When to pull garlic?

[fbgrifter]

mubgrub>>  you may have planted the cloves too deeply.  the garlic needs to feel the cold in order to put on growth and split into segments.  you can plant between 1 and 4 inches deep.

[fbgrifter]

[Mubgrub]

I think it must have just been too mild then.  I left the tops just peeping out  because my soil was uber heavy at the time (getting better though, slowly ;D).

[bunnycat]

Here's my first homegrown bulb of garlic



The leaves have only just started going over, so I pulled one just to see what was happening as I've never grown garlic before, and these are in tubs ;D
From the outside, it looks as if it might have split into cloves but I suppose I won't know for sure until we're ready to eat it.
I'm not at all disappointed, as I had no idea whether they'd be okay in tubs or not.

[Bluejane]

Down here in deepest darkest Somerset, we do many things according to old wive's tales. On garlic the local philosophy is plant on the shortest day and harvest on the longest day. It worked for me ;D

Doesn't that only work if you have a Mediterranean-type climate? I tried it here (the West of Ireland) a couple of years ago and it was a total failure. Planted in spring this year, when we're more or less guaranteed a cold spell, and it seems to be doing a bit better - though nowhere near ready yet. Mind you, I do wonder whether it's worth attempting at all when we don't get much heat or dry weather!

[tim]

In the West of Ireland, who cares if you can grow Garlic?? You lucky people!!

[Bluejane]

Thanks for those encouraging words, Tim! Have just spent a weekend in Herefordshire, which is looking particularly lush and pretty (and 'English', I suppose) at the moment, and came back feeling very jealous. But I suppose I should be more grateful for what I have! (Which may or may not include garlic this year ...)

[tim]

Well - beggars, they say............!!

At least we missed the dreaded rot this year, in the beds.

But when, after such a good showing to date, they all flopped over today, I thought that their time had come. But very unnaturally. So I dug the best of the 30 or so. Oh, well!!

One thing I have noticed is that I got the wrong mix of soil for the beds.

[wardy]

Does rust do any harm to the garlic anyone?  I'm looking after a bloke's lotty and his garlic is covered in rust and is next to his shallots.  Shall I pull them or leave them (garlic that is)? 

Wardy

[Mubgrub]

Others will probably know more, Wardy but my garlic was absolutely covered in rust and fine when I harvested.  How long is your friend away for?  I'd leave it so he gets the fun bit of pulling it up.  ;D

[Mrs Ava]

Looks good Tim!

Rust is more cosmetic, altho if it is very bad, it does make them poorly.  I wouldn't worry about it Wardy.

[tim]

Better than rot, Emma, but not properly 'cloved'.