Last September, I planted three varieties of garlic in Glasgow that I have grown successfully before. Two hardnecks, Music and Cristo are looking superb, but the softneck, Albigensian is a disaster with only about 10% having made it through admittedly, a very hard Winter.
Has anybody else had any problems loosing garlic this Winter and which varieties were involved?
My elephant garlics are also looking good and have coped well with the Winter.
I've never managed to "loose" any in that sense... but some may be less cold tolerant... :-\
I think it would be prolonged wet rather than cold that would do for them.
As I was not that well organised this year, my garlic went in in January. Yes a little foolhardy I admit. They sat and did nothing for several weeks, it was very cold here with even some snow. Then after about 6 weeks, it started just peeking through the soil. Now they are very healthy looking with about 15-20 cm of growth. And it looks like almost all have produced a plant.
It's an amazing species. But some may not like it that cold...
I never had problems with garlic failing when waterlogged, while I have perennial problems with other plants. I'd say it was cold that did for them, but then it was a very cold winter!
According to Joy Larkcom its likeley to rot in wet soil.
Softneck garlics are European and don't overwinter well, especially in cold wet soil. Hardneck garlics hale from the Northern latitudes of North America and are therefore very tolerant of similar conditions including being frozen under several feet of snow.
Therefore if you're going to plant overwintering garlic choose hardneck varieties, otherwise plant softneck varieties in early February.
I know I am late but has anyone got a reasonable crop from putting them in in April??
For various reasons I am behind on the allotment this year and have a bag of Thermidrome and Elephant garlic bulbs in the garage!
I have been very surprised at how well the garlic has weathered the winter. Some of the overwintering onions are very poor looking specimens but the garlic is all standing proud. Got mine from Sainsbury's, a cheapo shop so no idea of the varieties and one from a garden centre and there is very little to distinquish between them so far. If anything sainsbury's has a slight edge.
Sown October as per Eristic advise. Sorry he is no longer posting.
Most of my overwintering onions have died (nothing new here!), but the garlic is fine.
Yes, George the pigman, plant the thermidrome and the elephant garlic. I suspect that the elephant garlic will just produce large "solo" bulbs but still excellent eating.
Both French and English garlic have put on lots of topgrowth and seemed to survive the snow, thankfully, (sorry I can't name them but both from saved cloves since 2005) and they were planted back in autumn time. Also put some in that started sprouting on the strings in the kitchen not that long ago and they're up. It's also my first time to trail overwintering and late winter sown garlic.
Lost all of my overwintering onions for the first time ever, so raked the top 3 inches off the beds and put the summer sets in.
Ninny