[MoreWhisky]

My garlic this yr was a tad disapointing i did get some but im sure i can do lot better next yr. Especially with everyone kind help here 

Any help/secrets on soil prep and do you prefer softneck/hardneck type would be real helpfull.

I know its a few months early yet but really want to make more of a success next year.

cheers MW.
 

[Trillium]

Hardneck is better in your area as it is daylight oriented; longer summer days than hot countries have.
Prep the soil as best you can with loads of manure, bonemeal, compost, shredded leaves, whatever you have that you can add. Work it in well and let it sit a while before planting the garlic cloves which can go in late Sept/early Oct for next summer's crop. Push the cloves into the soil, about 2" deep, cover with soil and when done, cover the whole garlic patch with mesh so birds won't pull out the sprouting tops later. Water well if you have dry spells and be sure water never sits on the garlic areas. Had a friend lose his whole crop because his land was too flat and rain didn't drain well. And don't plant in the same area garlic grew in the last few years.

[Yorkie]

Thanks Trillium, was wondering that myself 

[mumofstig]

Now all i have to do is to think where i can put them, so they don't interfere with spring planting plans. That's a devil of a job...THINKING

[Steve.B]

I thought that Garlic didn't like loads of manure? and soft neck stores well?
Please correct me if I'm wrong as I plan to put some in later.....

[Trillium]

Garlic is part of the onion family, both of which are hungry feeders if you expect good crops.
My experience with soft necks is that they don't store as well. They are a short-day variety thriving in a warmer climate which can grow 2 crops a year. So storage isn't an issue for short necks since masses are not grown at one time. A few short neck varieties have been bred to store better but I don't know what varieties they are and whether or not you'd have access to them. You can always try but do grow some hardnecks as backup and mark which is which so you'll know in the future.

[MoreWhisky]

Great reply Trillium thanks.

[Babstreefern]

When I planted my garlic in my old plot in the September a couple of years ago, I got a poor crop - garlic was too small compared to the year before.  I then moved plots and because it was a bit late, I planted my garlic in mid-December.  I've just harvested them, and they were great.  I'm putting this down to later planting, I didn't plant them in the same area, so I don't really know why it was a poor crop.  But then again, the crop could have been good because of the bitterly cold weather between Christmas and New Year, although not as cold as in Canada - by the way, my favourite TV program is on soon - Ice Road Truckers - I would love to work up in the far north.

[Trillium]

- Ice Road Truckers - I would love to work up in the far north.

No you wouldn't; you have no idea just how extremely cold it gets. To the point where you can't breathe at all when it hits -40F, which it reaches and then some. And until you've been in a true winter blizzard like the Arctic frequently has, you don't know what a real snowstorm is. When the warm season comes, the biting black flies  and masses of mozzies would drive you crazy. The drivers don't mention that they don't hang around up there during summer, only for the 6 weeks of trucking weather.

The better garlic crop could also be due to better or more suitable soil in the new plot.