Allotments 4 All

i have been told that growing garlic on our allotment is as easy as ewt !!!  Now i know there are a lot of very experienced growers here - any tips for starting off? One bloke said 'you could shove a bulb in your ear and it would take'

Can you help ???

First, get your garlic - there can't be much around at this late stage.

Cloves go in 2" deep, 6" apart. Some general fertiliser. Ours went in 25 Feb last year &, despite huge losses with white rot, were still eating it. VERY important to rotate.

Look back on previous threads.

wilkos still have garlic.

Got my elephant garlic at Wilko's and planted it about 2 weeks ago.

Debs

I'm getting elephant garlic from Wilko's as well, as soon as payday comes.

They still have quite a bit left in my local store.

i have always wanted ele garlic but it is so expensive in catalogues!
Hooray for wilkos!!
Jemma x

Hmm - not sure about growing garlic in your ears.....

Expensive Wyvales still selling garlic.

Easy peasy to grow as Tim says. 

Could look quite fetching MV.  ;D

Easy peasy to grow as Tim says. 

EJ - Hope so as I've never grown garlic before but love the stuff :P

Debs

I'm a great believer in the benefits of garlic and, yes, I reckon it is easy to grow. Even stuff from the supermarket. I've had a row now for 3 years, I never knew you were supposed to rotate it - infact I thought it was a good idea to leave a few cloves in for good especially under the fruit trees to ward off all sorts of nasty things. Anyway I take what I need from this fairly extensive row and leave the rest to spread and grow again. They're about 9" tall at the mo', but will slow down 'till warmer weather. Although the cloves are not that large they have a lovely flavour - delicious fresh. Also I have heard you can use the young 'leaves' or shoots, whatever they are, chopped iin a salad for a garlic flavour. Anyone tried this?
Good luck though, so far my row has been desease free, but now I'm wondering if, in the longer term, I'm doing the wrong thing.
Great site by the way, usefull stuff!
okycoky

ROTATE!

PS I see that even Elephant garlic can be planted this late.

Important to growing healthy, disease free garlic is CROP ROTATION.
At least 3 years. I grow garlic once every 6years in the same bed.
Works perfect and never disease. not using any pesticide.
CROP ROTATION.

Okycoky, yes you can but you will end weakening the plant. I would wait until the flower heads (the scapes) form and then snap them off and use as garlic bulbs.

Rotate!  On my plot, white rot rules okay!  :-[ >:(

If troubled with white rot, sclerotium, avoid Garlic, it is susceptible and will stimulate sclerotium deep in the soil. Acc. keep an 8 year !!! gap in that area >:(
Having white rot can try the Allium crop, will helps.... sometimes... :-[

If you do not know the history of your new plot, how do you go about planting stuff like garlic and is it worth the risk planting it? or can you use pots for how ever many years to be sure? Tis very worrying ::) no wonder I have no hair ;D

Avoid planting galic from supers, may be it is imported garlic with risk of virus disease. Buy proper seed garlic and give it a go.  :D Do not forget to ROTATE next year and start again  with new seed.

Really daft qestion, - how do you know when bulbs are formed?
Have a dig in and check, or is there another clue? 
We must be the only town that does have a Wilkos! I sense a day trip coming on.

Woolworths had elephant garlic in stock yesterday in Caernarfon (didn't buy as I have gone overboard already). Caernarfon doesn't have a Wilkos either (nor in bus distance)

Mine were ready from July onwards.  Some will flower.  I think once the leaves start to dry and die back then the bulbs are ready, but you can pull them whilst they are young if you like, sweet and juicy!  :P