More garlic questions!

[moggssue]

Sorry all, I know there's been a lot of discussion already this year about garlic, but if you can be patient I need some advice please ...

A couple of weeks ago I planted out three tubs of garlic bulbs (reading the theory that they like a cold snap). They're now under the cover of a coldframe thanks to all the rain we've had, and about half of them have sprouted and look healthy, growing away great. The other half haven't shown at all - do you think that they won't now? And if not, then can I use the soil/pots to start another batch of garlic/shallots or would you play safe and not use the same soil?

Secondly, I have saved another couple of bulbs for a successional sowing in the next week or so - do you think these would be okay going straight into the cold ground on my lottie?

Finally - how late would you leave it for a final sowing, especially if they really do need that cold snap? As you can probably tell, I looooove garlic and want lots of it!!!!!!!!!

[terrier]

I've got basically the same question, Moggssue. Garlic is normally planted Oct/Nov or in the spring. What happens if it's planted now? Too late for winter planting and too early for spring planting?

[wellie]

Oh stick it straight into the soil on the lottie, if you've got it handy! The ones in pots Moggie, stick your finger in and gently tease away a bit of the compost. It might only just have woken up (!) or it may have rotted off if it got too wet.

Successional Sowing: don't bother. Plant your Garlic cloves all at the same time. You will want to harvest all at the same time really to dry it off for Autumn/Winter use in the kitchen, and if you're dead greedy like me and impatient, you'll be pulling a few bulbs earlier than that for using 'green' (like Sarah Raven does too) before it ever gets as far as being dried! Hope this helps. If not, ask some more!

[moggssue]

Okay, all bunged in the new bed on the new lottie - my first crop hurrahhhh!! Now just hope they all grow for me and dont get trampled by the deer that apparently love to wander around new beds (if the hoofprints are anything to go by!).

The containers I've left alone - they can do whatever they feel like doing, at least I have half of them up and going!