Allotments 4 All

Can of worms?? So many differing views.

1. The Garlic Farm says any well drained fertile soil - plant 2" deep - pH at least 6.7. Must have cold weather to 'clove''. Potash in the Spring.

2. US sites :
a. Protect against frost by mulching.
b. Mulching can cause rotting.
c. Plant early to allow good rooting before winter.
d. Early planted garlic can suffer from frost.
e. Plant as onions -with tip at ground level.
f. Nitrogen if yellowing in Spring.
g, 1" water per week.
h. Dig in manure.

etcetera!!

Mulching can cause rotting if the plant is in contact with an excessive amount of decaying matter. For instance, very few things can cope with several inches of grass cutting stodge. A couple of inches of loose grass cuttings, though, do no harm at all, though obviously you don't put them on top of very small seeds. It's just a matter of using your judgement about what's suitable for the plant in question.

w've just planted our garlic into well rotted farmyard manure, put it on top of the cabbage bed, where we've taken the cabbages out, same as we did last year and they worked really well  :)

After local garden centre garlic which was very successful last year, I also decided to splash out on IOW garlic (3 different varieties) and planted about 3 weeks ago.  At depth of at least 1 inch, in light sandy soil.  Am alarmed though because some have already put through shoots -  I imagine because it was been so mild and sunny until this week.  Last year I didn't see shoots until February-March time.

Should I leave them and hope for the best, or should I earth them over? Advice please

I would earth them over Clara... esp on sandy soil... mine is very heavy clay, think ceramics at school... clay for pottery!, and I put them in deeper than one inch, more than two would be pushing it, might never see them again...
???