[JJDigger]

Hi there

Our garlic has been subject to a pretty heavy infestation of allium leaf miners and as a result has a bit of what I think is rust and some rotted off bulbs.  Not all are diseased, thankfully, but I've taken them all up.

The bulbs on most of the diseased plants seem OK, though I'm not entirely confident in my own diagnosis re rust.  Will it be OK to use cloves in the affected bulbs in the normal way, especially as they will be crushed and cooked in the normal way?  I know that garlic is subject to a large variety of problems though, hence my question.

Many thanks for your help.  JJ

[mumofstig]

In the past I've just dried them as usual, hoping the miners hadn't got down into the bulbs and then just discarded any obviously affected cloves. Apart from 1 or 2, IIRC, they were ok.
Good luck!

[JJDigger]

Many thanks, Lesley.  Hero member indeed!

JJ

[grinling]

Describe rotted off bulbs as it might be onion rot.

[JJDigger]

Hi, sorry about the delay in replying.  The rotted off bulbs were ones I couldn't find when removing the foliage.  There seemed to be nothing at the bottom end of the stalk, though thinking about it now, I will have to check that they're not still there, spreading nasty stuff, so thanks for your comment which has brought this to mind.

The leaves on most of the garlic appeared to have rust, I think.  Have dried the garlic out now and though the bulbs are relatively small, reflecting a late planting in March I think, most of them seem OK to use.

They'll be going in in late autumn/early winter this year, along with the onion sets, in order to beat the last hatching of leaf miners this year, as well as next year's hatchings.  This is the best time according to the RHS.

Many thanks for your help.

JJ

[grinling]

Garlic is normally planted before winter as frost is required to form cloves. You can put it in the freezer for 24hours before planting if later.
If growing onions, check the bottom of those as well