When to plant garlic in Tennessee
Tennessee spans USDA zones 7a–8a, so the right time to plant garlic shifts by weeks across the state. The window to plant for fall/overwintering runs from about September 23 in Smyrna to October 19 in Memphis — below are local dates for 67 cities, each computed from its own frost dates.
| City | Zone | Last frost | First frost | Fall-plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson | 7b | April 1 | October 31 | October 3 – October 17 |
| Memphis | 8a | March 16 | November 16 | October 19 – November 2 |
| Knoxville | 7b | April 11 | October 28 | September 30 – October 14 |
| Chattanooga | 8a | March 24 | November 9 | October 12 – October 26 |
| Clarksville | 7b | April 3 | November 1 | October 4 – October 18 |
| Murfreesboro | 7b | April 9 | October 27 | September 29 – October 13 |
| Franklin | 7b | April 3 | October 31 | October 3 – October 17 |
| Johnson City | 7b | April 19 | October 24 | September 26 – October 10 |
Garlic in Tennessee: FAQ
When can I plant garlic in Tennessee?
Across Tennessee, the time to fall-plant garlic spans roughly September 23 in Smyrna to October 19 in Memphis, each following that city's local frost dates.
Does the garlic planting date vary across Tennessee?
Yes. Tennessee publishes 67 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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