garlic question

[CaroltheCarrot]

When i was planting my garlic today one of the other plot holders said i was too late,but on the wrapper it said plant between feb to may, i am confused now

[Caro]

I only got mine in about 3 weeks ago, which i gather is on the late side. But I'm being optomistic about it - the growing season does start slightly later up here in Scotland, and it was such a harsh winter I'm hoping that may have delayed the season. And the garlic I have planted seems to be thriving.

Fingers crossed

[CaroltheCarrot]

i am a wee bit late this year ,only got allotment at end of march.
whenever i done it at home it was always round about now, he just got me really self doubting,thanks for replying though

[Jeanied]

Carol, first rule of being an allotment holder - don't believe the others!!! They come up with such a lot of utter rubbish!

Ask here instead! You will get a range of advice, and some of it will work for you.

[CaroltheCarrot]

Carol, first rule of being an allotment holder - don't believe the others!!! They come up with such a lot of utter rubbish!

Ask here instead! You will get a range of advice, and some of it will work for you.

thanks jeanied

[northepaul]

It just might mean you get one giant garlic clove instead of lots of them - I planted mine deliberately so I could eat it green.

[CaroltheCarrot]

It just might mean you get one giant garlic clove instead of lots of them - I planted mine deliberately so I could eat it green.

heck am even more confused now,green?

[northepaul]

Green = fresh not dried, ie straight from the ground.

[CaroltheCarrot]

o got you now

[Sanjo]

Weeks ago when turning over a bed, I came across loads of what turned out to be small garlic bulbs (I missed them completely last year). I divided them up and put them with compost into modules and they have been happily sitting in trays outside my greenhouse.
I just haven't had time to do anything with them.
I was going to put them in the compost bin but if they really are still viable then perhaps I will make the effort to plant them. I originally wanted them to edge the brassica bed.
Is it worth it folks. Will I get garlic from them, bearing in mind that they are about 3" high at the moment.

[zazen999]

Essentially, garlic needs to be in the soil for at least 6 months to get a decent crop that splits and forms nice fat cloves.

What happens is that the clove grows a shoot, which then grows from inside and the original clove rots down and eventually becomes the flakey outside that we all know and love.

In between, after a few months, the new cloves start to show inside [think of an onion sliced, it looks like that for a while with lots of circles which are all the new cloves forming]. If they are left long enough, they get nice and big and fat and then the foliage dies off and you can dig it up and dry it and use it like normal shop bought garlic.

Before then, and I grow lots to use like this, they can be used for green garlic, which is more like a garlicky leek - much milder and can be used chopped to give garlic flavour....you'd use the whole plant in one dish rather than just a portion.

Traditionally, and I did some trials last year and this point was proved; you plant it on the shortest day and harvest on the longest. If it goes in before that, it is sometimes ready earlier, but not by far. If it goes in later, it needs to be in longer than the longest day; but you'll still get something.

Trying putting some in between Sept to Dec for a better crop.

I've got some that went into compost over the winter, and they went into soil last weekend; it won't grow if it's not in soil so get it in ASAP!!!

[Jeanied]

Sanjo if it is growing now then it is worth trying - that's my philosopy. Last year I grew a few rows of garlic from leftovers - they certainly didn't make the full blown heads of garlic for storage but that did not matter one bit: they were great as large single cloves used throughout the late summer.

[Sanjo]

Sanjo if it is growing now then it is worth trying - that's my philosopy. Last year I grew a few rows of garlic from leftovers - they certainly didn't make the full blown heads of garlic for storage but that did not matter one bit: they were great as large single cloves used throughout the late summer.

Thanks Jeanied, that's what I keep telling myself. Why I keep walking past them I do not know. They are right outside the greenhouse door. Right, if the rain stops this week that's another job then!!

[CaroltheCarrot]

thank you zazen, that was really helpful

all copied and in my book

[zazen999]

all copied and in my book