Elephant garlic not rooting

[Marb67]

I planted some elephant garlic in small pots with compost around 5 weeks ago. The garlic has still not rooted and a bit of white mould on the outside skin :-(

Anyone know if this is normal ? Not over watererd at all.

[Scarlet]

When did you buy the bulbs Marb? I've only ever planted in Autumn.

[Marb67]

In late feb. Local garden centre.

[bearded bloke]

Did it say on the packet if it was Autumn or Spring planting variety ?

[Marb67]

I think it would be spring otherwise they wouldn't have had them on display as they sell all their bulbs seasonal.

[Nicos]

Have they been waterlogged?
Had they been stored properly at the garden centre( ie not wrinkly bulbs)as you have planted right at the end of the season?...were they reduced in price for clearance?
Are they overcrowded?

Those are my initial thoughts...

I have found this which you might find interesting?....

Alys Fowler: how to grow elephant garlic | Life and style | The Guardian

[snakeshack]

I've only ever planted elephant garlic in the autumn,as like ordinary garlic it requires cold to make it split into cloves,otherwise you just end up with "rounds" which look like onions.
If you bought it in february there is a chance it had dried out and will not grow,have a look and see if any are showing signs.
my october planted elephant garlic is about 6 ins high at present

[Scarlet]

If you bought it in february there is a chance it had dried out and will not grow,have a look and see if any are showing signs.
my october planted elephant garlic is about 6 ins high at present

Yes, I agree. I didn't realise you could plant as late as February but if it has mould growing on it personally I would bin it. I can't believe the shop would get new in and presume that's been in its packaging since well before September.
I put mine in end Sept/beginning of Oct for lifting end June and usually get good results.
Mine at the moment

[Guest]

If there is mould I would say it has gotten too wet. I had some odd cloves kicking about that I planted out as gap fillers in March and they are up and are around a couple of inches tall. As has been said late planting doesn't usually give proper bulbs

[Marb67]

Well still no roots (see one upturned) and this is def a spring plating variety as it says on the packet

[Scarlet]

Well, they are supposed to be lifted in June/July, my Autumn planted garlic is usually lifted end June. I think there's little hope for them now. Poor/ old stock.

Did you plant them in like that? Half in /half out?

[Marb67]

Yes, just to get the roots activated and then I would have planted out. Perhaps next year ? I have onion sets that didn't do anything last year and they are growing again. WIll use for small spring onions in salads.

[Scarlet]

I'd bin them. If they haven't thrown out roots now they are passed it. Though I would try again in the Autumn - I think you get much better results from a late Sept/Oct sowing.

[dammad49]

Elephant should only be planted ~ October! By February it has developed a large root system and the green bit shoots up. Attached pic of some happy Elephant today.
I've never had a decent crop from so-called "spring planting" varieties of ordinary garlic and primarily grow Russian Giant and Meteche.

[roitelet]

Did you plant them in like that? Half in /half out?

Garlic should be planted about 2ins deep, that's in old money.