Planting garlic first time help!

[OllieMartin]

Is it worth cloching them or is it best to let them freeze?

[Pies]

Let them suffer

[zazen999]

There is no need to fleece or cloche or mulch garlic. It is a winter crop.

Put the cloves in the ground and leave them be. If any pop out, dig a hole and pop them back in again. Weed a little around the garlics in the spring.

Otherwise, just let them do what they do. They like being cold. Honest.

[vegnut]

I agree with zazen999. Just let them freeze, the colder the better. The only thing that will harm them is the wet, if they sit in soggy wet claggy soil for too long then they will rot. So no mulches or cloches etc. Just let them get on with it, and don't mollycoddle them, you will get green growth now and it will not die down during winter it'll grow on in spring. Don't mess about with them. Due to contrary beliefs, they are not just a meditteranean vegetable.

[tracy]

you mention that they need the cold ! i have just bought some germidour back from the uk now we dont have that much cold weather it may drop to 10 degrees at night in jan-feb is that cold enough.i was going to plant them out in the next few days but do you think i should leave it till it cools down a bit more *night time temp is about 18 at the moment*
cheers tracy

[krazy_krok]

you mention that they need the cold ! i have just bought some germidour back from the uk now we dont have that much cold weather it may drop to 10 degrees at night in jan-feb is that cold enough.i was going to plant them out in the next few days but do you think i should leave it till it cools down a bit more *night time temp is about 18 at the moment*
cheers tracy

You can cheat the weather, place the bulbs in the fridge for a couple of weeks, this will give them long enough cold exposure for them to be able to split into bulbs,

fuerteventura was there a few months ago on me honeymoon in Collerejo

KK

[tracy]

ah fridge good idea ta for that . did you have a good honeymoon ?

[greengas]

You can cheat the weather, place the bulbs in the fridge for a couple of weeks, this will give them long enough cold exposure for them to be able to split into bulbs,

fuerteventura was there a few months ago on me honeymoon in Collerejo

KK

I too spent my honeymoon in Collerejo
back in February loved the place

[Bigmallly]

place the bulbs in a fridge, this will give them long enough cold exposure for them to be able to split into bulbs,

I'm confused yet again............

I thought the bulbs split into cloves then you planted the cloves. Are we calling cloves & bulbs the same thing here ?

[greengas]

I'm confused yet again............

I thought the bulbs split into cloves then you planted the cloves. Are we calling cloves & bulbs the same thing here ?

That is correct you buy the bulb for planting which you split into individual cloves and then palnt them. Each individual clove then grows to form a bulb. I hope this makes sense as I am starting to confuse myself.

[krazy_krok]

Had a lovely time thanks,

Garlic needs a period of cold to break its dormancy i think, thus later allowing the the bulb to split into cloves as it grows,

KK

[tracy]

so i put the whole bulb in the fridge for a few weeks ..then seperate into cloves..then plant out individually that sounds about what all are saying

[Bigmallly]

so i put the whole bulb in the fridge for a few weeks ..then seperate into cloves..then plant out individually that sounds about what all are saying

Sounds about right to me, then just to confuse you, the cloves will grow into bulbs for you to put into the fridge for a couple of weeks before you seperate them into cloves........

[tracy]

ok so does that mean that i can the re-use one or two of the new bulbs to put in the fridge and start the process again or do i need to keep buying new stock each year ?

[Bigmallly]

You could use some of the new bulbs for next year.