Just planted 150 cloves of garlic for next year's crop. Previously, I have just pushed the cloves into the soil, so the tops were about level with the soil surface. However I had read in various places that the cloves should be planted about 2 inches deep, so along I went with a dibber and made lots and lots of little holes ... :)
Does planting at this depth produce a better crop of garlic?
I always plant mine deep, never actually heard ot it being planted like onions with the tops just showing through :)
Isn't it early for planting garlic?
Is there a specified planting time? It is my opinion (perhaps wrong) that garlic can be grown all round the year, but benefits from an exposure to low temperatures eg frosts, in order to get the head to clove ...
I have clear land, and am trying to make good use of it over the winter. Over the next few weeks, I will also be planting my winter onion sets and my elephant garlic.
I think it may be advisable to get busy with your dibber again ;)
I believe that the optimum depth of garlic is measured similar to other bulbs - approx twice the length, so 1-2"? Deeper for elephant garlic. Putting them in so early and exposing the tips will a) leave them susceptible to rotting-off in rain now and b) give new growth little protection when the frosts hit. However, as they're now in I'm sure you'll not be inclined to get them out, but replanting deeper would be good.
Sorry - thought you'd planted as per previous years? Seems not... :-\
I planted mine like onions last year not having read up about them in advance so now I know to plant deeper. Still had a fabulous crop though: beginner's luck I suppose.
Just to make it clear, I have planted about 2 inches deep this time, so the cloves are well and truly buried. As for the timing of planting, most gardeners where I am seem to plant them during September, and seem to have done ok, perhaps that is just luck (or rotting is bad luck ...).
mine hasn't arrived yet but am sure it will soon and it will go in shortly after - I plant mine early because I like to harvest it early so the land can be used for something else straight away - always gagging for extra space come early early summer :)
I always plant about twice their depth, and always go very well, considering. Wish mine would hurry up and arrive as I like to get them in by October! :-\
where have you got your garlic from. Please share
I got mine from marshall's this year but often try someone different each year - you can even buy good organic garlic from the greengrocer/supermarket and use that to plant
I bought my garlic as 'seed' garlic ie for planting, from our local garden supplies in the market. Sadly, the variety of garlic was not indicated, and the stall holder couldn't remember.
I dib a hole and drop them in. I've no idea how deep they go, but most of the bulbs are thoroughly buried the following year. It's certainly not critical.
Quote from: shirlton on September 09, 2006, 18:16:31
where have you got your garlic from. Please share
Shirl, The Garlic Farm, Isle of Wight - http://www.thegarlicfarm.co.uk - Early Wight, Purple Wight, Mediterranean Wight, Solent Wight......take your pick! They're from certified stock & come with full planting/care instructions. Family business, I believe? Oh, and planting October-Feb.
Can't recommend highly enough (teehee Tim, I beat you to it ;D)
Lishka - I was busy filling my glass!
Quote from: shirlton on September 09, 2006, 18:16:31
where have you got your garlic from. Please share
Seeds of Italy do a red garlic which I grew this year. I am so impressed with the large juicy and slightly sweet garlic that I'm definitely growing it again for next year. Top marks if you're looking for a roasting garlic but super for any recipe needing garlic.
http://www.seedsofitaly.com/catalogue/15 (http://www.seedsofitaly.com/catalogue/15)
when you say 'red' garlic do you mean one of the french varieties (vitesse :-\), quite early and has that lovely habit of the stems curling up and under themselves, if so it is a lovely variety
It's called "GARLIC ROSSA DI SALUGGIA", I think it's an Italian garlic but I could be wrong.
Quote from their website: UK only (not USA) - A wonderful red garlic from the Abruzzo region for planting from Oct - Apr and harvesting Jun - end Aug. Red garlic tends to be a little sweeter. The pack contains 3 bulbs and is nicely packaged with a large photo of this tasty garlic on the front. very limited stocks this year. pre-ordere now for October 2006
grazie :)
Brought some from Seeds of Italy last night along with other seeds that I could of done without really but you know what its like. Was really pleased with their P&P rate only £1.50 couldn't drive there for that. (i'm only down the roadish)
Sneaking in on this thread to ask- I've got a couple of bulbs left from thoseI bought last year but didn't have space for- will they be ok to plant this year?(they were from the garlic farm so good quality & look fine).
Quote from: Curry on September 09, 2006, 18:43:40
I bought my garlic as 'seed' garlic ie for planting, from our local garden supplies in the market. Sadly, the variety of garlic was not indicated, and the stall holder couldn't remember.
Coventry indoor market?
Not stalking you, but i do recall you saying at some point you were located in Cov. Last time i went to the market he didn't have any garlic, but i'll nip back there today if its in stock now.
I was thinking of getting my sets in soonish but probably will wait until the end of this month at least as I have pumpkins to clear out before I can plant. Splashed out on Garlic Farm IoW Iberian garlic and shallots, plus some onion sets from DT Brown.
Quote from: redrichwen on September 11, 2006, 11:06:15
Coventry indoor market?
I bought my garlic from the stall opening out onto Shelton Square (?) last year, at the end of September I think. I am currently waiting for them to get some red winter onions in ...
