Allotments 4 All

Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: chappy on August 07, 2008, 21:34:01

Title: Garlic - can I possibly wait any longer?
Post by: chappy on August 07, 2008, 21:34:01
Hi all,

I've left my garlic as long as I think I possibly can.

They all now have seed heads on them, and they have browning on the bottom of the leaf stems (rust?)

I had thought they would end up as small "onions" of garlic, but I've just pulled one up and lo and behold, they have split into tiny cloves. :o)

They aren't too small to be fair, not unlike the Organic ones I see in supermarkets.

Should I pull them all now and make do with what I've got?  Now they've gone to seed I guess they will not get any bigger now as the focus goes into seed production?  Are they like onions and will not store well now they've gone to seed?

What do you suggest?

Chappy.
Title: Re: Garlic - can I possibly wait any longer?
Post by: nittynora on August 07, 2008, 21:56:03
If it's going to seed then lift it quickly.......  I thought that onions/garlic etc. should be used quickly if they start to bolt.


....... But many others will know FAR more than I......! ;D
Title: Re: Garlic - can I possibly wait any longer?
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on August 08, 2008, 01:40:02
If it produces a flower head, the bulb will be smaller than if you nipped the bud off. But no matter, lift them and use them.
Title: Re: Garlic - can I possibly wait any longer?
Post by: allaboutliverpool on August 08, 2008, 11:50:28
If they all have seed heads then they may be hard neck garlic and this is normal.

They cannot be plaited like soft neck, but are just as good. I have had them in the past and they stored well, as can be seen on my site..

http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments_Vegetables_garlic.html
Title: Re: Garlic - can I possibly wait any longer?
Post by: chappy on August 10, 2008, 14:16:46
I've decided to pull them up to be on the safe side.  So trying to dry them now when weather permits!

Not a bad crop from the small spot they had in the graden.