Topic: What size modules for garlic?

[caroline7758]

I've planted some of my garlic on the plot today, but have kept some back to try in modules, which I've never done before. What size modules/pots would you use? One site I looked at said to plant them 1" deep- that would have to be a big module, surely?

[Tee Gee]

I wouldn't use modules for the same reason as you have gathered they would be too small.

If it is a case of you wanting to grow some at home then I would use something like three cloves to a 10" pot.

In effect treat them like any potted spring bulbs e.g. Daffodils Hyacinths

[caroline7758]

Thanks, TeeGee. I plan to plant them out in spring- it's a trail really, mainly because my garlic was rubbish this year and I think it may have been down to the wet winter. (or the dry summer, who knows!)

[terrier]

I was wondering about shop bought Spanish garlic, how well it would grow in this country, anyone tried?

[astraman1]

ive planted some shop bought spanish garlic and some marco the marco came up within a few days the shop bought spanish has also come up took about a month tho so we shall see

[goodlife]

I was wondering about shop bought Spanish garlic, how well it would grow in this country, anyone tried?

Yes, I have grown 'shop' garlic and it has worked just as 'well' as my own stock. Though if grown in very challenging situation, garlic grown from you own stock, even if it originally did come from 'shop' bulbs, might do better because they have already used to growing conditions in your area.

[small]

What growing medium do people use for garlic in pots? I'm giving up with in-the-ground growing of anything that succumbs to white rot, but I might try this, daren't use any medium from my plot though, would bought multi-purpose compost do? White rot is soil-borne not airborne, am I right?

[kGarden]

I plan to plant them out in spring

Garlic varieties suitable for UK climate need a period of cold over winter which makes them split into cloves, so I think your Garlic needs to be outside to get that cold treatment.  I've started them off in Modules in the past, but only because the bed wasn't ready., they've been planted out before Winter-proper arrived

my garlic was rubbish this year and I think it may have been down to the wet winter. (or the dry summer, who knows!)

Might have been variety?  For example if you planted Supermarket Garlic then maybe it was a Mediterranean variety not best suited to our climate? If it was a variety grown for UK climate then sorry no idea why they didn't do well, but sometimes when mine don't do well I just leave them in place to grow on a second season and then they tend to bulb up.

[ancellsfarmer]

I believe that I previously described my use of the trays that garden centres  acquire their pots in.Typically in 16s/18s, to hold 105mm (4") pots. These are 40-50 mm deep and variously have either central drainage,or sometimes drainage just up from the bottom
If you haven't collected enough of these from your own purchases, they are freely available from such centres. It is required that they recycle packaging, its cheaper to give them away than return for reuse.
These are simply filled with potting grade compost and are, I find,ideal for starting onion sets, and possibly garlic, although I haven't tried garlic this way yet.
Its so much easier to  move a tray than 18 individual pots. The desired result is to gain time by doing something in the shed way before the ground is fit to work and plant sets. This was to beat the very wet spring of the last two seasons and is also more creature- comfortable than bending in inclement conditions. The resulting root ball "puddings" plant out readily into soil in late Feb depending on the seasons.
I wonder whether to plant the various aliums in a sterilised "plug" such as this would be sufficient to protect from the white rot that several of you suffer.