When to plant garlic in Poitiers: 20 October – end of December

In Poitiers, garlic: plant from 20 October to the end of December. For planting stock, the places nearby include Jardiland (garden centre, 2 km) and Gamm Vert (garden centre, 8 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 Poitiers: soil, season and weather

Garlic goes into the ground in Poitiers from 20 October to the end of December; the window opens a month before the first autumn frost. No month averages below 0 °C at night; the coldest nights, in January, average 2.5 °C.

Planting	20 October – end of December
First autumn frost	19 November
Coldest nights	January, 2.5 °C
Soil back at 5 °C in spring	already in the first week of January
Harvest (card)	about 8 months after planting: June
Daylight	10:42 on 20 October
Daylight at the winter solstice	8:34

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

Garlic in Poitiers: care after planting

Planted on 20 October: in the first weeks water every 7 days.

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

20 October — feed: nitrogen
17 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 later than Poitiers; the closest date is in Le Mans, 5 days later.

City	Distance	Date	Difference
Tours	94 km	28 October – end of December	8 days later
Limoges	109 km	28 October – end of December	8 days later
Angers	120 km	28 October – end of December	8 days later
La Rochelle	123 km	12 November – end of December	23 days later
Le Mans	158 km	25 October – end of December	5 days later
Nantes	160 km	30 October – end of December	10 days later

Where to buy garlic for planting in Poitiers

Planting stock goes into the ground from 20 October to the end of December; buy it before that. Within 15 km of Poitiers OpenStreetMap lists 6 garden centres, 2 farm-supply shops, 3 markets and 5 farm shops (collected 27 October 2026).

Gamm Vert — garden centre
Allée du Haut Poitou 16 · Mon–Sat 09:00–12:00, 14:00–18:45 · 8 km · magasin.gammvert.fr
Gamm Vert — garden centre
Allée de Flore, 86800 Saint-Julien-l'Ars · Mon–Sat 09:00–12:00, 14:00–19:00 · 12 km · gammvert.fr
Gamm Vert — garden centre
Rue de la Croix Berthon 20 · Mon–Sat 08:45–12:00, 14:00–18:45; Sun 09:00–12:00 · 13 km · gammvert.fr
Jardiland — garden centre
Mon–Sat 09:30–19:00; Sun 10:00–13:00, 14:30–18:30 · 2 km · jardiland.com

Questions