Washington DC · zones 7b7b

When to plant garlic in Washington DC.

Washington DC's window for garlic runs on the fall side of the season. A second, fall sowing fits Oct 8 to Nov 23. Dates below are state medians; your ZIP code shifts them by days to weeks.

The 2026 windows

Garlic dates for a typical Washington DC season.

Fall round

Oct 8 to Nov 23

Counted back from the ~Nov 8 first frost.

Harvest

~240 days later

~0.2 lb per plant over ~1 weeks.

Washington DC spans more than one climate: Zone 7 is the most common zone, but the state runs 7b to 7b. That's why the planner works from your ZIP code's frost dates, not your zone — mountain and coastal gardens in the same state can be three weeks apart.