GARLIC Help!!

[steelsy]

I'm a bit excited!! My garlic that i planted a few weeks ago in pot in my growhouse has started SPROUTING!! There are little green sprouts pointing up through the earth!

OMG!! I'm so excited!!

Now what...? Do i put some more earth on them to keep them cozy...? Transfer them to the bigger beds under cloches...? Leave them...?? I've NEVER done gARLIC BEFORE.. I'VE READ mURRAYS THREAD ON GARLIC BUT I'M STILL NOT VERY CLEAR!

There are three cloves to a pot... about an 8inch pot. I honestly didn;t think they would come to much hence 3 bulbs to a pot!

I've tried reading some of my books but none seem to cover garlic in any detail!

Any more advice of help much appreciated!!

I know exactly how you feel!! I planted my Garlic back in October and I've got green bits shooting through looking very healthy - very excited - first thing I've tried growing!!!!

[piskieinboots]

I'm a bit excited!! OMG!! I'm so excited!!

Oh that is so lovely to see cyanara, such passion and excitement that only gardening and things growing can bring forth - well, maybe there is another thing but that is for another forum

[HeyWayne]

Whilst on the plot at the weekend shovelling muck, I thought I'd had a quick peek at the garlic see how (if at all) it was doing. To my surprise and delight I spotted three shoots poking through - all of about an inch or so.

There's hope yet it seems!!

[piskieinboots]

did you do a squirly dance HW? I do

[moggssue]

Sorry folks, I'm getting confused! I'm planting my garlic out this weekend - plan was to put them in big tubs under a cold frame until about March then take them to the lottie (fingers crossed its ready by then!). Now I'm not sure I should keep them under the cold frame? Help?!?!

And congrats to those with growing shoots ... how fantastic at this time of year, spring is on its way yeyyyyy heyyyyy!!

[HeyWayne]

did you do a squirly dance HW? I do

I certainly got my funk on!

[scarey55]

Crikey Wayne, I just thought you had big feet, you didn't say anything about the big hair

[smallblueplanet]

Sorry folks, I'm getting confused! I'm planting my garlic out this weekend - plan was to put them in big tubs under a cold frame until about March then take them to the lottie (fingers crossed its ready by then!). Now I'm not sure I should keep them under the cold frame? Help?!?!

And congrats to those with growing shoots ... how fantastic at this time of year, spring is on its way yeyyyyy heyyyyy!!

Are they autumn planting or spring planting garlic? If you planted them out now and they're spring planting I'd have thought they'd be okay if you fleece them up on cold nights?

We often start ours in modules in the cold greenhouse because we know we'll never get them planted in the soil early enough otherwise and so the modules give them a bit of a start.

[moggssue]

Cant remember now SBP, but I bought them in October so I suspect they're autumn planting? To be honest, I didnt realise there was a difference?!

Wayne - dig da hair man!

[bramble]

Theres no need to protect garlic from frost. They are completely hardy and will grow better for getting a good frost on them. The frost will also split the bulb into cloves.

[rew15]

My garlic was planted in October / November and is 5-6" tall at the moment. I was told a good frost will split them in to cloves as well. My only hope is that my beds are freedraining enough with the rain we've had lately.

[helly]

mine have sprouted very well in the last few weeks, just been outside to check things and yep still growing strong,well chuffed....

[moggssue]

Hmm, I'm playing catch up again! Planted mine yesterday into big tubs, hope I'm not too late - last years were a dismal failure, sowed in late Feb!

[moggssue]

Okay, I'm confused - just for a change!! Happily planted out lots of lovely garlic cloves (Marco - the packet said plant either autumn or spring) into pots in the garden and left them to the frost. Yesterday I was reading GYO mag and it said they should be sown under cover at this time of year???

[Paul Wagland]

The main reason garlic will fail is poor drainage - the bulbs are prone to rotting in the ground. For this reason, if you have heavy soil it is better to plant in late winter/early spring, and consider digging-in some sharp sand first. If you have light, free-draining soil then you can plant in late autumn for an earlier (or bigger) crop. The cold is not something to worry about - garlic definitely does better if you let it get nicely frosted.

Most types can be used for both autumn and spring plantings - it depends more on your soil. If you bought them in October though Moggssue then they may be shrivelling up by now, depending on how you stored them?

A couple of growing tips - garlic doesn't like over-fertile soil (ie not freshly manured) but does like potash - so rake your old bonfire over the ground and dig it in. Also there are two sorts of garlic, hard and soft necked. As far as I know, the only difference is that soft necked garlic produces just leaves, while hard necked produces both leaves and a flower stalk. Cut this flower stalk back (by about half) three weeks before harvesting and the bulbs will get much bigger.

Garlic is ready to lift when the leaves go yellow. Be careful with the bulbs as they bruise easily and will rot in storage.