Topic: Yes - GARLIC again - but to make a point.

[tim]

These are all we could save of 2 rows. Just think what they would have been like if allowed to go full term.

The main point is that, although for the last 10 years or so, I've been converted to autumn planting, I'm now back to the spring idea, as recommended by the Garlic Farm. Not that we shall ever grow alliums again after our failure at steriisation.

These didn't go in till the first week in March, & have been restricted by the dreaded rot. = Tim

[derbex]

They look great Tim, better than mine -what variety?

I planted in Autumn this year for the first time and found that they didn't do as well as the ones I planted in spring the year before. Not that two years is enough to draw any sensible conclusions.

Jeremy

[tim]

They are Solent Wight - from the Garlic Farm. And that's after having several layers of infected skin removed! = Tim

[GardnerJ]

sorry to be a silly but i thought garlic was easy to grow :'(
x Jemma
P.S They look beautiful anyway

[tim]

It is!!

But...! = Tim

[Ceri]

can you advise on the merits either way Tim - I planted mine in late autumn on the advice I was given that garlic needed at least 30 days in a row under 10 degrees to ensure clove formation.  My elephant garlic is fabulous, the little ones not as good.  What's the idea with spring planting?

Thanks

Ceri

[tim]

The option, in many cases, is yours.

 Elephant & Solent Wight may be planted in Feb. The chap who grows the stuff said 'Feb', on the grounds that it didn't receive a check in a severe winter. And less time to get weedy! Or otherwise damaged.
Much can depend upon whether you've got the plot ready early?
But,as I say, that's my lot! Tried everything.
Except, maybe, I could borrow a strip of someone's lottie up  the road? = Tim

[derbex]

Tim, be delighted -but it's a long road.

A couple of related questions, you may confer :) :

Do you buy new garlic from a supplier each year, or do you plant up some of the previous year's crop.

My little leeks, in the seed bed,  have rust -is it worth transplanting them?

Jeremy

[tim]

1. Garlic. The Big G is one of the possible experts on this? Done both  but, since it's such a valuable crop, I have preferred to buy in, & to hell with the cost! See Gallery.

2. Leek rust. Emma's the expert? But meanwhile:
 a. With NO knowledge, I would peel off the affected leaves & risk planting. They are a premium crop. Win some, lose some?
 b. Dispose of the debris safely.
 c. Practice rotation.
 d. Just lifting a sample of our early leeks today to check for WHITE ROT!!

3. Next question!! = Tim
 

[Chantenay]

Hi Tim - I have missed your earlier comments but I am guessing you have onion rot. I don't know if this will help, but I was at The HRI Wellesbourne open day recently, and they seemed to have an answer in some specially treated compost. Applied at whatever time of the year (I can't recall the details), the compost beguiles the rot into thinking it's onion moulding time, it shoots out and discovers too late that there are no onions, and dies.
Now obviously I haven't explained this very well, but it might be worth contacting them to see if they can help.

[tim]

So right - you'll see my moan in colour in various places.

And yes - this compost idea - put a link somewhere the other day,  about finding a way to compost all the infected onion debris - £14m a year lost through rot! It sounds that they may have found a solutuion? Must check it out. I've tried sterilisation without success. Thanks. = Tim

[Mrs Ava]

Aww, the sight of rusty leeks in the morning!  Every member of the allium familly I have grown this year has been affected in a a BIG way with rust.  Spring onions are growing, but rusty, and my garlics, well, the rust got them before the white rot!  Although I believe it is purely superficial, it did weaken my garlics and at least half of my crop had the be lifted prematurely.  Now white rot.  All of my spring planted onions and at least half of my winter planted shallots were infested, and I had to pull them whilst small and young, and will have to use them quickly before they rot away to nothing.  My winter planted onions, barely any damage and they grew to an excellent size.  I read tonite that once a plot has white rot it takes 7 years from it to finally out rot itself, and during those 7 years you absolutely must not try growing any alliums at all!  I shall be growing winter planted sets again, but in a completely different place, but will give spring planted sets a miss.  :'(  Top notch hygene seems to be the best bet - dispose of every trace of white rot or rusty veggies and clean any tools and wash your hands after contact.  Is it worth it I ask you......well...for me, even if I only manage a handful of onions or garlics, it was well worth it!

[tim]

Just WISH I'd realised the seriousness of w/r years ago. Should have embarked on a tight plan right away. Hygiene, yes - NOtHING infected onto the compost heap. Trouble is, you just can't gather up all the infected soil when you lift the onions. Yes - I know about the 7 or 9 or ?? year rule, but it all started slowly & I just had to grow onions. So - it's my fault. Only did 2-3 years. Sterilisation? - I'm sure it would have helped if done early. And repeatedly.
At the moment - since 5am - I'm stripping down anything with rot - like 2 large barrow loads!! - & shall cook up anything that's clean & freeze it.
Next year, I shall do garlic in a bed with bought-in soil - can't live without it!

Emma - if you look at the HDRA fact sheet, you'll see that over-wintered stuff is most at risk. Certainly our Nov planted shallots were the soonest & worst hit. = Tim

[Mrs Ava]

That is so funny Tim, as I said, my winter planted onions, good as gold, my shallots, half were horrible, and at least half of my garlics, but all of my spring planted sets.  Not one will be any good for storing.  I am going to make a huge pot of onion soup and freeze before they rot away to nothing.  I read that there is nothing on the market that can sterilise the soil.  Do you think if I pile lots and lots of compost on top of the surface, and not dig it in, and plant in the top of the compost, that would be okay-ish?  Can't stand the thought of not being able to grow onions or garlics....can live without leeks, and shallots are a luxury, but onions!

[tim]

I've scrubbed all mine so that they will at least keep until I can deal with them. Even peeled off quite a few layers of skin. = Tim