Author Topic: Elephant Garlic - planting  (Read 3038 times)

Tiny Clanger

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Elephant Garlic - planting
« on: October 29, 2019, 13:50:42 »
Going to plant some elephant garlic for next season. Not my idea, it came as an addon feebie with my main garlic order.

As I've not grown this before, I looked on "t'internet" for how to plant. One site reckoned a depth of 3 -6 cm, and another 4 - 6 INCHES! The latter does seem very deep, but as this thing is really a leek not garlic I'm not sure which to believe   :blob7:

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Tee Gee

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Re: Elephant Garlic - planting
« Reply #1 on: October 29, 2019, 14:52:03 »
The rule of thumb I always use with any bulb/corm is;  plant them twice as deep as their height e.g 1" tall  = 2" deep!

If I have a variety of mixed sizes;  I do the above calculation on the tallest bulb/corm!

Hope that helps!

pumkinlover

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Re: Elephant Garlic - planting
« Reply #2 on: October 29, 2019, 17:36:02 »
Googling gets the same results, though it does say to plant deeper in cooler climates.
Thanks for starting this thread, I had been meaning to post a  question as to whether anyone has succeded with elephant garlic as mine doesn't seem to do anything. It appears that it is best planted at this time of year, but I have been buying it at potato day at the end of January. By treating it as a spring/summer growing garlic it never got time to grow. Time for a re-think for me>

Vetivert

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Re: Elephant Garlic - planting
« Reply #3 on: October 29, 2019, 17:54:30 »
Not my idea, it came as an addon feebie with my main garlic order.

Where did you order?  :tongue3:

Tiny Clanger

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Re: Elephant Garlic - planting
« Reply #4 on: October 30, 2019, 14:34:44 »
Hi Vetivert, I got it from Kings. They had a "special" on. I thought there was 3 varieties of garlic, it turned out to be 5 varieties of garlic - hard and soft neck - plus a couple of Elephant  garlic, which I have to admit I did not really want but I would like to do right by it now its here and I know nothing about griwing it.
I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.

Tiny Clanger

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Re: Elephant Garlic - planting
« Reply #5 on: October 30, 2019, 14:37:24 »
The rule of thumb I always use with any bulb/corm is;  plant them twice as deep as their height e.g 1" tall  = 2" deep!

If I have a variety of mixed sizes;  I do the above calculation on the tallest bulb/corm!

Hope that helps!

Thanks TEEGEE. PS. I will be lifting the OCA end of the week if the frost has taken the foliage back
I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.

Tiny Clanger

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Re: Elephant Garlic - planting
« Reply #6 on: October 30, 2019, 14:41:35 »
Googling gets the same results, though it does say to plant deeper in cooler climates.
Thanks for starting this thread, I had been meaning to post a  question as to whether anyone has succeded with elephant garlic as mine doesn't seem to do anything. It appears that it is best planted at this time of year, but I have been buying it at potato day at the end of January. By treating it as a spring/summer growing garlic it never got time to grow. Time for a re-think for me>

Hi Pumpkinlover. I always plant garlic when the clocks go back. Usually get a very good result this way. I find garlic in Warwickshire needs a winter.  Elephant garlic is a leek though, and I've not had such good results with leeks 😡
I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.

galina

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Re: Elephant Garlic - planting
« Reply #7 on: October 30, 2019, 17:53:58 »
Twice the depth of the bulb as TG said.  This is either 6cm or 6 inches depending whether you count what is on top of the bulb or the depth that the base of the bulb is at.  Garlics usually find their own way, but there is a bit of heave on frosty soil, especially light soil and there are birds pulling too.  On light soils I would plant a tad deeper and firm well in.  Good luck.  Autumn is better than spring.  :wave:

Tiny Clanger

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Re: Elephant Garlic - plantingthanks for that.
« Reply #8 on: October 30, 2019, 19:52:02 »
Thanks for that Galina. I'll get everything in by the weekend fingers crossed. Its down as a bad weekend here according to the weather. We have our communal bonfire on saturday too.  :blob7:
I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.

Pescador

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Re: Elephant Garlic - planting
« Reply #9 on: October 30, 2019, 20:12:58 »
Could someone please clarify the depth of planting?
If I want to plant a bulb 5cm deep, is that 5cm from surface to top of bulb or 5cm from surface to base of bulb?
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ed dibbles

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Re: Elephant Garlic - planting
« Reply #10 on: October 30, 2019, 20:38:37 »
October 17th is my preferred target date for both elephant garlic and overwintering onion sets. So both have been in around two weeks.

I always plant elephant garlic twelve inches apart each way with the tops of the cloves about an inch underground (so the bottom of the clove may be three inches down.) They may not show any above ground growth for a couple of months.

They get a general feed in February and another in April with a first week of July harvest. I always get a good crop and the twelve biggest bulbs are saved so the cycle can repeat the following October. As I always plant about fifty cloves I need twelve bulbs so I have enough. :happy7:

 

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