When to plant garlic in Santa Barbara: 15 November – end of December

In Santa Barbara, garlic: plant from 15 November to the end of December. For planting stock, the places nearby include Green Coast (farm supply, 7 km) and Lane Farms Produce Stand (farm shop, 10 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 Santa Barbara: soil, season and weather

Garlic goes into the ground in Santa Barbara from 15 November 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 February, average 3.7 °C.

Planting	15 November – end of December
First autumn frost	15 December
Coldest nights	February, 3.7 °C
Soil back at 5 °C in spring	already in the first week of January
Harvest (card)	about 8 months after planting: July
Daylight	10:23 on 15 November
Daylight at the winter solstice	9:51

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

Garlic in Santa Barbara: care after planting

Planted on 15 November: in the first weeks water every 7 days.

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

15 November — feed: nitrogen
13 December — 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 Santa Barbara, Los Angeles is 45 days earlier and Riverside 4 days later.

City	Distance	Date	Difference
Bakersfield	122 km	by 14 November	1 day earlier
Los Angeles	140 km	1 October	45 days earlier
Riverside	218 km	by 19 November	4 days later
Fresno	259 km	5 November – end of December	10 days earlier
San Diego	302 km	1 October	45 days earlier
Tijuana	326 km	1 October	45 days earlier

Where to buy garlic for planting in Santa Barbara

Planting stock goes into the ground from 15 November to the end of December; buy it before that. Within 15 km of Santa Barbara OpenStreetMap lists 4 garden centres, 1 farm-supply shop, 2 plant nurseries, 1 market and 1 farm shop (collected 28 October 2026).

Green Coast — farm supply
Nogal Drive 135, 93111 Santa Barbara · 7 km
Lane Farms Produce Stand — farm shop
South Walnut Lane 308, 93111 Santa Barbara · Mon–Sat 10:00–18:00; Sun closed · 10 km · lanefarmssb.com
Botanic Gardens Nursery — plant nursery
4 km
Por La Mar Nursery — plant nursery
10 km

Questions