garlic flowering - advice please

[sweet-pea]

I noticed that my garlic had flower heads developing at the weekend, so I removed all the buds, but I'm wondering now whether I should lift the garlic or is it ok to leave it in longer?

SP x

[sweet-pea]

[tim]

What variety? Some are meant to flower?

[sweet-pea]

Oh dear, I think it's this one from Seeds of Italy 'GARLIC ROSSA DI SULMONA'.  I actually dug up a few last night and there seems to be some sort of white mould around the bulbs, would that be white rot do you think?

[Tee Gee]

so I removed all the buds,

Thats fine!! It saves the plant using its energy to produce flowers when it could be used to expand the bulbs(cloves)

but I'm wondering now whether I should lift the garlic or is it ok to leave it in longer?

If the tops are still quite green leave them and allow the bulbs (cloves) to expand a bit more.

When they start flopping over naturally then lift them!!

[sweet-pea]

Thanks both, shall leave them in a wee bit longer then.

SP x

[tim]

TG - did you miss the white mould bit?

Should they not be treated as though it IS the Rot & every precaution taken?

And at last some lifted before they get worse??

[Tee Gee]

TG - did you miss the white mould bit?

Do you mean your Victor Meldrew bit  ;D where you showed a picture of a badly infected bulb?

No I didn't miss it but there has been so much on garlic of late I am getting to the 'rusty' stage  ;) and I can't recall all of what I have replied too.

I think to sum up on garlic I would say that it is best to leave them till they flop over by themselves then lift them, leave them to dry, string them up and store in a convenient well aired not to hot space.

Regarding rust I would say this is a seasonal thing and is only a foliar problem so no problem for future seasons.

White rot my heart goes out to people with this I think their best course of action is to buy their 'allium'  products from a greengrocer for the next ten years.

Have I covered everything? ;D