What to do with garlic?

[busylizzie]

I planted some spring garlic in pots in an unheated conservatory at the end of Feb - 4 cloves per 6" pot - with the intention of planting them out later. They are growing away beautifully, in fact when I checked yesterday, the roots are out of the bottom of the pots already! Should I be planting them out and separating them now? If I leave them any longer I think it might get quite hard to separate them out - I thought they'd take quite a bit longer to get going!

[Paulottie]

OK, Garlic is traditionally planted in Nov in the open- so it get down its roots before the winter sets in. It is hardy if well drained, and infact it needs the cold to aid proper clove formation. You shouldn't need to split it,(though it is possible) you might just plant it out now in clumps.

You can grow it in the glasshouse for an early cop of fresh in early May(when the stored will be sprouting, although you can also use wild garlic at that time before it flowers, or you can make garlic butter and freeze it, or store it in salt and olive oil). If you do bother with fresh; Often you just stick the whole bulb in a 10" pot et voila.

[Paul Wagland]

November is the ideal time to plant outdoors, but I put some in the ground last week too. Still plenty of time for them to take off. Single cloves at about 10 or 15cm spacings, with the little rooty base downwards (and not very deep, only just below the surface). As Paulottie says a good frost makes the single cloves 'split' and develop into bulbs.

[zazen999]

Hi busylizzie
I put a load of garlic into pots over the winter waiting for space; and am currently planting out at weekends into the plot that they will stay in for the rest of the season.

I'd get them out asap to take advantage of any cold weather coming at the tail end of winter; or the cloves won't split.

[ConstantGardener]

yes I'd get them out pronto as well. I usually raise my garlic in pots from November, individual cloves in 4" pots, as I like to keep an eye on it, though have sown a line direct this year as I was a bit late getting started (sowed them in January) and it's come up fine so might try direct sowing from now on!

anyway - you'll probably need to separate out the cloves you have in your pots since if you don't give them enough room they won't bulk up into good heads, so wouldn't advise planting in clumps. Garlic is quite tolerant of being shifted around so should be OK. The only thing I'd be concerned about is that because you've had them in a conservatory they probably haven't had any frost on them - they need a good frosting to get them to bulk up properly. Another reason to get them outside asap, I'd have thought...

[vegnut]

I think everyone has covered anything i was gonna say. So go for it

[HeyWayne]

I'm in the same boat so to speak, had some in the ground and planted some in pots just in case the ground ones failed. Hoping to get onto the plot this weekend to get the potted ones in.

Did the same with overwintering onions too.

[busylizzie]

Thanks for the advice, will try and get them out asap then.

[gardenplot]

I planted some in pots and waiting to get them in the ground

[gojiberry]

As every one has said Autumn is best time to plant, however there are a couple of varities bred to be planted Feb time, or so my packet of Cristo garlic said.

[whigger]

This is just my first year gardening but i have planted out some cloves today as well as some of the cloves i started in the greenhouse about a month ago.