When to plant garlic in Michigan
Michigan spans USDA zones 4b–6b, so the right time to plant garlic shifts by weeks across the state. The window to plant for fall/overwintering runs from about September 3 in Cadillac to October 6 in Port Huron — below are local dates for 101 cities, each computed from its own frost dates.
| City | Zone | Last frost | First frost | Fall-plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit | 6b | April 27 | October 25 | September 27 – October 11 |
| Grand Rapids | 6a | May 6 | October 10 | September 12 – September 26 |
| Warren | 6b | April 21 | October 31 | October 3 – October 17 |
| Sterling Heights | 6b | April 30 | October 24 | September 26 – October 10 |
| Ann Arbor | 6a | May 5 | October 10 | September 12 – September 26 |
| Lansing | 6a | May 1 | October 13 | September 15 – September 29 |
| Dearborn | 6b | May 1 | October 15 | September 17 – October 1 |
| Livonia | 6b | May 1 | October 17 | September 19 – October 3 |
Garlic in Michigan: FAQ
When can I plant garlic in Michigan?
Across Michigan, the time to fall-plant garlic spans roughly September 3 in Cadillac to October 6 in Port Huron, each following that city's local frost dates.
Does the garlic planting date vary across Michigan?
Yes. Michigan publishes 101 cities with their own frost dates, so the right garlic planting window shifts by weeks between the warmest and coldest parts of the state — use your city's page for the exact dates.
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