Allotments 4 All

Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: RenishawPhil on May 23, 2011, 11:59:04

Title: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: RenishawPhil on May 23, 2011, 11:59:04
Its been in since November...

However on two on the plants and others(but only one new stem growing out),

Am i right in thinking its bolting?, is this because its been rather dry?, should i take out the extra growth?, i hope all is not lost!!.  They were all grown from a supermarket piece(wel a few pieces).  Last year worked really well.

(http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z480/notts_phil/IMAG0002.jpg)
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: artichoke on May 23, 2011, 13:23:22
I'm not sure from your picture what the problem is.... It has a terrific root system, and it is too early for it to bulk up. Is it the narrowness of the leaves? Sorry if I have missed the point.
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: RenishawPhil on May 23, 2011, 13:25:21
I'm not sure from your picture what the problem is.... It has a terrific root system, and it is too early for it to bulk up. Is it the narrowness of the leaves? Sorry if I have missed the point.

It seems to have developed lots of hard small new stems,which have started to shoot up
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: RenishawPhil on May 23, 2011, 13:26:04
I'm not sure from your picture what the problem is.... It has a terrific root system, and it is too early for it to bulk up. Is it the narrowness of the leaves? Sorry if I have missed the point.

It seems to have developed lots of hard small new stems,which have started to shoot up, but yes i spose it does have a very good root system
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: tim on May 23, 2011, 13:33:36
Most unusual!!
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: RenishawPhil on May 23, 2011, 15:00:46
yes its very strange
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: JimB on May 24, 2011, 16:02:24
Did plant individual cloves or the bulb?
Its just your photo looks like you didn't split the garlic before planting.
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: tim on May 24, 2011, 16:25:59
Well figured!!
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: RenishawPhil on May 24, 2011, 16:27:19
Did plant individual cloves or the bulb?
Its just your photo looks like you didn't split the garlic before planting.


individual cloves were planted
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: tim on May 24, 2011, 16:33:20
Curiouser & curiouser!
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: BarriedaleNick on May 24, 2011, 18:52:56
I'm not sure from your picture what the problem is.... It has a terrific root system, and it is too early for it to bulk up. Is it the narrowness of the leaves? Sorry if I have missed the point.
I thought it too early as well but mine are "going over" so I dug one up today and it's proper big and everything!  My mate pulled all of his and they are ready - they are an early type and we are in the South so that may account - I would say its two or three weeks earlier than last year.
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: RenishawPhil on May 26, 2011, 12:24:54
i might just keep pulling out the hard stems that are produced
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: goodlife on May 26, 2011, 14:19:25
Looks like your clove is split and developed into individual growing points. That clove would have done the 'split' already last year when it was harvested. Although it may looked to you like individual clove..inside the 'paper' it was already segmented. I bet it is some of the inner cloves from the bulb that has done that.
Is there many of them that has done that?
When I pick my cloves for growing I only use few of the largest ones from the bulb and those usually are on outside edge of the bulb.
If you keep pulling the stems off..you are not achieving really anything. Just let them be..and once the tops are starting to die down..pull the whole lot up..dry them as usual..and next autumn divide them and plant as usual. Next summer you should end up with either bulb (if the 'clove' was large enough) or just one big and fat clove and you can then eat or use for re-planting and then should be able to produce a bulb.
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: RenishawPhil on May 26, 2011, 14:22:49
Looks like your clove is split and developed into individual growing points. That clove would have done the 'split' already last year when it was harvested. Although it may looked to you like individual clove..inside the 'paper' it was already segmented. I bet it is some of the inner cloves from the bulb that has done that.
Is there many of them that has done that?
When I pick my cloves for growing I only use few of the largest ones from the bulb and those usually are on outside edge of the bulb.
If you keep pulling the stems off..you are not achieving really anything. Just let them be..and once the tops are starting to die down..pull the whole lot up..dry them as usual..and next autumn divide them and plant as usual. Next summer you should end up with either bulb (if the 'clove' was large enough) or just one big and fat clove and you can then eat or use for re-planting and then should be able to produce a bulb.


