I have harvested my overwintering garlic and I want to replant some later in the year.
How and where should I store it until October?
Keep it dry, and not too hot.
..and keep the bulbs whole..don't separe the cloves until just before you are planning to plant them.
Quote..and keep the bulbs whole..don't separe the cloves until just before you are planning to plant them.
I presume you mean separate!
This is a ridiculous old gardening myth that I thought had been laid to rest years ago. For the very best results possible, separate the biggest and best cloves from the head and use the rest in your cooking. Store the cloves for planting in a small net hanging up in the shed. For the rest, use larger nets.
Quote from: Eristic on July 31, 2011, 01:46:00
For the very best results possible, separate the biggest and best cloves from the head and use the rest in your cooking.
I think like many I've always saved the best whole bulb to divide for planting. This is the first time I've read about being clove selective Eristic and I shall definitely be giving it a go.
Garlic hung in a net in my shed certainly wouldn't keep cool 8).
I would disagree with cracking the bulbs straightaway,certainly I save the largest cloves as it takes just as much effort to plant the smaller ones and the biggest really do give bigger bulbs but I do not agree about the seperation thing. There are simply too many commercial garlic farms out there giving the exact opposite advice to ignore. Seperate(crack) about 24 hours before you plant is my advice .
XX Jeannine
I just found this link which tells you why to wait till 24 hours before planting
http://www.garlicfarm.ca/growing-garlic.htm
That is a good site although it doesn't cover rust which is the biggest problem I always have, it doesn't totally ruin the crop but does mean lifting sooner than I would like and it always spreads to the leeks.
For storage I keep in a cool dry cupboard on plastic 'mushroom' trays which are quite freely available now from market stalls, canteens etc - everyone seems to know someone who can get hold of them.
Also, I fleece the bed lightly in winter - seems to work pretty well with no losses however wet & cold.
I always choose the biggest cloves for planting and that has always proved to work. I don't agree with the separating, I always separate just before planting, surely separatinga long time before leaves them vulnerable?