Topic: Garlic ... just in the nick of time!

[squeezyjohn]

I realised in a panic today that the garlic was approaching time for harvesting and it's been raining really heavily on and off for about a week.  So I went out to harvest the lot.

I'm glad I did ... it's a bit early and the bulbs are still a bit on the small side, but there was definitely some rot beginning at the bottom of the bit that cases the cloves near the roots ... I reckon I got away with 90% of my crop with 10% just too rotten to even consider keeping, most of the rotten ones were my soft neck variety.  I grew 2 hardneck types (Moravian Giant and Donetsk Red) - I've left the Moravian giants in the ground as their bulbs are nowhere near ready - but most of the Donetsk Reds were fine.

I would urge others to check theirs too ... especially if you have had problems with mould before, or if it's planted anywhere except the most free-draining soil.  Better to get 90% of a small crop than 0% of a big one!

[johhnyco15]

took mine up last week out of 2 rows only lost 2 to white rot  good size bulbs for the variety germidor think if i left them any longer would have lost a few more they are drying nicely  in the green house will plat them up next week

[Tee Gee]

only lost 2 to white rot

???? are you sure it was WHITE rot as there are many types of rot see here:

https://www.seminis.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/Onion-Disease-Guide.PDF

Why I ask is if you have white rot you could have the start of something serious!





http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Onion%20White%20rot/Onion%20-%20White%20Rot.htmhttp://

[squeezyjohn]

The rot I get on mine always looks like that ... and it seems to have always been in the soil on my plot sadly and it doesn't seem to make much difference which bit of the plot they're grown on.  However - it does not mean that I can't get a crop of onions or garlic, just that I have to be very careful when I harvest stuff.  I've improved drainage by building beds up, the rot tends to only set in with very wet weather for a prolonged period of time just as the crop is coming to maturity.  I'm seriously hoping my onions don't get it this year - but for that I need it to really dry up in July!

[johhnyco15]

only lost 2 to white rot

???? are you sure it was WHITE rot as there are many types of rot see here:

https://www.seminis.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/Onion-Disease-Guide.PDF

Why I ask is if you have white rot you could have the start of something serious!





http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Onion%20White%20rot/Onion%20-%20White%20Rot.htmhttp://

yes tg that's the fellow everybody on our site is effected tried allsorts of remedy's no work just hope that my new plots not effectedthis year amillotox and jays fluid kept most at bay however did lose some  thats one of the downsides of living on the sunshine coast warm and some years damp a haven for fungus

[strawberry1]

I took all mine out yesterday and fortunately no sign of any rot. We have had a good few days of sun here in somerset, so the ground has been nice and dry and bulbs are big. It was quite a heavy weight to carry home, now drying outside under shelter. Phew

[galina]

Thanks for the warning.  A couple of my shallots fell over.  They were very topheavy, so I didn't think anything of it.  Until I read your post and the penny dropped, Squeezyjohn!  Thank you, also saved in the nick of time.  Just some of the shallots of two varieties, all the others and the garlic still looking really good, but I am on the lookout now!  Thanks   

[caroline7758]

Dug a row of mine yesterday- about 25% with white rot so will get the rest up soon. Haven't bothered with onions this year but thought I'd try garlic in a different spot.

[astraman1]

planted 40 last year only got 10 as the rest had white rot lost all my onions too last year

so in august i chucked a load of garlic powder on to the section i was growing my alliums

its supposed to trick the spores into germinating and there is nothing to feed on as no alliums planted they die and when you plant your garlic/onions there free to grow

this year ive harvested most of my garlic and they are all fine shallots are still growing

[Duke Ellington]

I dug all mine up today. My onions where a very good size and the garlic were rusty. We've had so much rain over the past few days so thought it best to bring them home. No white rot ...phew! I now have a bed empty. WHat can I put in it?

[squeezyjohn]

planted 40 last year only got 10 as the rest had white rot lost all my onions too last year

so in august i chucked a load of garlic powder on to the section i was growing my alliums

its supposed to trick the spores into germinating and there is nothing to feed on as no alliums planted they die and when you plant your garlic/onions there free to grow

this year ive harvested most of my garlic and they are all fine shallots are still growing

Great to hear that technique seems to be working for people!  It sounds like it makes sense!

[johhnyco15]

you can see some of garlic shallotts and onions drying on the shed door so maybe the jays fluid and amillotox worked or i was sh*t lucky

[Tee Gee]

Noticed when I went on to the plot this morning that the tops of one variety were flat on the floor so I lifted them and was pleasantly surprised with the size at this time of the season. Usually I don't harvest until mid to late July.

This them on my slatted drying off bench.





That is a 4" label, indicating that the bulbs were all around 2" in diameter which is just about the norm for me.

The crop came from saved cloves.

[Deb P]

Mine had also toppled over, so came out this afternoon. Not my biggest heads of garlic, but between 3-4", not the worst either. Shallots are also toppled so will need to be out soon, very variable in size, some biggies.

[Paulines7]

I normally wait until the leaves start dying off before lifting my garlic but a few days ago I noticed they were developing rust.  I decided to lift them straight away as I didn't want the rust to spread to anything else.  I was pleased with the size of the bulbs but many of them had started to split and some of the cloves looked as if they were producing new shoots.  Would they develop if I sowed some of the cloves now or is it far too early?

Mine looked like those in TeeGee's picture and I would normally lay mine out like that to dry.  However, as the leaves had rust, I cut the stalks about 6 inches above the bulbs.  I am now wondering if I did the right thing and will harm the storage of the bulbs in any way?  Any advice is welcomed please. 

[Tee Gee]

I took these photo right after lifting and usually leave them like this for around 24 hours.

I cut the stalks down the following morning, I don't measure the remaining stalk as such.

I grasp the stem in my hand allow the heel of my hand to touch the bulb then I cut the stem off just above my thumb and fore finger.

This gives me a stem of around 4"-5" long.

[Paulines7]

Thanks TeeGee.  My stems are about 4"-5" long too.  When I dug mine up, I left them sitting on a wall for a day or so whilst I contemplated whether or not to remove the stalks or let them dry naturally still attached to the bulb.  Looks like I did the right thing then TeeGee.   

I am still wonering whether to plant some of the cloves now.  I suppose I haven't got anything to lose.

[galina]

Pauline,  I usually plait them straightaway and hang them up in the conservatory where they dry beautifully.  Just seemed to happen this way, but since last year's garlic of which I had just a few cloves remaining, was still ok, it seems to work out as a decent storage method also. 

[Mike J]

Started to dig mine up last week but they were disappointingly small, and left the others to see if they would improve. Will get them out now, given the worries about rotting. I wondered if the very mild winter - don't remember a frost here on the south coast - may have had an effect on their growth.