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When to plant garlic in Portland, Maine: 5 October – 26 November

In Portland, Maine, garlic: plant from 5 October to about 26 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 Portland, Maine: soil, season and weather

Garlic goes into the ground in Portland, Maine from 5 October to about 26 November; the window opens a month before the first autumn frost. Nights then average below 0 °C in December–March; the coldest, January, averages -7.5 °C.

Planting5 October – 26 November
First autumn frost4 November
Coldest nightsJanuary, -7.5 °C
Soil back at 5 °C in spring10 April
Harvest (card)about 8 months after planting: June
Daylight11:34 on 5 October
Daylight at the winter solstice8:56

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

Garlic in Portland, Maine: care after planting

Planted on 5 October: in the first weeks water every 7 days.

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

  • 5 October — feed: nitrogen
  • 2 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 Portland, Maine, Montpelier is 18 days earlier and Boston 9 days later.

CityDistanceDateDifference
Augusta82 km4 October – 20 November1 day earlier
Concord115 km1 October – 25 November4 days earlier
Manchester (United States)122 km3 October – 27 November2 days earlier
Boston159 km14 October – 29 December9 days later
Bangor179 km4 October – 19 November1 day earlier
Montpelier196 km17 September – 11 November18 days earlier

Where to buy garlic for planting in Portland, Maine

Planting stock goes into the ground from 5 October to about 26 November; buy it before that. Within 15 km of Portland, Maine OpenStreetMap lists 5 garden centres, 6 markets and 1 farm shop (collected 20 October 2026).

Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Questions

When to plant garlic in Portland, Maine?

In Portland, Maine, garlic: plant from 5 October to about 26 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 Portland, Maine?

Last spring frost around 15 April, first autumn frost around 4 November.

Other crops in Portland, Maine, with their dates