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Q about garlic....
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Message 1.Â
Posted by zoomer44 (U14019069) on Saturday, 29th May 2010
This is the first time I've grown garlic and checked it to see how near to harvesting it is. It was planted out last Oct/Nov. The bulb I dug up hadn't even split into cloves
It was only the size of a spring onion bulb, I was expecting it to be bigger so I'm a little disappointed.
For all the garlic growers out there...Is it likely the other bulbs will be the same as they are all off the same original clove. I'm also guessing but if the bulbs haven't already split they won't do now I'm not sure of the variety I planted but it wasn't elephant garlic.
My next Q is, are they worth leaving in the ground or should I throw in the towel and plant runner beans in their place, put it down to experience and start again in October.
Thank's for replies in advance. -
Message 2
Posted by LeCreusetFiend (U14355898) on Saturday, 29th May 2010
When I used to grow garlic on my allotment, I don't think they were ever ready before the leaves died down in August.
Did you buy from a garden centre or use supermarket bulbs?
I'd leave them be for a couple of months in any event, as long as they're growing and looking healthy, unless you need the land to grow something else you'd prefer, in which case you can still use the small bulbs and leaves in cooking
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Message 3
Posted by Ian W (U8604472) on Saturday, 29th May 2010
Does sound disappointing although after the winter we've had it's probably not so surprising. I usually don't harvest garlic until the end of July at the earliest and over the summer months they like plenty of water so maybe they'll swell and split over the next 2 months or so.
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Message 4
Posted by Vixxihibiscus (U13865184) on Saturday, 29th May 2010
Hi Zoomer!
Mine are still tiny too...what's left that the birds didn't kill! So don't give up. Mine don't even have their scape yet (flower head) Be sure to chop this off when it forms and your bulbs will bulk out more.
Also the leaves are lovely chopped, mixed with butter and spread on ciabatta (1 leaf does a whole loaf) It's not as strong as bulb garlic. Don't take too many leaves from each bulb though or you'll exhaust the plant. -
Message 5
Posted by zoomer44 (U14019069) on Saturday, 29th May 2010
LeCreusetFiend
I planted a strawberry patch in October last year and it is romping away the galic was supermarket bought and only planted at the back of the patch in a line |(10 cloves) because it happened to be sprouting and there was space, with the intention, it would be ready for harvest in June and runner beans could be planted in it's place. I ignored all advise about not using supermarket garlic
They aren't really growing healthily not much bigger than spring onions and the leaves are dying back. -
Message 6
Posted by londonplantmad (U2392946) on Sunday, 30th May 2010
I planted my cloves out early February and they have long stems but the cloves have not grown much at all. I think they are usually ready by September. They do like a cold spell to get them started so i will just wait and see if they are successful. I have not grown them for many years as i had so much wild garlic to eat i kept using that.
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Message 7
Posted by LeCreusetFiend (U14355898) on Sunday, 30th May 2010
Hi Zoomer!
Sorry to hear it hasn't worked as planned
I asked about whether it was supermarket garlic, because I've heard it's fine to use for spring planting, but not so good for over-winter planting, but if they've sprouted OK, then that's fine! I don't think it would have made much difference in this case.
I s'pose it boils down to whether you'd rather use the ground for something else, in which case you can still use the garlic in cooking, as described earlier. Just treat it more like "wild garlic" than bulb garlic as far as recipes go. -
Message 8
Posted by Saravisiae (U2247962) on Sunday, 30th May 2010
My garlic is one of the few things that seems to be growing well. The plants are big with pretty thick stems but I wouldn't harvest them for another few months for definate! Late June and early July for green garlic and August to early September for storing. My garlic was also planted in Autumn.
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Message 9
Posted by koala_girl (U12702629) on Sunday, 30th May 2010
Zoomer it is perfectly normal for your garlic to look like a large spring onion at this stage. I grow solent wight. I plant the cloves in November and harvest them in July/August. I sometimes pull the odd one up early because I like the way they taste like a garlicky spring onion. They don't start bulking up until later on. You will know when they are ready to harvest because the tops will all suddenly start falling over.
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Message 10
Posted by zoomer44 (U14019069) on Monday, 31st May 2010
I'm not sure what to do with them now
.
The spot was looking good to plant a row of runner beans but if they are likely to split into cloves I'll leave them in.
Can I go ahead and plant runner beans with them anyway. -
Message 11
Posted by koala_girl (U12702629) on Monday, 31st May 2010
Don't plant them too close together. When you lift the garlic you will cause a tremendous upheaval in the bed. You have to get the fork right down under the garlic to get it out without damaging it.
I've got some purple sprouting brocolli in pots waiting for the empty space that the garlic will leave. The brocolli will be in the bed all winter ready for harvest next spring. -
Message 12
Posted by zoomer44 (U14019069) on Wednesday, 2nd June 2010
I'll be putting the runner beans in at the weekend and filling my raised bed with various veg seedlings. Will see were theres room for the beans but it's looking like they'll be with the garlic, I'll just need to be careful when I'm lifting it.
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Message 13
Posted by Papa Nopsis (U14479902) on Thursday, 3rd June 2010
The point about the individual segments of the garlic clove is that the plant has already started one of the three possible processes of reproduction,
so not having the segments is no proof of the maturity of the plant.
I planted mine in August last year from the segments of the previous year crop, which were not too bad but not big.
I picked and replanted after separating in August.
I had a modestly good crop last year and now I have about two hundred of what you might describe as "Spring garlic".
Dastardly Blue bells started growing through in
April in the new bed, which was annoying, but actually they co-exist rather well, as long as you don't confuse the leaf or bulb of one for that of the other!
I shall eradicate the blue bell and mustard from that bed by sifting the soil in august. It is well shaded so this dry weather has still not taken too much soil, and they are not beginning to flower in the same way as onion is in a different, sunnier and drier, bed.
I shall replant the same bed with Edible Allium, possibly leek, which I am new to. -
Message 14
Posted by Papa Nopsis (U14479902) on Friday, 4th June 2010
The onion "setts" are presumably clones from the original tuber of the onion and not from the flower seed at all.
Whoever propagates the setts and how heaven only knows.
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