Garlic

[Silverfox]

I hear lots of people talking about growing garlic and have thought about it but I have no idea where to start.

When do I start and when will they be ready? Do I just use a bit of garlic from the cluster of garlics on a bulb? Do I have to wait until a shot comes from it or do I just stick it in the ground and hope it doesn't rot?

Anyone got any got links to where I can get this sort of information.

[BigstU]

Here you go Silverfox, plenty for you to read up on this link

http://www.thegarlicfarm.co.uk/

Hope this helps you

[Slug]

Hi Silverfox,

I think it's better to buy garlic purposely meant for planting - and if not, if you want to try the supermarket garlic, then you should try to find a garlic grown locally, or not too far away, because I've heard you should try garlic which is used to the same climate. For example, I don't think a garlic clove from china would be as good as one grown either in the UK or a close country with similar weather.

Anyway, waffling aside.... I would think it's better to buy the garlic purely for planting. You can get autumn or spring sown garlic, but I found this year that my garlic sown in the autumn was far better than my spring sown garlic, as the garlic grows better if it gets a cold snap.

I had great success with my purple autumn sown garlic this year and will definitely be doing it again next year!

[Earthbabe]

Hi Slug

I had great success with my purple autumn sown garlic this year and will definitely be doing it again next year!

Would love to know where you got that from. We adore garlic and I'm always up for trying something different especially if it will look quite good too.

[Slug]

Hi Earthbabe,

I'll try and find out the exact variety - and company. I'm cheesed off with myself as I don't think I kept the packet they came in.

I'll see if I can find out the info for you and I'll let you know...! I'll need to find out myself anyway so I can grow them again next year!

[nick the grief]

try the Garlic company & its somethig like Purple Wight the variety

[Silverfox]

Hi Slug, if you still have some of the garlic you grew could you not use the cloves from that?

[andrewo]

Chesnok is also a good variety, most of the purple/pink husk varieties are good (when I say that, I mean the thin layer over the clove).

[bootie]

I planted supermarket garlic last autumn and mail order garlic in February the mail order are much superior.

[Slug]

Hi Silverfox,

I didn't want to take a chance on inferior garlic if I just grew from my own stock. I'm prepared to give a few a go, alongside some specific growing garlic, but as I'm still a bit new to this garlic game, I'm not confident enough to try them on their own in case I get a bad crop

[Slug]

Oh yes.... Earthbabe - I found the packet from the garlic I grew this year!

It's a purple summer harvesting variety called Germidour. The company who make them are Taylors. I had a look on their website http://www.taylors-bulbs.com/ but I could only see the bulb available on their trade website. I don't think you can order them by mail order, but you should see them in the shops - garden centres etc...

I'm sure there are lots of other lovely varieties of purple garlic, but I was very happy with this one and will be growing it again next year for definite!

[sewer rat]

I grew garlic from the supermarket (not sure of variety) and got goodish results but small cloves (apparently most foreign garlic is softneck and has small cloves. Was at a local agricultural show and was speaking to a commercial garlic producer up here who can supply porcelain hardneck garlic from September - I've seen it and have now tasted it and cannot recommend it highly enough - will be ordering some when the time is right. I know it'll grow as the farm is only forty miles from up here.
Their website, which also contains loads of garlic recipes and pastes etc is as follows www.reallygarlicky.co.uk

[lyndap]

Just been on the web site Rat recommended to see if seed bulb avalible but unfortunatley out of stock.Have to look through the catalogues again!

[sewer rat]

Lyndap
Seed stock will be available in September - the type they sell is worth waiting for - best looking UK grown garlic I've ever seen - and I'm not being biased towards them cos they're a Scottish Company !