Seems to be all of them, ill leave them alone then:)
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: goodlife on May 26, 2011, 15:10:36
I've just checked my garlic book for further info..and one other option for your garlic to produce multiple heads is incorrect storage. Not by you..but commercial storage for supermarkets and for use differ for those that are meant for being planting stock. If most of your garlic is behaving like the one in photo then this would be most likely explanation as just selecting segmented cloves would result only odd few 'faulty' ones.
But even then..my advise from last post would be same....you can use them to create your own planting stock that would best suit your soil and location. It only takes couple of years and being selective by what you save for planting you will end up with suberb garlic.. ;)
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: RenishawPhil on May 26, 2011, 16:17:57
Thanks for the advise, is it likely the garlic wont grow in to proper size cloves and ok for use?
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: goodlife on May 26, 2011, 16:37:16
Oh it is fine to use what ever size it is.. ;D
Those multi headed ones are not going to make much to eat  clove wise so either eat it or save and grow again.
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: RenishawPhil on May 26, 2011, 16:41:47
Its a bit of  shame really as grown a whole bed devoted to just garlic.  Ok only cost the price of the garlic in the shops.

Think next year will get it from the shops.  The year before got it from the shops and it did ever so well.
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: shirlton on May 26, 2011, 16:49:47
Our garlic went in last sept/oct and won't be ready until a third of the leaves are  going brown which will probably be around end  July begining Aug maybe later. Perhaps you have pulled it too early. Try leaving it in for a couple of months and see what happens
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: goodlife on May 26, 2011, 16:55:41
Yes..it is a shame..but..that's why it is so expensive to buy proper 'seed' garlic as they should be stored correctly and be problem free stock to start with.
Rather than buying new stock every year,,why not invest for once and start saving part of your own stock for 'seed'. I always grow roughly 1/3 more garlic than I use..then I have plenty to choose and pick the best bulbs and cloves for cropping next year. Once you get into habit your will never be without garlic anymore.
I'be grown my garlic from my own bulbs for..ohh..10+ years without problems. Does anybody else in your site grow garlic that maybe could spare few for you to start with?
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: ncd72 on May 26, 2011, 19:19:30
Yes..it is a shame..but..that's why it is so expensive to buy proper 'seed' garlic as they should be stored correctly and be problem free stock to start with.
Rather than buying new stock every year,,why not invest for once and start saving part of your own stock for 'seed'. I always grow roughly 1/3 more garlic than I use..then I have plenty to choose and pick the best bulbs and cloves for cropping next year. Once you get into habit your will never be without garlic anymore.
I'be grown my garlic from my own bulbs for..ohh..10+ years without problems. Does anybody else in your site grow garlic that maybe could spare few for you to start with?


Hi sorry to jump in  - i planted some of the proper garlic from our local center in Nov - 3 types - lautrec, solent wight and another - cant remember the name - anyway my plan is to save quite a few cloves for next season - so what's the ideal way to store them so they will be a success?

Many Thanks
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: tim on May 26, 2011, 19:45:53
Cut the stems of the bulbs to some 6" (or leave them whole) & hang in a warm, dry place.
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: goodlife on May 26, 2011, 22:31:34
Code: [Select]
so what's the ideal way to store them so they will be a success?Once you lift the garlic..cure/dry them with their stems on until 'crispy' dry ..maybe in GH or under temperary shelter away from rain. After that you can trim the tops off, but it is not necessary, just looks tidier.
Keep them in dry conditions..that's all. And do not separate the the planting cloves from bulbs until you are ready for planting..that keeps the cloves in optimum condition.
As for rest of the garlic that you are going to eat..keep in dry and frost free space. Nothing fancy about storage...but for sometimes commercial sources keep the bulbs in certain temperature and humidity to prevent the garlic sprouting too early..extending the 'shelf life' and that will mess up with the the growing points inside the cloves.
It is quite complicated story..but basically certain temperature changes trickers certain kind of growth changes within the cloves..the clove in photo looks like its 'blown' prematurely and it's growing points producing 'wrong' kind of growth.
I dry mine on bread trays outside..if there is rain in forecast I just lift them in GH or put sheet of plastic over for little showers. Once dry I tidy the bulbs and put them in smaller blue 'mushroom' trays that are easy to stack up. Ikeep them like that in GH under staging and take them into house for winter. Biggest and best cloves are used up for planting a new crop and rest are used for cooking. Easy..
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: tim on May 27, 2011, 08:02:37
Oh, dear - brilliant reply!!

