[lisa]

who has any tips on how to grow garlic.  my husband wants to try this one and I haven't a clue?  where do i start etc etc etc.

[Phoenix]

Wot i did was separate the cloves and dug a hole 2 times its size, placed them in the hole and covered it... ur best doing this in autumn tho.. never been successful this time of year but i normally do mine late september early november?? hope this helps

[noshed]

I've got loads on my plot - planted by the previous tenant. Apparently they like a cold spell, so plant in the autumn and overwinter. They say you're supposed to buy proper sets but you could try some shop ones. I haven't done anything to mine other than a bit of fertiliser earlier in the year, and they seem to be romping away quite happily.

[Heather_S]

I planted mine back in February, They're nice and tall now. I just did separate, large cloves of garlic planted every 4-5 inches apart and making sure there was an inch of soil above the cloves, planting them with the flat base of the clove down and the pointy end up.

You *might* be able to simulate a cold snap by keeping a head of garlic in your fridge for a few days. Don't freeze it because it will probably just turn to mush  Then separate the cloves and plant them out. They're quite hardy plants. You break off any flower "scapes" (they look curly, as opposed to the leaves which are flat and straight) and let them grow until they die back, then you can pull them out of the ground.

[GrannieAnnie]

when I plnted my carrot seeds last year, I thought I would try the companion planting idea, and I had a garlic bulb in the firdge that was going a bit sprouty, so I divided it up and planted it in amongst the carrots to ward off the carrot fly, seemed to work as no carrot fly, but then I forgot about them, anyway, in he early spring I noticed the garlic was growing a bit, so dug them up and put them in a big pot.  they look good, but when will they be ready?  I don't know how long they take to grow.

[smalex]

i beleive they are ready when the leaves die back.

[GrannieAnnie]

Oh thanks smalex, like onions??