Quote from: caroline7758 on September 11, 2006, 09:50:30
Sneaking in on this thread to ask- I've got a couple of bulbs left from thoseI bought last year but didn't have space for- will they be ok to plant this year?(they were from the garlic farm so good quality & look fine).
I would presume so, most garlic seems to start sprouting all on its own, when in storage ... Nothing ventured, nothing gained, anyhow :)
Quote from: caroline7758 on September 11, 2006, 09:50:30
Sneaking in on this thread to ask- I've got a couple of bulbs left from thoseI bought last year but didn't have space for- will they be ok to plant this year?(they were from the garlic farm so good quality & look fine).
Caroline, if the cloves still feel firm, they'll be fine, I reckon. I've done it before & it's worked for me. Good luck.
I planted my garlic around this time last year about 2inch deep then did a very clever thing and forgot where I had planted them & dug the ground over to plant onions...... All the garlic did really well growing with the onions, some were about 6-8inch deep & were fine.
NOTE TO SELF - remember where you plant things....
Tracey
what soil conditions does it like, i tried garlic last year and it rotted!
What should i plant it with to encourage it? companion planting like....
It grows on most soil types - lighter soil tends to produce whiter bulbs, heavier soils can give staining to the skins but doesn't affect the eating quality - just not a bonus if you're thinking of entering any for your flower&produce show. What garlic doesn't like is an acid soil, so test & lime to correct if there's a ph below, say, 6.7. Companion planting? Well, I grow garlic near my carrots to fox carrot fly! Dunno what 'companions' garlic itself would need ???
I bought my garlic from the stall opening out onto Shelton Square (?) last year, at the end of September I think. I am currently waiting for them to get some red winter onions in ...
[/quote]
I thought so. They've got Japanese onion sets in now, and the garlic will be in next week.
The red garlics from Seeds of Italy - Are they soft neck?
I've ordered purple wight from Dobies, wish it would hurry up and arrive.
Quote from: mc55 on September 13, 2006, 17:08:20
I've ordered purple wight from Dobies, wish it would hurry up and arrive.
The fact sheet you'll get along with the garlic will say planting from October, so no sweat :)
I know, I'm just sooooooo impatient ! want them now, so I can lovingly caress them ...
Quote from: Alishka_Maxwell on September 11, 2006, 14:26:30
It grows on most soil types - lighter soil tends to produce whiter bulbs, heavier soils can give staining to the skins but doesn't affect the eating quality - just not a bonus if you're thinking of entering any for your flower&produce show. What garlic doesn't like is an acid soil, so test & lime to correct if there's a ph below, say, 6.7. Companion planting? Well, I grow garlic near my carrots to fox carrot fly! Dunno what 'companions' garlic itself would need ???
garlic loves to be near fruit, apples, blackberries, gooseberries, strawberries etc as well as carrots and some herbs - doesn't like to be with legumes though (seems to like sweetness) :)
I think I read somewhere that it can taint strawberries
Quote from: redrichwen on September 11, 2006, 15:00:22
I bought my garlic from the stall opening out onto Shelton Square (?) last year, at the end of September I think. I am currently waiting for them to get some red winter onions in ...
I thought so. They've got Japanese onion sets in now, and the garlic will be in next week.
[/quote] This takes me back a few years - forgotten about this stall. I used to have a plot in Earlsdon
Raised bed again this year!
I have a sack of well-rotted FYM left over from last year. Will it be ok to spread it, dig it in a bit and plant my garlic on top? I had some great garlic this year, but although I remember planting them in November, I can't, for the life of me ::), remember how I prepared the soil. Yes, I know, another reason to keep records.........sigh.
Tricia
Can of worms?? So many differing views.
1. The Garlic Farm says any well drained fertile soil - plant 2" deep - pH at least 6.7. Must have cold weather to 'clove''. Potash in the Spring.
2. US sites :
a. Protect against frost by mulching.
b. Mulching can cause rotting.
c. Plant early to allow good rooting before winter.
d. Early planted garlic can suffer from frost.
e. Plant as onions -with tip at ground level.
f. Nitrogen if yellowing in Spring.
g, 1" water per week.
h. Dig in manure.
etcetera!!
Mulching can cause rotting if the plant is in contact with an excessive amount of decaying matter. For instance, very few things can cope with several inches of grass cutting stodge. A couple of inches of loose grass cuttings, though, do no harm at all, though obviously you don't put them on top of very small seeds. It's just a matter of using your judgement about what's suitable for the plant in question.
w've just planted our garlic into well rotted farmyard manure, put it on top of the cabbage bed, where we've taken the cabbages out, same as we did last year and they worked really well :)
After local garden centre garlic which was very successful last year, I also decided to splash out on IOW garlic (3 different varieties) and planted about 3 weeks ago. At depth of at least 1 inch, in light sandy soil. Am alarmed though because some have already put through shoots - I imagine because it was been so mild and sunny until this week. Last year I didn't see shoots until February-March time.
Should I leave them and hope for the best, or should I earth them over? Advice please
I would earth them over Clara... esp on sandy soil... mine is very heavy clay, think ceramics at school... clay for pottery!, and I put them in deeper than one inch, more than two would be pushing it, might never see them again...
???