Allotments 4 All

Hi again,

I've decided to start sowing some autumn seeds now at home so that they'll hopefully be ready to be transplanted once I get my plot which should be any day now...

I've started sowing several lettuces, chicory, etc and have just been online looking to get some broad beans and spinach. While browsing seedsofitaly.com I came accross garlic which I love and it looks like October would be the time to get them going so I though I might as well order some while I was at it and save on shipping. The only problem is this, some are sold as 3 bulbs at £1.99 (italian). The other ones are £9.99 for 1/2kg (from France)?

How much garlic can I expect to get from 3 bulbs? and would buying 1/2kg be excessive?

Thanks again for all the help.

3 bulbs - typically - is about 250g = 30 bulbs produced.

Your choice! You can always freeze or pickle it if you have too much.

good idea about sowing the seeds at home.. I am doing the same so I can tell them apart from the weeds on the lottie! it was rotivated a few weeks ago so they are starting to grow back now.

Be careful of French garlic. Last year I had 3 types in, my own, some chinese white and a French variety. The French one was the only variety that didn't seem aclimatised and produced nothing.

Thanks for all the help. I eventually went for the cheaper red italian garlic...

I find it quite hard to plan space with garlic.  You get one bulb from each clove right?  But some varieties have more cloves than others so how do you know by weight how many cloves and therefore bulbs to order for the space?  ???

You order a bit too much, select the larger cloves to plant and eat the rest.

Should you eat 'planting' garlic, won't it have been treated with some kind of fungicide or something?

Rosie

:o

Seems to be the general advice and, if it's organic, no.

'Planting' Garlic is the same as the market gets, & no one seems concerned about eating that??

How many to each? Like I said - typically 10 - some more, some less. And as Red says, the bigger the better for planting. Or plant the small ones & pull them 'wet'.

So much is produced in the UK these days that you should have no worry about it succeeding.

Can anyone suggest a good variety? I'm probably being too perfectionist, but my ideal would be strong-tasting, with big bulbs and store well.

Was very pleased with the Purple Wights I grew this year and will certainly grow them again. Lovely big bulbs and I like the flavour - but think they don't store beyond Christmas. Will have used them all by then anyway -NB:  grow more this autumn  ;D