When to plant garlic in Dover: 27 October – end of December

In Dover, garlic: plant from 27 October to the end of December. For planting stock, the places nearby include Lancaster County Farmers Market (farm shop, 1 km) and Tractor Supply Co (farm shop, 7 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 Dover: soil, season and weather

Garlic goes into the ground in Dover from 27 October to the end of December; the window opens a month before the first autumn frost. Nights then average below 0 °C in January; the coldest, January, averages -1 °C.

Planting	27 October – end of December
First autumn frost	26 November
Coldest nights	January, -1 °C
Soil back at 5 °C in spring	9 January
Harvest (card)	about 8 months after planting: July
Daylight	10:44 on 27 October
Daylight at the winter solstice	9:25

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

Garlic in Dover: care after planting

Planted on 27 October: in the first weeks water every 7 days.

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

27 October — feed: nitrogen
24 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

All the nearest cities on our list plant garlic earlier than Dover; the closest date is in Baltimore, 4 days earlier.

City	Distance	Date	Difference
Annapolis	87 km	20 October – end of December	7 days earlier
Philadelphia	93 km	12 October – end of December	15 days earlier
Baltimore	95 km	23 October – end of December	4 days earlier
Atlantic City	97 km	23 October – end of December	4 days earlier
Washington, D.C.	134 km	17 October – end of December	10 days earlier
Trenton	134 km	13 October – end of December	14 days earlier

Where to buy garlic for planting in Dover

Planting stock goes into the ground from 27 October to the end of December; buy it before that. Within 15 km of Dover OpenStreetMap lists 1 market and 2 farm shops (collected 28 October 2026).

Spence's Bazaar — market
South New Street 550, 19904 · Tue, Fri 07:30–17:00; Sat 07:30–15:00 · 1 km
Lancaster County Farmers Market — farm shop
South New Street 544, 19904 · Tue, Fri 07:00–17:00; Sat 07:00–15:00 · 1 km
Tractor Supply Co — farm shop
South Dupont Highway 4089, 19901 · Mon–Sat 08:00–20:00; Sun 09:00–19:00 · 7 km

Questions