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When to plant garlic in Milwaukee: 2 October – 25 November

In Milwaukee, garlic: plant from 2 October to about 25 November.

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 date is about two weeks before the average daily temperature here falls below 0 °C (ten years of weather): an estimate, not the day the ground freezes, and a cold spell can freeze it earlier. Sources: UVM Extension, UNH Extension, RHS, how the ground freezes (NRC Canada, CBD-26).

Garlic in Milwaukee: soil, season and weather

Garlic goes into the ground in Milwaukee from 2 October to about 25 November; the window opens a month before the first autumn frost. Nights then average below 0 °C in December–March; the coldest, January, averages -8.2 °C.

Planting2 October – 25 November
First autumn frost1 November
Coldest nightsJanuary, -8.2 °C
Soil back at 5 °C in spring14 March
Harvest (card)about 8 months after planting: June
Daylight11:43 on 2 October
Daylight at the winter solstice9:00

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

Garlic in Milwaukee: care after planting

Planted on 2 October: in the first weeks water every 7 days.

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

  • 2 October — feed: nitrogen
  • 30 October — 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 Milwaukee, Madison is 5 days earlier and Traverse City 8 days later.

CityDistanceDateDifference
Madison121 km27 September – 20 November5 days earlier
Rockford128 km28 September – 25 November4 days earlier
Chicago131 km7 October – 3 December5 days later
Green Bay165 km30 September – 17 November2 days earlier
Grand Rapids182 km4 October – 29 November2 days later
Traverse City266 km10 October – 26 November8 days later

Where to buy garlic for planting in Milwaukee

Planting stock goes into the ground from 2 October to about 25 November; buy it before that. Within 15 km of Milwaukee OpenStreetMap lists 9 garden centres, 10 markets and 1 farm shop (collected 20 October 2026).

Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Questions

When to plant garlic in Milwaukee?

In Milwaukee, garlic: plant from 2 October to about 25 November. 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.

When is the last spring frost in Milwaukee?

Last spring frost around 27 April, first autumn frost around 1 November.

Other crops in Milwaukee, with their dates