When to plant garlic in Bellinzona: 16 October – end of December

In Bellinzona, garlic: plant from 16 October to the end of December. For planting stock, the places nearby include Agriturismo Alpe Rompiago (farm shop, 11 km) and Orto mio (farm shop, 14 km); addresses and opening hours are below.

Garlic is best planted early in the window: cloves planted late make smaller bulbs. Late planting works only while the soil is not frozen. Mulch after planting.

The average daily temperature here stays above 0 °C all winter, and at least two months average 10 °C or less: the cold garlic needs, one to two months at 0–10 °C (RHS). The two-month threshold is our rule of thumb. Sources: UVM Extension, UNH Extension, RHS.

Garlic in Bellinzona: soil, season and weather

Garlic goes into the ground in Bellinzona from 16 October to the end of December; the window opens a month before the first autumn frost. Nights then average below 0 °C in December–February; the coldest, January, averages -1.6 °C.

Planting	16 October – end of December
First autumn frost	15 November
Coldest nights	January, -1.6 °C
Soil back at 5 °C in spring	9 March
Harvest (card)	about 8 months after planting: June
Daylight	10:56 on 16 October
Daylight at the winter solstice	8:37

The same dates in Bellinzona hold for Tulip, Daffodil, Crocus and Hyacinth.

Garlic in Bellinzona: care after planting

Planted on 16 October: in the first weeks water every 7 days.

Feeding, by the card’s schedule from that day:

16 October — feed: nitrogen
13 November — feed: nitrogen

Pests and diseases of garlic to watch for:

Dates count from the first planting day of the window above; a later planting moves them by as many days.

Garlic in nearby cities

Around Bellinzona, Locarno is 54 days earlier and Lugano 20 days later.

City	Distance	Date	Difference
Locarno	17 km	23 August – 27 October	54 days earlier
Lugano	22 km	5 November – end of December	20 days later
Como	43 km	24 October – end of December	8 days later
Bergamo	74 km	19 October – end of December	3 days later
Milan	82 km	31 October – end of December	15 days later
Novara	88 km	23 October – end of December	7 days later

Where to buy garlic for planting in Bellinzona

Planting stock goes into the ground from 16 October to the end of December; buy it before that. Within 15 km of Bellinzona OpenStreetMap lists 1 garden centre, 1 plant nursery and 7 farm shops (collected 27 October 2026).

Agriturismo Alpe Rompiago — farm shop
Alpe di Rompiago, Bidogno · 11 km
Orto mio — farm shop
Mon–Sun 00:00–00:00 · 14 km
Hacker — garden centre
13 km
Garden Center Bürgi — plant nursery
3 km

Questions