Allotments 4 All

I planted my garlic in the spring but it hasn't really had any cold weather to split the bulb.  The stems and leaves are really thick and healthy but when will they be ready to harvest?  They are Solent White and Printanor Organic. 

Should they be left in over the winter so that the frost gets to them or will this kill them?  As you are probably aware, this is the first time I have grown garlic.  Your help is much appreciated.   :D

MIne went in in November, February & March.
We had a long very cold spell. None appear to be cloving.

I am using them as I need & shall lift the remainder in July or August & freeze them ready to use.

Lift some and see. Solent Wight is supposed to be OK up to march, so unless you planted seriously late you should be OK with that one at least.

Quote from: Robert_Brenchley on June 22, 2006, 19:27:56
Lift some and see. Solent Wight is supposed to be OK up to march, so unless you planted seriously late you should be OK with that one at least.

Robert, do you mean that I can leave them in until March?   :-\

I am a bit loathe to dig one up at this stage as they are still growing well and the bulb is the same thickness as the leaves.  They are about 2 ft tall and are about the thickness of a 1p.   Here is a picture of them.

Sorry, that wasn't very clear. I meant that you can plant them up till March and they'll grow OK, at least according to the Garlic Farm. They should know.

Pauline, as your plants look so healthy and still growing well, I would leave them put!  Mine came out today because they had terrible rust, white rot was starting to invade, and I needed the space to plant some squashes.  If you don't need the room.....leave them for another month or so.

Pauline - see my post? Yours look like so many, this funny year, but there's still loads of time?

I've just had first signs of the rot so my hope that last year it wasn't and my plot wasn't riddled is not true.  Plots should come with a disease warning >:(

Quote from: tim on June 23, 2006, 18:48:24
Pauline - see my post? Yours look like so many, this funny year, but there's still loads of time?

Yes, I did see your post Tim, thankyou.   Mine didn't go in until April so are a good few weeks behind yours. 

Quote from: EJ - Emma Jane on June 23, 2006, 18:36:50
Pauline, as your plants look so healthy and still growing well, I would leave them put!  Mine came out today because they had terrible rust, white rot was starting to invade, and I needed the space to plant some squashes.  If you don't need the room.....leave them for another month or so.

EJ, yes I think I will leave them put.  With a bit of luck we may not have a frost until late October so they could have plenty of time to develop.  My onions don't seem to be forming bulbs either so I am putting it down to the late Spring and then this long spell without rain. 

Quote from: Robert_Brenchley on June 23, 2006, 18:21:30
Sorry, that wasn't very clear. I meant that you can plant them up till March and they'll grow OK, at least according to the Garlic Farm. They should know.

Looks like mine went in too late then Robert though the tags did say plant March or April.  If thy don't form bulbs, I will try planting some in the Autumn and hope for a bit more success.

Sorry to hear about your rot RC and your rust and rot EJ.  Is this because you grow them on allotments where diseases are likely to be spread from one plot to the next?  I suppose I am fortunate in as much as I have a smallholding and my neighbours are a good way from me.  ;D

I think I may have inherited my rot when I took the plot on.  It's great for everything else.  Wardy has suggested I get another plot just for alliums.  It is worth considering.

Like RC, mine came with the allotment.  I think most older allotments have various diseases because they have been used for so long for growing crops, and because it is very hard to be hygenic on an allotment.  If your site is open plan, like ours, people walk over and chat, and sometimes walk onto your plot paths, and of course, if they have a disease on their plot, it comes onto yours.  You could ask people not to, but you aren't there all the time, and how do you stop foxes or rabbits or deer from strolling from plot to plot.  For me, tis all part of the challenge and I make the best of the sitution.  Look at my allium haul for today, not bad considering!

Yours looks like my overwintered stuff.  After last year, I was dead chuffed until the rot reared its head - I have a lot of spring planted.  Oh well, it will give me a chance to try to organic control techniques.

It is funny RC, I have stopped growing spring planted sets as they rot before they really grow.  I wonder if seed would be better?  I am contemplating keeping all of the garlic stems and blitzing them, then mixing them with water and watering the area I plan to plant my sets in the autumn to see if your information works by getting the rot to grow, when there is nothing there for it to grow on.  Labour of love, but if it works, I would be a happy chappette!

Couldn't you just use the stems for that, Emma??

EJ - I am in awe!  They look great.  Do you have a photo of the rot or rust that you could post - so I know what to look out for?

Eweee!   :-\  Not nice.  Thanks - can you tell you have it before you've dug them up?

They usually tell you by early yellowing & collapse.