Before planting some of my garlic today (at last!) I checked the instructions that came with it and various books & found the depth suggested varied from "just under the soil" to 3-4" deep. What would you do? I only planted one row as I think the ground was a bit too wet, so I'd be glad of your opinions before I do any more.
I plant about 2" down. No sign of most of mine though and they were planted about four to five weeks ago. Overwintering onions sown around the same time off and away.
I push mine in as far a my finger and thumb go.
Book says 'cover by 1"'.
I don't believe it is actually critical, the main reason for depth is to stop the birds pulling the cloves out before they have rooted.
Derekthefox :D
I also push my cloves a finger depth down (3") as with the bad winter will hopfully keep them out of frost work for me last year had so much I have had to replant some of last years crop.
Yes definitely about 3", as far as you can poke them down, they want to be deep, not like onions.
For what purpose Jen, do they actually grow underground? And if so, does that also apply to elephant garlic ?
Derekthefox :D
Everyone is free to re-invent the wheel if it works for them but, for a newcomer, I would point to the fact that Colin Boswell has been growing commercially for 25 years & I always quote his advice.
Thanks to blight - see my next!!
i could not find any advice on how deep to plant the cloves in mr. boswell´s text.
it does not matter much, anyway .mr. derekthefox has mentioned the main point.
Bob Flowerdew says: not too shallow, not too deep: between 1 & 2 inches deep.
i wonder where he measures from: the tip of the clove or the bottom?
if from bottom, the tips willl be flush with the surface, if from tip, they are truly buried.
I'd say from the tip, for definite.
I don't think the minutiae of depth matter; dib a hole and drop it in.
Thanks everyone- I guess the answer is somewhere between 1 and 3 inches!
If you plant the cloves 1-3 inches deep will be ok. More important is to put them in fullsun and in a fertile, well drained soil with plenty of organic matter. Good luck :D
How soon should they be showing above soil level though? Are mine going to be OK?
I'd say give 'em another couple of weeks Clanger. They've got further to travel than OW onions...
i plant half of my garlic in the autumn , half in spring. the autumn planted stuff is ready a fortnight earlier than the spring planted. but doesn´t keep as long. actually it sprouts about this time of year.
You're SO RIGHT BLIGHT!!
Couldn't get back in last night to fix my error - the machine was completely gummed up, so gave up & went to bed.
Herewith the CORRECT bit of the spiel!!
You say 'no matter'? I'm no expert, but I believe it must matter - the grower's livelihood depends upon it. So, if you believe that, back to my original offering of 'cover by one inch'?
My only surprise is the row spacing. I'm checking that with Colin today. It may be for commercial weed control? Or the proper drying off of the crop?
I am finding this all so fascinating, I never realised there was so much involved in planting garlic !!! I accept that the garlic will grow regardless, but we are all after decent crops after all, so details like this DO matter ...
Derekthefox :D
And keep up-to-date?
Like - http://www.thegarlicfarm.co.uk/garlicfarmer.asp
Indeed thank you Tim, that is now in my favourites ...
Derekthefox :D
I promised -
"Good to hear from you. You can bring the rows down to 14†apart or up to 36â€. In theory you can then put the bulbs closer together within the row or in a crow foot order but we find the best population and size will come from about 16†and bulbs 5-6†apart.
Hope this helps" - Colin
Tim - hmm, looked again at planting depth and also that link, which is really good.
I actually went out and pushed my finger into the soil, the way that I really do when planting - and guess what - no way is it 3" !! More like one and a half, so yes, there would be about an inch of soil on top when covered.
So I have learned today that I have littler fingers than I thought!
Perhaps you planted them at 3 inches, but they have worked their way upwards? This forllows simple fluid theory, whereby bodies close to a boundary layer will tend to migrate towards that layer... Alas the mathematics of it eludes my befuddled brain now ...
Derekthefox :D
Seems I got it right by pure acident, I poke a hole with my index finger to the depth of the second knuckle. That seems to equate to a covering of 1" when filled in. {:¬)#
Oh dear...I planted mine like onions!! Got so worried, went and trenched them up!! Have probably done more harm than good, but they're growing away quite happily, perhaps they haven't read the book and I'll get away with it.. :-\
LIkewise Lottie. Planted so the tip of the clove was just below ground but they have sprouted and have leaves about 6" long and appear happy enough. Last year I did the same and had the only crop from all the plots without rust. Beginners luck maybe but who knows.
I also though that you planted them close to the surface because some frost helped prevented the plants going to seed?
Iain
Phew!! OK then, don't feel too much of a dufus...well do, but normal ammount..
Frost, Iain, 'makes them clove'.
Quotesome frost helped prevented the plants going to seed
Quote
Frost, Iain, 'makes them clove'
what about the garlic that´s grown in countries without winter frost? must be 90 %
of all garlic or more i suppose.
I think it is a prolonged period with a soil temperature below 10oC that makes them clove. Frost is just a guarentee that they have spent a prolonged period below 10oC
oic, my "something learned every day" thing then ;D
Interesting point, blight!
Quote "Isle of Wight Garlic is planted from October to February and the first garlic shoots mark the rows from January onwards. Garlic requires a spell of cold weather, generally 1-2 weeks at 0-4C, to prepare itself physiologically for bulb formation later in the year"