Wish I'd had the energy to go the whole hog.
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: RenishawPhil on May 27, 2011, 13:47:57
After having a look on various sites, we are going to dig the lot up, remove the roots and freeze the lot, and just use them whole.  I know that freezing may degrade the garlic but better to get the most of it i can out it.  

Unless anyone recommend any other way of storing them?


Edit just looked again and it seems Drying it may be a way to go

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUzgTqWaMpY


Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: goodlife on May 27, 2011, 17:35:42
Code: [Select]
Wish I'd had the energy to go the whole hog. ;D I do carry on with my reply's some times.. ::) ...and yet OH get the short grunts.. ;D
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on May 27, 2011, 19:31:17
Drying is traditional, and it keeps for months. I take a few bulbs at a time, put them through a blender with a little water, and freeze them in a cube mould. It saves chopping garlic every time, but drying is still my main method.
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: RenishawPhil on May 28, 2011, 09:17:28
Drying is traditional, and it keeps for months. I take a few bulbs at a time, put them through a blender with a little water, and freeze them in a cube mould. It saves chopping garlic every time, but drying is still my main method.

How do you find the quality of garlic when using it ?,does it also keep?
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: BarriedaleNick on May 28, 2011, 11:07:17
Garlic keeps well in the freezer.  I dry most of mine and get my OH the plait them and hang them in the garage.  They generally last through the Winter till Feb/March when they start to sprout.  What I do then is to peel, blend with a little oil, heat then cool and keep in the fridge or freezer.  I am still using last years and have picked most of this years!
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: ncd72 on May 28, 2011, 11:27:06
Blimey - there's some tips there - thanks for all the replies.

First time growing garlic but looking forward to tasting it - they look really strong and healthy at the moment - when's the best time to lift them?

Thanks Again
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: tim on May 28, 2011, 11:48:25
Try this............".Garlic is normally ready for harvesting when most of the foliage has turned yellowy-brown - this will be around mid August time
Problems will occur mainly in wet summers as the yellowing will take longer, and if they are left in wet ground, they will become diseased
If the weather is wet in early August, pull up one bulb and see how many sheaths (very thin papery layers around the bulb) you can peel off the bulb
If there are more than four layers, it is advised to wait another two weeks or until the leaves have turned brown
When harvesting garlic bulbs, gently ease them out of the ground with the assistance of using a trowel to loosen the surrounding soi".l

 Others say when 1/3 of the foliage has yellowed. and harvesting time obviously depends on variety.

Good luck!

= Tim
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: ncd72 on May 28, 2011, 13:26:52
Thanks Tim - good advice!
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: 1066 on May 28, 2011, 14:40:49
interesting reading Tim  :)
I find mine is ready to be pulled towards mid June, planted in Nov. I guess both variety and location impact on this
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: manicscousers on May 28, 2011, 15:18:11
Ours has now got rust, just taken off the scapes to cook in the stir fry, bulbs look a decent size , just got to wait until the foliage dies off  :)
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: tim on May 28, 2011, 16:06:54
When we grew Garlic - before the White Rot affected every inch of the garden - Solent Wight lifted about mid-July.

DO remember the long rotation time for safety.
Title: Re: Whats happened to our garlic!!!
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on May 28, 2011, 19:09:10
I lift mine as soon as a few stems have fallen over. If I leave it any longer than that, the skins turn grey and start to rot.
SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal