What Garlic Varieties to Get? and Best Tips?

[irridium]

My Music a hardneck porcelain variety didn't do that well this yr. it grew in my raised bed from Nov-July in MP compost and i think it was the fact that it was the MP compost that dried out too quickly in the Spring. I'm a bit sceptical about growing this variety again, or do you think i should give it another go? now that i have a lotti (aquired this Feb) i shall be making a whole bed of them. i bought two packs of French Thermidour (or something to that effect ::)) and have about 15 cloves of Music that was saved. what made things worse from my harvest was that i stored them to dry out for a bit in the greenhouse. they got baked and the cloves turned yellow! not a good idea :'( :'( :'( :'(

i know growing garlic in the ground will be a lot more productive for me. Do you think growing them on the sloping edge of my raised (unsupported) bed where my leeks are growing will be ok? there's conflicting advice about them being planted to a certain depth, or grown on ridges so i'm wondering if they're suitable there.

[irridium]

[Robert_Brenchley]

Just put them in, they're pretty indestructible. No need to worry about the details, I just dib a hole and drop the clove in. My crop was pathetic this year; I don't think they like drought, but if you plant them now they'll have plenty of time to establish a root system before spring. I haven't tried Music, but it's got a good reputation, so I wouldn't worry too much.

[caroline7758]

I bought Marco, Germidor and Thermidrome (sp?) at the RHS shop at HarlowCarr at the weekend- £2.99 for 3 bulbs which I thought wasn't bad. What surprised me was that all the Isle of Wight varieties were £2.99 for 1 bulb!

[Deb P]

Planted mine yesterday...another vote for Marco, very reliable for me. Other favourite is Messidrome, and I'm trying Edenrose, Lautrec Wight and Germidor this year too as an experiment.

[goodlife]

Did anybody see the food program at BBC yesterday where celeb chefs are trying 'save' Brittish food..can't remember the name now.
Anyway..Clarissa Dickens (?) was promoting British garlic. She visited Wisley, where this chap was planting some garlic on their 'show' beds... ::)not seen such a utter nonsence before.. ::)...he made shallow drench, placed the cloves in it and put the soil back over on to a small ridges and really firmed hard with his hands.. :o ::)
Why all the hard work?..I just make little hole and pop the clove in, just little swipe with hand or rake on surface to fill the holes and job done.
This year I grow my usual garlic..variety name long lost, solent wight, some Finnish garlic (Ristijarvi), Lithuanian garlic-Ziemiai, Polish hardneck, Elephant and Russian Giant (Aleksander) that are just bulbils for to grow future bulbs.
I'm feeling a urge to start collecting garlic varieties..... ::) ::)..it is going to be baad mistake.. ::) :-X

[Deb P]

I just lay the cloves on the surface to get the spacing even, poke a hole with my finger and drop the clove in and cover.......works for me! Does seem a lot of fuss digging a trench (it that the same a drench.....? ;D ;D ;))

[grawrc]

Is a drench not a trench that's been watered? ::)

[goodlife]

Ah...never mind...I'm sure you all understood what I meant.. ;D I should really read again what I write.. ::)

[gavinjconway]

Hi Guys... sorry to hijack but will the garlic store till the next crop is ready to pull? in a cold / cool dark place in the shed or cellar etc.. 

[Deb P]

I keep mine in the dark & cool in my kitchen veg drawer, it last me until next June.....usually!

[gavinjconway]

I've never grown loads so always eaten them before long!!

[goodlife]

My garlic book says..:
"how well and long garlic stores is dependent upon the cultivar, growing conditions and storage condition."
"For storage garlic needs good air circulation, temperature above 10'C (ideal 13-14'C) with relative humidity of 45-50%"
If you store it in too cold it will start to sprout,,,thinking is winter and time grow.
Too humid and the roots start growing and paper goes mouldy..too dry and the they wither.
Generally best is just simply keeping them hung up in the kitchen area...they last reasonably well under wide range of conditions.
"Pumping garlic with nitrogen and water may produce larger bulbs, but they store less well."
And apparently "small and medium sized bulbs store best"..so eat the largest first.. ;)

[gavinjconway]

Thanks goodlife - very helpful.

[irridium]

do you think it's ok for the garlic to be planted on the slope of my raised leek bed, or do they have to be grown on a flat surface. i've other beds to dig over you see, and don't really want to mix the allium family up!

[irridium]

how successful is spring-planted garlic. i've heard quite of few reports that it doesn't do as well.

[goodlife]

Garlic should do ok on slight slope.
Few years ago RHS did a garlic trial and they did found that some soft neck varieties did do better with spring planting than autumn planting...one particular one was Solent Wight.
All hardnecks are better with autumn planting.
I've always planted mine all in one go..not matter what the variety..but I've found Solent Wight making loads of tiny cloves and I'm not keen those...so this year..fingers crossed that weather should allow ..I'm leaving the Solent to next year planting.
If the weather gets as hard as last year..I just have to start them in modules and transplant when the ground and weather is ready.

[Mr Smith]

I have already planted my Garlic(five varieties), I bought some seed garlic one being 'Solent White' and also some off Leicester market, why have I planted some shop bought Garlic, well on our allotments Mario and his Sicilian uncle grow the best garlic and they grow loads of it, so when I asked Mario where did he buy his seed garlic from he said, ' Whata is da seeda Garlic?, I buy Offa da fruiti stall on da market', so I thought that'll do for me cocker, :)

[irridium]

planted a few of the saved Music, and the rest i've had to buy new - Thermidrome, Marco and Christo. Most went on the slope and a few on the flat in between the ultra-thin leeks. i'm thinking whether to pull the leeks up as half of them are not as pencil-thin as the books suggested when putting them out in July/Aug. Mine went in about a month ago and they certainly won't be ready for cropping till middle of next yr! ::)

[Robert_Brenchley]

Most of my garlic's offa da market stall as well. It's growing like mad.

[green lily]

I've been replanting the best cloves of my garlic for about 5/6 years. I gather it gets used to your own situation. Always plant the biggest cloves - I guess like bulbs it gets them off to a good start. Mines been in for over a month and is now showing. It likes quite rich soil- you won't get something for nothing. I've several strings hanging in the garage but if it gets too cold I'll bring it inside. Mine lasts a good year with no probs.- scept we eat it..
Like breadmaking the longer you leave it the better it gets. Think I got the original bulbs from the organic gardening cat. but have forgotten its name. I only plant in autumn as summer never seems long enough for good bulbs to develop. Market stall garlic is fine especially if you keep it and get it used to your site. Like bread garlic is really dead simple. Feed soil, push it in and leave it. Enjoy ;D