Is it far too late to plant garlic?

[CarolineW]

All of my elephant garlic, planted in Autumn, is flourishing. But for some reason, almost none of my normal garlic. To the extent that I'm beginning to think that maybe I had a brain blip and didn't actually plant it!!!!!! I mean, only 2 or 3 have germinated.

So my question is this, is it far too late to just bung some in now? I've seen some plug plants of them on ebay, but would prefer to grow my own from cloves. What do you think?

[bernadette wall]

I put ordinary garlic in 2 weeks ago and it is growing in pots in my greenhouse so I would give it ago.

[beaufontboy]

I think that i read somewhere that garlic needs a cold spell to help it split in to cloves , not 100% sure an expert will be along soon !

[Alice]

In the ordinary way of things it's far too late Caroline.
BUT if you just plant some supermarket garlic I think you will get something. What have you to loose. I wouldn't spend any money on the project (ie plug plants) but wait until Ocr/Nov and plant then.
Interestingly (or not) my Elephant Garlic which has been in pots for months has failed to appear - bought on E bay. My ordinary garlic is doing great.

Bernadette, welcome to the Vine. There's no need to have your garlic in the greehouse. It's quite hardy. I plant mine out in Oct/ Nov and it gets on fine.

Caroline, I've been thinking about why your garlic might have failed. Do you have cold, wet ground in winter ? If so earth your ground up into little ridges (like earthing up potatoes) and plant the garlic into the top of the ridges. That will stop them rotting in the wet.

[COMPOST CORNER]

Someone, somewhere, probably on this forum, suggested keeping you garlic in the fridge for a week, putting it in the freezer for an hour per day, to simulate the chilling process of planting in the depths of winter, that's what I've tried as I planted at the beginning of April.

[terrier]

I planted cloves in pots in November outside to get the frost. They did nothing until about 4 weeks ago when they started to sprout into growth. I've now planted them out now and just hoping that they do something. Seems you have to wait a long time for garlic ?

[CarolineW]

In the ordinary way of things it's far too late Caroline.
BUT if you just plant some supermarket garlic I think you will get something. What have you to loose. I wouldn't spend any money on the project (ie plug plants) but wait until Ocr/Nov and plant then.
Interestingly (or not) my Elephant Garlic which has been in pots for months has failed to appear - bought on E bay. My ordinary garlic is doing great.

Bernadette, welcome to the Vine. There's no need to have your garlic in the greehouse. It's quite hardy. I plant mine out in Oct/ Nov and it gets on fine.

Caroline, I've been thinking about why your garlic might have failed. Do you have cold, wet ground in winter ? If so earth your ground up into little ridges (like earthing up potatoes) and plant the garlic into the top of the ridges. That will stop them rotting in the wet.

Thanks, Alice - I'm sure you're right. It's clay soil, although improved in a raised bed. I'll try the ridges this year.

[CarolineW]

Someone, somewhere, probably on this forum, suggested keeping you garlic in the fridge for a week, putting it in the freezer for an hour per day, to simulate the chilling process of planting in the depths of winter, that's what I've tried as I planted at the beginning of April.

Sounds like a brilliant tip. I'll combine it with Alice's idea to use supermarket garlic. Thanks a lot!

[Alison]

I don't think all types of garlic need the frost, if you look at the descriptions, some will say they have to be planted in the autumn and others are spring / autumn. As I understand it, only the former ones need the cold snap and others can manage without - at least that's the theory I took when I planted some about a month ago. It's coming through a treat, I think they've all sprouted but obviously don't know what the crop will be like for a fair while yet.

[RobintheBobin]

My ellie garlic is rollicking away and almost resembling leeks; my normal Solent Wight garlic which was planted at the correct time after being in the fridge as well is only growing in rather a half-hearted manner and some have given up totally. Funny what works and what doesn't...s'pose one could get quite philosophical

[vegnut]

My Elephant Garlic is a no show this year !!! dammit
Theres always next year though