Topic: What should my garlic be doing right now?

[Bjerreby]

Danish Islands

I planted garlic early October. By 1st December they were 6" high, and right now they are looking fine, peeping out from under the snow.

Garlic wants to sprout in the autumn, and stand outside through the winter. If you keep it somewhere warm in pots, it thinks summer is still going on, and won't sprout. Similarly, if you put garlic in the fridge, it thinks winter is coming and will probably start sprouting.

Harvesting is a matter of judgement. I poke my finger down to feel how swelled the bulbs have become, rather than disturb them too much by uncovering to take a look. I also leave all the outer skins on the bulbs once they are pulled up, only removing them when my missus wants some for the kitchen.

[kt.]

My Solent Wight garlic was planted in fish-boxes on my plot in October.  They have 2-3 inches high shoots on them at the moment. My first attempt with garlic and am pleased.  So far so good. ;)

[shirlton]

Ours are about 3" high at the moment Planted outside

[hopalong]

Mine's about the same - roughly 3" or more of leafy growth.  It seems to be doing better than last year.

[Robert_Brenchley]

They'll be fine.

[Eristic]

Here's a shot of mine Saturday.

[killerflies]

Hi all!

Just to follow up  on my original posting.

My few garlic are making headway with most of them approx 4-6inches high.

HOWEVER...............

Just in the last week, some of them have gone from a healthy green to a yellow colour.

There was cold weather one night, perhaps a very slight frost, but it seems to be only effecting approx half of them....

Was it the cold, or do I need to feed them??

Cheers!

[Deb P]

Mine had a chicken pellet feed this week, and I'll spray them with seaweed feed in a few weeks too.

[saddad]

Sleeping, it's dark out there...
A bit of feed in the next fortnight isn't a bad idea...  :)

[Tee Gee]

Looking good E

[mememe72]

planed our garlic from cloves about 3 weeks ago and some are already 3in high was very suprised  at least we can say we have some signs of life if nothing else happens lol

[Bjerreby]

Hi all!

Just to follow up  on my original posting.

My few garlic are making headway with most of them approx 4-6inches high.

HOWEVER...............

Just in the last week, some of them have gone from a healthy green to a yellow colour.

There was cold weather one night, perhaps a very slight frost, but it seems to be only effecting approx half of them....

Was it the cold, or do I need to feed them??

Cheers!

Mine are like small leeks right now. Like you, I have started getting a few yellow leaves (just the oldest outer ones) but the new shoots are very green and vigorous. I understand garlic has very low nitrogen requirements, so I am not concerned about nitrogen deficiency.

The development of roots is stimulated by phosphates, and my plants get that from the piles of seaweed I use, and my seaweed extract. Similarly, I rely on heaps of seaweed and seaweed extract to provide potassium, not that I want my garlic to flower!

Yellow leaves can be due to a deficiency of nitrogen, or phosphate, or potassium, but I suspect in late winter, yellow garlic leaves are due to low light levels.

[PurpleHeather]

I usually put mine round the edges of beds, it is partly to try to try to put off the nasty bugs with their smell.

They get started off in trays in half toilet roll tubes for a few weeks so too, that means the beds which will receive them get them round their rims will be freshly weeded whilst empty which I find easier to do.

Health wise, they do look very lush and green and are 8 inches high.

Last year, I grew them in a bed together and they all got 'rust', it did not seem to effect the bulbs, they were fine but I have gone back to edge growing this year.

[Bjerreby]

Thick as pencils and looking fine to me!