Garlic newbie

[moreteavicar]

Morning

I have just ordered some autumn planting garlic.
For best results, should I plant them:

direct outside - (raised beds, Hereford)
pots outside then transplant outside at some stage
pots in the poly tunnel - (tunnel raised beds not in situ yet)
pots in the poly tunnel then transplant outside at some stage.

[Sweet savory]

I find best results for me are outside in the garden in containers as they don’t seem to get rust there but do at the allotment. Am going to plant mine direct soon (about 70 miles south of you). Have always found them pretty hardy so don’t bother raising them in pots first.

[toomanytommytoes]

Direct outside or in pots outside. Wouldn't bother transplanting.

[mcdood]

I plant direct outside. Put a few spare in pots/ modules to fill any non-showers in the bed although my experience with garlic is they usually have a good success rate and if they don't it's usually because an idiot has put a couple in upside down, that'll be me

[SimpleSimon]

I have clay soil and struggle with autumn planted garlic here. I'm growing it my tunnel this year so I can keep it dryer it we get really wet weather. If your raised beds drain well then direct would be fine.

[Jimny14]

I planted mine out in my edged bed on slightly improved clay soil, last year and they all came up and made nice cloves. Done same again this year.

[Mark_Riga]

Ideally you should also plant a few more than you will use and then keep the best for planting next year. Saves money and minimises the risk for bringing any diseases onto your land.

[greenishfing]

I plant mine direct in clay soil. Most years it is very good. I'll be planting mine as soon as I get a nice day.

[muck lover]

I put some direct outside in well drained raised beds and some direct into raised polytunnel beds.
I wouldn’t bother putting into pots and transplanting.

[bikermike]

another vote for direct here. I'm growing on compost over clay.

Only refinement is that I put chickenwire over the beds to minimise the depredations of the local wildlife...

[monkeyboy]

Raised beds. Clay soil but I mix in compost. Sowed directly into ground. No rust. Has done fairly well this year (I was complacent about harvesting).

[moreteavicar]

"I was complacent about harvesting"
Something you should have done but didn't?

[chillithyme]

Direct outdoors for me too with good drainage

[Aberdeenplotter]

Plant now outside in ground pots or raised beds. The important thing is that garlic needs a period of vernalisation (exposure to cold weather) which enables the cloves to develop.

[Gman]

I am pleased to read this. I have a few extra this year and wondered if I could replant them, or whether doing this would increase the risk of developing diseases.