[JayG]

Not at all Kristen - just because I haven't managed to find any references to varieties which don't require vernalisation doesn't mean there aren't any! 

[Kristen]

On reflection ... if Mediterranean varieties are not suitable for the UK then no point investigating if they exist

Hopefully saved you a whole afternoon's Googling?!!

[JayG]

Hopefully saved you a whole afternoon's Googling?!!

  Weather's too nice to be doing that - digging up the last of the parsnips, carrots and leeks to make way for the spuds this afternoon. 

No way of knowing where my ex supermarket garlic was originally grown - it was given to me by my neighbours before they disappeared for a long holiday, but probably wasn't labelled with its country of origin anyway.

[Salmo]

I seem to remember that the vernalisation period for garlic is 10 days below 10 degrees C. Considering that the soil is well below that at the moment, and will be for a few weeks yet, I cannot see there is any worry for garlic planted in the UK now.

If we were in Spain, Italy or Greece I could understand all the worry about late planting.

I have never seen any garlic that has not split. Has anyone else?

[New shoot]

I have never seen any garlic that has not split. Has anyone else?

I managed to grow some last year      It was some spring planted stuff chucked into a raised bed at home on a whim and probably planted too late.  Some cloved and some were just one big round garlic bulb under the papery skin.

It was actually fine.  I use a lot of garlic, so I just peeled it, cut off what I needed, then wrapped the rest in cling film and put it back in the fridge    It would be annoying though if you wanted to use the occasional clove, a bit at a time.

[Salmo]

I may put a few in late, just to see.

[New shoot]

I'm sure mine was when they reduced the packs at work.  Really doesn't help your veg buying addiction when you work in a garden centre     Give it another couple of weeks and most garden centres will be getting shot of their stock.

For the £1 or whatever they cost me, it was worth it   

[Kristen]

I seem to remember that the vernalisation period for garlic is 10 days below 10 degrees C.

I think a month below 10C (I previously thought it was 5C but I think that is wrong)

Never know with the internet which sources are reliable though!

[JayG]

Never know with the internet which sources are reliable though!

I usually finish up with a figure which is based on 'the balance of probability' of all the links I have viewed, although of course you don't know how many of them might also have gurgled and then quoted each other! 

Rightly or wrongly, a month at a soil temperature of 10C or less is the one which has stuck in my mind.

[Kristen]

At a tangent:

I have read that drought, in Spring, will undo the good of the vernalisation - i.e. the plant will "heal" itself and not split into separate cloves.  No idea if true (and if it needs Mediterranean spring temperatures / drought) but it would make sense from a defensive PoV.  Vernalise, split, drought, might not be able to survive / need to conserve energy, stick to one-bulb for this year ...

[snowdrops]

My elephant garlic didn't split into cloves last year so I saved it & planted it last week, thinking it may flower & I can collect seed.