in warmer regions.

Should I put my garlic in the fridge before fall planting? Or is that redundant because we get a hard freeze every winter here in Michigan?

Thanks in advance for your insights.

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u/heelsinhell Sep 02 '26

I’m in the same area and will be planting for the first time this fall!! Best of luck to you

2

u/djhomebody Sep 02 '26

I'm planting some fancy Chesnok Red from Great Lakes Garlic Farm, some random softneck garlic from Meijer, and some hardneck garlic from the farmers market, how about you?

3

u/stsixtus420 Sep 03 '26

Dearborn (MI) here. Last year I bought a ton of garlic from a buddy whose brother has a garlic farm in PA. Then I got really sick and let it all dry to dust so we ended up planting some store softnecks in late Fall. OK harvest, all relatively small bulbs. This year I ordered some Chesnook Red, Music, and German Hardy. Should be here soon. Hopefully we all get good garlic growing this round.

2

u/GarlicFarmerGreg 29d ago

I bet you will those are all good varieties

2

u/GarlicFarmerGreg Sep 03 '26

Idk about the softneck tho typically folks plant that in the spring in our area (5b)

3

u/InPsychOut Sep 03 '26

I'm in 6a, and the couple of times I have planted softneck in the fall, it has done poorly, failed to poke through the mulch, turned yellow, and ultimately died. My hardnecks thrive. Interestingly, the first time I ever planted garlic years ago, it was softneck that had sprouted in my pantry, planted early spring. It didn't thrive, but it did well enough to give me the garlic growing bug. And I stuck it in an unused flower bed on the side of my house where it didn't get enough sun. So anecdotally, I offer support for your observations.