Garlic is a famous crop in the United States, and Texas is also involved in planting. Although the region is one of the hottest states in the country, this cold season crop still thrives on the land. That is, because the area has experienced extreme summer, these periods may harm your plants. Therefore, knowing when to plant garlic in Texas can eliminate this risk. Savana will let you know when to plant garlic in Texas.
In short, you should plant them from September to November at a temperature of 32-50°F to induce optimal growth.
1. Plant garlic in fall or spring
Big bulbs with classic cloves are the type of garlic we want to harvest in summer. Proper planting time will help to produce the best yield.
Garlic planting in fall
The best time to plant garlic is in autumn, about 4-6 weeks before the first frost. Because the cold season in Texas usually starts from October 16 to December 31, the best time to plant garlic in Texas in autumn is from late September to November.
- If you live in Houston, southeast Texas, you can plant them from October 27 to November 10, because you will experience severe cold by December 8.
- Dallas in northern Texas usually enters the freezing period on November 20, so residents here can plant garlic from September 25 to October 9.
- Santa Saba, from central Texas, welcomed the first autumn frost on November 7, which means that from September 26 to October 10 is the ideal time to start planting garlic.
The advantage of planting garlic during this time is that it will form a solid root system before the ground is covered with frost. It also allows garlic to enter a dormant state, which is essential for normal plant growth, and the fragile top of the crop will not be exposed to the cold.
Garlic takes about 9 months to mature on average. Therefore, if you plant garlic in November, you can expect to harvest garlic in Texas in August.
Garlic planting in spring
Spring garlic planting in Texas is also possible. The proper growth schedule is to sow 4-6 weeks before the end of the freezing period, provided that the ground has been thawed. During this period, the soil has warmed up enough to promote plant growth, but it is not too hot for this cold season crop.
- If you live in Taylor, eastern Texas, please plant cloves in February, about the first week to the 15th day of the month, because the last frost will end on March 15.
- San Angelo in western Texas will end the freezing period on April 1, so people here can start preparing for a new planting season from February 18.
However, although the garlic production season lasts until spring, planting garlic during this period will only allow them to grow for a short time before the heat wave hits. Therefore, you will get smaller bulbs.
2. Plant garlic once the temperature is between 32° and 50°F.
When garlic is grown in Texas, it needs a suitable climate to grow well. On average, they require a temperature of 32 ° - 50 ° F during early growth. Please note that do not plant them when the heat is too high and above 80 ° F, as this will harm them.
Instead, as soon as the climate becomes suitable, plant them in pots. Then, they were subjected to a cold temperature of about 40 ° F to meet their vernalization requirements for the correct formation of cloves. If the weather is not cool enough, please put the flowerpot in the fresh-keeping drawer of the refrigerator.
After harvest, garlic must be cured for at least two weeks in a room at a temperature of approximately 60-90 ° F to allow it to dry sufficiently. Their long-term exposure to this range will enable them to obtain rich benefits.
What kind of garlic grows best in Texas?
Soft neck garlic is suitable for Texas, because it can adapt to the warm climate of Texas better than hard neck garlic which likes cold environment.
Inchelium Red is one of the most suitable garlic bulbs to grow in Texas. It is a soft necked variety that can produce a large number of cloves with strong butter flavor.
It is also an ideal choice for growing California's early varieties, because this soft necked garlic not only has low maintenance costs, but also its production can last for a long time.
Texas rose is also a good garlic bulb planting, especially in spring, because it can adapt to the warm spring temperature in the south.
Conclusion
With all this in mind, you can get rich bulbs by planting them at the right time - 4-6 weeks before the first or last frost. Autumn sowing is most suitable for high yield; However, spring planting is also possible, especially if you prefer green garlic.
