Growing Garlic

[Litha]

how do you get a garlic ready for planting? a couple of days ago i pulled 2 cloves off a bulb i had in the fridge and put them on the window ledge to see if they sprouted so i could plant them.

LOL at the mo im a reall beginner and my kitchen looks like a lab, iv got loads of pots of "experiments" going on , but now iv found you lot ill be tweaking your brain cells until your all tweaked out

[crichmond]

Just split into individual cloves and plant either in pots or straight in the ground, they need frost to make the bulb split otherwise when you harvest it the garlic will be all one and not cloved.

[Litha]

Thankyou , so iv no need to wait for the cloves to sprout before planting? I could have done with planting them outside yesterday then if they like frost cos this morning was white over and it lasted most of the day.

just one more question.... i will be growing them in pots outside but have no idea how big they grow to so what size pot do i use per clove?

[crichmond]

It all depends on the type of garlic, but I would say that if you use a 6 inch pot that will be big enough unless its elephant garlic.
but dont forget to water it during the summer and a little feed occasionally wont go amiss.

[smallblueplanet]

The braiding of the garlic was done by the OH. It is quite staightforward (apparently), and when the time comes this year I'll put a link to (or a copy of) the instructions for braiding onions & garlic.

Some of last years crop has been planted in modules and is in the unheated greenhouse waiting until the time to plant them out (March-ish). Not 100% sure what the type is as we replanted some of the previous years cloves too - some sort of 'Wight', Albegensian maybe? I'll check....

[smallblueplanet]

....they need frost to make the bulb split otherwise when you harvest it the garlic will be all one and not cloved.

True, but tasty non-the-less.

[Litha]

thankyou for the replies.

i cant wait for the braiding instrictions they look lovely.

i deff dont think its elephant garlic, its from tesco just a very oprdinary looking garlic

[momol]

..., they need frost to make the bulb split otherwise when you harvest it the garlic will be all one and not cloved.

I am actually keeping a couple of them inside (in pots) safe from any frost and will only plant them out after no more frost as I am hoping to produce the single bulb garlic (as an experiment) .

[bwfc07]

Well here's what I am growing, I will put them in the ground when it defrosts.

Hi i'am very new to this growing but i planted some garlic in trays in mid december there about 2inch high now and i see you have all yours in seperate pots would you advise me to transplant them into pots?

your help would be appreciated

[crichmond]

It all depends on how big the tray is and whether or not you intend to plant them out into the ground, if you are planing on putting them into the ground then do that dont bother potting them on, if you are not putting them in the ground then you probably only need to pot them on if the tray isnt going to give them enough growing room.

[crichmond]

I am actually keeping a couple of them inside (in pots) safe from any frost and will only plant them out after no more frost as I am hoping to produce the single bulb garlic (as an experiment) .

I was given an elephant garlic that was all one clove and I just cut it in half and planted the two halfs.

[momol]

Have you ever tasty the elephant garlic Chris ?
I saw them in our local garden centre but didn't buy any plus I am also running out of space. I will probably get some next year (they only start selling it during this time of year).

[gardenplot]

Good picture of garliclooks so neat, i planted mine in tubs oct.

[gojiberry]

I planted most of my garlic last Oct and it is all doing very well. I was reading an article recently and it said that the bulbs dont usually split till April time I couldnt resist some in the Garden Center the other day Cristo which is better sawn at this time of the year. I got 64 cloves out of the pack all of which have been potted up into individual pots to start them off and as soon as they have formed a few roots and green top they will go out on the lottie.

[Maf]

I have only recently planted mine and wasn't aware of the frost=splitting issue.

Is this a defo or an OWT ?

Would a short spell in the freezer help ?