Garlic growing mistake

[LauraB]

I think I've made a mistake with my garlic. I was advised to start it off in pots indoors last week by a lottie neighbour. Well I've done that and it's growing fast! The shoots are about 2 inches high and the roots have reached the bottoms of the pots - 9cm ones. I've looked through the books today and none mention planting garlic in January, or in pots  ::)

What should I do? Have I ruined it? Will it be ok in pots for now, or should I plant it in the lottie/in bigger pots?

[LauraB]

[artichoke]

Garlic needs a long growing season and a cold snap. I planted mine in November, and they are 6" tall and looking good. All you need to do is plant yours out quickly and hope the frost forecast for next week actually happens. They really do need cold, not being protected indoors.

[cambourne7]

I planted a bulbs in November and tomorrow i am going to pop up to the plot for 5 min ( negotiated with hubbie if i wrap up warm and dont do any heavy lifting ).

I have 1/2 a small bed ready in the plot which i plan to plant 2 more blubs of garlic in so that it will get the cold snap next week. These should have been planted 2 weeks ago but not been able to get up to the plot.

Last year i planted Garlic in March and it had more or less rotted into the ground by June  :-X

So think year i am covering all the bases and getting it in the ground earlier!!

[Robert_Brenchley]

Plant it out, it's far from being too late, but get it done ASAP.

[kitten]

Yeah, get it in the lottie asap Laura, as said previously it needs the cold to splinter into the cloves.  I put some in my back garden in November and it's about 4 inches tall now and have some more to put in down the lottie asap.  I'm planning on getting it in by end of this month and then crossing my fingers that we do get a bit of winter  ::) .  Good luck! x

[vee]

Last year I grew garlic for the first time and planted one bulb in cells on the 28th January. I put them in the cold frame and planted them out on the 18th of March. I also planted a second bulb straight into the ground on the same day(18 March) and I couldn't tell the difference between them. I got a fantastic crop from them all.

I would certainly put your pots outside so they grow nice and sturdy, if you can't plant them in the ground.