Topic: Growing softneck garlic

[Tiny Clanger]

I'm going to have a go at growing soft neck garlic, as I have been given a couple of bulbs (and some elephant garlic).  I usually grow hard neck and over winter (Planting early next month) Is there a difference in the way soft neck garlic is grown?

 

[lezelle]

Hi Ya, Interesting. I have two bulbs on their. They will not turn sometime next month. I went for soft neck as they are more reliable I read somewhere. Hardneck are bigger but less cloves as far I understand. You say you will plant them next month is this not a bit late? will it be plants or cloves? I am looking at growing in pots in a cold greenhouse and plant out in the new year. Perhaps I am better off planting next month as well as I did plant some cloves on the plot 3 years ago but found one rotting and no others so never bothered again. This year that bit of ground has not been used and surprise surprise I have noticed several garlics sprouting and that gave me the inspiration to grow some more. I am on free draining soil and I heard they prefer that so fingers crossed.

[galina]

Softneck is easier than hardneck generally speaking.  Early November, unless the ground is frozen, is still not too late. 

[Plot22]

I set around 200 garlic each year. I grow 24 -30 elephant and then 4 varieties of softneck Early Purple White, Provence White, Iberian and Vallelado . I save the biggest bulbs from my own crop to set and I have not bought any for at least 4/5 years. I always set the last week of October under netting as on our site we suffer from Allium Leaf Miner. Water well in dry conditions and then stop watering a month before harvesting.

[Tiny Clanger]

I usually put garlic in when the clocks go back (no idea why, except one of the old boy's from compost corner thought halloween and garlic went together in some arcane way). I've only ever grown hardneck before, the sort that throws up scapes?  ( just what was available when I started a couple of years ago.) It sounds like you grow them the same. We don't get frosts hear much till December .Thanks everybody, I'll run them in soon, and a couple of rows of broad beans