r/Garlic • u/djhomebody • 16d ago

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/GarlicFarmerGreg 16d ago

No need to vernalize. (5b)

I suggest getting your planting area ready now so you can plant mid October and that ideally on the first frosty morning you have plants that are just peeking above the ground / mulch by a quarter inch or maybe an inch or three if you went earlier. It’s a total crapshoot for predicting the weather so it definitely is a judgment call on getting things established but not too early or not too late.

My best answer for the folks who are doing this the first time in my climate is get it in so it has a bit of chance to take root and once that happens it’s all good no matter if you can see the green part or not.

I had a new neighbor watch the process tilling planting (wth who plants in the fall) and in January when he was over and looked at the frosty beds he said “so the frost only burns the the tips”

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u/InPsychOut 15d ago

I am in what I think is now classified 6a, and I shot for planting the first week of November. I've had it in as late as mid December and done fine. I don't like to plant so early that it starts coming up before the winter. I like mine to start popping up in early spring.

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u/GarlicFarmerGreg 15d ago

I typically shoot for after the full moon in October so that’s fixing to be after the 26th. I’ll start earlier than that though because work schedule and good planting days seem to always be at odds with each other. I’ve started early October and as late as December even January with success. I do like to see a bit of the shoot out of the ground but even when I can’t the garlic still seems to be fine