Topic: Plaiting Garlic? You must be joking?

[tim]

After 2 periods of 30 min - trying to follow the Garlic Farm's excellent guide - I gave up.

They can just stay in a bunch. And all the others can go into a net!

[caroline7758]

I'd be happy just to have some decent garlic! :(

[asbean]

A few years ago I bought raffia and followed instructions, it took ages and I never got the hang of it.  Now they just go into a net.  They did a demo at the farmers' market some time ago, and it looked so easy ...  :-[ :-[ :-[

[MrsKP]

i got carried away




 ;D

[asbean]

WOW - mine never looked like that!

[MrsKP]

as you can see, i've got plenty more to practise with in the background.

 ;D

[tim]

Join the club, KP!

Who is it that has a plait as his avatar - how could I forget??

That's what I want!!

[Robert_Brenchley]

Plaiting it isn't hard, but I'm not bothering this year; I'm just pleased to rescue anything from the floods. It's not coming out in a pretty state.

[cambourne7]

what variatys have you planted to get such big bulbs?

[tim]

Those are Solent Wight - my standard variety.

These were the best - Rose Garlic.

All grown in a 2m X 1m raised bed.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Those are a lot better-looking than mine; it's so wet that while the bulb itself is OK, the outer casing is rotting or rotted, and they come out wet and slimy.

[Deb P]

I spent a couple of hours sorting my garlic out yesterday too, but I definitely left them to dry a bit long, the foliage was fragile and wouldn't stand much manipulation! IA few snapped at the base, so I'll have to use them up first.

Managed to get four fat plaits done, should last us until next year!
First year of growing garlic at the lottie, this years harvest is almost twice the size of last years grown at home! Last year I used Garlic Farm bulbs, this year Marco and Germidor from Taylors, both were good stock, I think it is the soil and conditions that have made the difference.

[djbrenton]

Join the club, KP!

Who is it that has a plait as his avatar - how could I forget??

That's what I want!!

That would be me!!

This is the guide I followed.

http://www.bloomingfieldsfarm.com/garbrdhow.html

[djbrenton]

I spent a couple of hours sorting my garlic out yesterday too, but I definitely left them to dry a bit long, the foliage was fragile and wouldn't stand much manipulation! IA few snapped at the base, so I'll have to use them up first.

Managed to get four fat plaits done, should last us until next year!
First year of growing garlic at the lottie, this years harvest is almost twice the size of last years grown at home! Last year I used Garlic Farm bulbs, this year Marco and Germidor from Taylors, both were good stock, I think it is the soil and conditions that have made the difference.

If the stems are too dry, fold them in a damp cloth to soften them up before plaiting.

[tim]

That's the chap - thanks, DJ.

Yours look better than theirs!!

[MrsKP]

Thanks DJ, I shall give it a whirl.

 ;D

[Deb P]

If the stems are too dry, fold them in a damp cloth to soften them up before plaiting.

Thanks, I'll remember that for next year! ;D