growing garlic

van connick · « **on:** September 15, 2007, 06:39 »

as you know i am new to this allotment lark :cry: and not sure where to begin or what to grow, but one thing i would like to grow is garlic.

can i just plant a clove of garlic from the shop?
i have heard they need feeding a lot, is that true?
and is it garlic that has that wonderful purple ball shaped flower?
does it invade the plot like wild garlic does in woods, or does it stay in one place?
would it be ok in full sun or does it need dappled shade like wild garlic?

sorry so many questions :oops:

crowndale · « **Reply #1 on:** September 15, 2007, 09:38 »

The purple ball shaped flower is chives if it's anything like this, actually this is before the flowers open, could swear I took later ones but obviously not!:

Garlic shouldn't invade if it is harvested I'd have thought but chives will, I am forever picking off self seeded chives from the surrounding veges beds and paths!

This is one of my garlic plants early in the season (sadly they didn't improve much this year! It didn't flower at all.

agapanthus · « **Reply #2 on:** September 15, 2007, 09:52 »

Garlic grown from the bulbs we buy at the supermarkets will grow but the cloves will probably be quite small. It is better to grow from bulbs bought from a reputable source because the varieties they offer are bred to be grown over here.

DD. · « **Reply #3 on:** September 15, 2007, 12:15 »

I'm amazed that our resident garlic expert has not had something to say on this thread......DAVID!

(aka WG aka whisy_golf)

WG. · « **Reply #4 on:** September 15, 2007, 13:17 »

Currently entertaining some guests so not much time available for now. Search for posts by me containing garlic porcelain if you can't wait.

DD. · « **Reply #5 on:** September 15, 2007, 16:13 »

Quote from: "whisky_golf"

Currently entertaining some guests.

Not your stand up comedy routine I hope?

van connick · « **Reply #6 on:** September 16, 2007, 06:16 »

thanks for that guys, crikey i didn't realise there were so many varieties of garlic :cry:

Trillium · « **Reply #7 on:** September 16, 2007, 15:33 »

See my recent garlic varieties thread. The big purple flower you're talking about might be the giant flowering allium, which doesn't make an edible bulb, just a huge gorgeous flower about 3 ft tall.
Soil prep is everything to garlic. The more you do for it (hummus, old manure, water, slightly raised grow area) the better your crop will be. Also check into the Search mode above, write in garlic and you'll come up with loads of previous garlic discussions which I think we beat to death

Annie · « **Reply #8 on:** September 17, 2007, 15:58 »

The flower could always be elephant garlic ours flowered for ages before I cut them down and the flowers lasted well in water.They are a good 3-4" across.I`m not too smitten with the garlic itself but will be planting saved bulbs in the flower borders next month.

DD. · « **Reply #9 on:** September 17, 2007, 16:13 »

Quote from: "Annie"

The flower could always be elephant garlic ours flowered for ages before I cut them down and the flowers lasted well in water.They are a good 3-4" across.I`m not too smitten with the garlic itself but will be planting saved bulbs in the flower borders next month.

I grew elephant "garlic" once. Biggest waste of growing space!

Annie · « **Reply #10 on:** September 17, 2007, 16:49 »

I seem to remember similar sentiments expressed last year,sadly after I had ordered mine.The only use I`ve found where you can taste anything is thickly sliced on pizza or in salads.Still I have bulbs which i wont bother to eat so some nice tall flowers for years to come.
Van Connick,if you want a few elephant garlic bulbs to try pm with your address and I`ll post you some.

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growing garlic

WG.

Trillium