garlic bulbing up or disaster looming?

[aquilegia]

Should my garlic have formed bulbs by now?

I planted it last November. It's had a very cold winter. I looked at a few randomly digging down to see how they were doing and they haven't formed bulbs. They look like leeks. I know they do this if it's not been a cold winter, but it was!

Is there anything I can do to salvage it? Or am I just being impatient at usual?

Also if I pull them while still green, can I use the stalks like leeks? Just a thought!

[aquilegia]

[Tee Gee]

Or am I just being impatient at usual?

I think so!

What do the leaves look like?

I don't usually harvest to late June / early July as a rule so plenty time yet!

[goodlife]

Garlic doesn't bulb up until 'last minute'..they may look ready as they have so much top growth but bulb doesn't start to swell up until about June time..and everything is late this year..
I did have some green garlic other day and not bulb what so ever yet...just straight as leek..but still tasty.. ;)
So no need to salvage anything..patience is what you need.. ;D ;)

[kt.]

 2 years ago, I purchased 2 bulbs of Solent White costing £8!! :o :o    They never fattened.  At harvest, the cloves on new bulbs were smaller than the ones I had sown in sand and compost.   I guess i will try again in November.... after reading this thread - I guess I may of been too impatient  ::) ::)

[goodlife]

If your clove is not big enough to start with..they will not make decent size bulb...that's why it is always recommended that you use your biggest and best cloves for growing on..depending of variety of garlic you may only have 3-6 decent size cloves per bulb...those small ones will grow too but may take 2 years to grow to a proper bulb..some times you only get one just larger clove,,you can save this and re-plant it again later on the year, by next summer it should be bulb with cloves...

[aquilegia]

Thanks. I should know by now that I'm prone to being impatient! I didn't realise it didn't bulb up until last minute. phew!

The tops are starting to yellow, which is why I thought it should be nearly ready by now.

[goodlife]

Starting to yellow?...they should be their lushest now :o...have you given them any feed since winter?

[nilly71]

I've had to pick the seed heads off mine.

Neil

[goodlife]

 :o..are we in UK..?...I'm in Notts. and mine are just nice and green, no sign of seed heads what so ever..yet..mine are just nice and tall and very green ..and I would not even expect to see them yet..I did plant mine in November too....
My garlic is ready for harvest around end of June..so at the moment it is it's prime growing time..and the "seed" heads will start to show in few weeks time..end of this month perhaps...?

[aquilegia]

I'm in the UK. I did give them a feed with chicken manure a month ago maybe? Can't remember now. And I mulched them at the same time.

It's been so dry here and we're on heavy clay. Plus last month the weather was like June. Although now we seem to have gone back to March again. brrr.

I think I'll just have to wait and see.

Should I water them when it's dry?

[goodlife]

No..you should not need to...maybe your chicken pellets haven't had chance to work yet..as it has been dry and with mulch...did you put the mulch on dry surface?...We've had some rain now..so if it is lack of feed..you should expect to see change soon..
Anyway...it will be fine...it is quite difficult to totally fail with garlic after all... ;D ;D
Sounds like you have done what you can..leave it to the powers above now.. ;)

[spiritofold]

I put a good sprinkling of sulphate of amonia around my garlic and onions, it helps fatten them up a treat ;-)

Andy

[PAULW]

Goodlife we have not had any rain decent down here in Dorset for six weeks there has only been enough to settle the dust, I am watering my onions and garlic to stop them bolting