Rainline Garden

When to plant garlic in Astoria, OR

Plant garlic in Astoria from Oct 1 – Nov 15. It grows slowly over winter and is ready to dig the next summer.

Easy Plant cloves

Why these dates

Garlic needs a cold winter to form bulbs, so it goes in during fall, after the soil cools but before it freezes hard. In Astoria the first fall frost usually comes around November 11.

Coast. Mild winters but cool, foggy summers. Frost is rarely the problem; warmth is. Pick early, cool-tolerant varieties of tomatoes and squash.

Difficulty
Easy
Sun
Full sun
Spacing
6 inches apart
Planting depth
2 inches deep, pointed end up
Frost
Very hardy; grows through winter

Step by step

  1. Buy seed garlic from a garden center or seed company. Grocery-store garlic is often a variety that doesn't suit Northwest winters.
  2. Loosen the soil and mix in an inch or two of compost.
  3. Break bulbs into cloves and plant them Oct 1 – Nov 15, 2 inches deep, pointed end up, 6 inches apart.
  4. Cover the bed with a few inches of straw or leaves for winter. Pull weeds in spring and stop watering in early summer when the leaves start to brown.
  5. Harvest: Dig in early summer when the lower third of the leaves are brown. Cure in a shady, airy spot for three weeks.

Varieties that do well here

  • Music (hardneck)
  • Inchelium Red (softneck, from Washington)
  • Chesnok Red

Watch out for

Rust (orange spots on leaves) in wet springs. It's mostly cosmetic; give plants space and pull weeds.

Planted in fall, harvested the next summer when the lower leaves brown.

Common questions

When is the last frost in Astoria, OR?

Typically March 26. In 9 years out of 10, frost is over by April 18. These are 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals for Astoria Regional Airport.

When is garlic ready to harvest in Astoria?

Usually in early summer, about eight months after fall planting. Dig in early summer when the lower third of the leaves are brown. Cure in a shady, airy spot for three weeks.

Also plant in Astoria around the same time

Planting dates for garlic in nearby areas

Full planting calendar for Astoria · Garlic in every city