Allotments 4 All

Before planting some of my garlic today (at last!) I checked the instructions that came with it and various books & found the depth suggested varied from "just under the soil" to 3-4" deep. What would you do? I only planted one row as I think the ground was a bit too wet, so I'd be glad of your opinions before I do any more.

I plant about 2" down.  No sign of most of mine though and they were planted about four to five weeks ago.  Overwintering onions sown around the same time off and away.

I push mine in as far a my finger and thumb go.

Book says 'cover by 1"'.

I don't believe it is actually critical, the main reason for depth is to stop the birds pulling the cloves out before they have rooted.

Derekthefox :D

I also push my cloves a finger depth down (3") as with the bad winter will hopfully keep them out of frost work for me last year had so much I have had to replant some of last years crop.

Yes definitely about 3", as far as you can poke them down, they want to be deep, not like onions.

For what purpose Jen, do they actually grow underground? And if so, does that also apply to elephant garlic ?

Derekthefox :D

Everyone is free to re-invent the wheel if it works for them but, for a newcomer, I would point to the fact that Colin Boswell has been growing commercially for 25 years & I always quote his advice.


Thanks to blight - see my next!!

i could not find any advice on how deep to plant the cloves in mr. boswell´s text.
it does not matter much, anyway .mr. derekthefox has mentioned the main point.

Bob Flowerdew says: not too shallow, not too deep: between 1 & 2 inches deep.

i wonder where he measures from: the tip of the clove or the bottom?
if from bottom, the tips willl be flush with the surface, if from tip, they are truly buried.

I'd say from the tip, for definite.

I don't think the minutiae of depth matter; dib a hole and drop it in.

Thanks everyone- I guess the answer is somewhere between 1 and 3 inches!

If you plant the cloves 1-3 inches deep will be ok. More important is to put them in fullsun and in a fertile, well drained soil with plenty of organic matter. Good luck :D

How soon should they be showing above soil level though?  Are mine going to be OK?

I'd say give 'em another couple of weeks Clanger. They've got further to travel than OW onions...

i plant half of my garlic in the autumn , half in spring. the autumn planted stuff  is ready a fortnight earlier than the spring planted. but doesn´t keep as long. actually it sprouts  about this time of year.

You're SO RIGHT BLIGHT!!

Couldn't get back in last night to fix my error - the machine was completely gummed up, so gave up & went to bed.
Herewith the CORRECT bit of the spiel!!

You say 'no matter'? I'm no expert, but I believe it must matter - the grower's livelihood depends upon it. So, if you believe that, back to my original offering of 'cover by one inch'?

My only surprise is the row spacing. I'm checking that with Colin today. It may be for commercial weed control? Or the proper drying off of the crop?