[mrs bouquet]

We planted 'Aristo' garlic for the first time end October.  It is now about 24" high, and some of the leaves are going brown, the packet says to harvest early summer, when the leaves start to wilt, but it also says to keep them well-watered.    How will the leaves wilt if its always wet ?  the instruction then say to lay them on the ground until they dry out, but won't the ants and rain-beatles eat them ?.  Sorry, to be a nuisance, but I have never grown them before and your advice will be appreciated.     
Regards, Mrs Bouquet

[SG6]

Bit early for them to be ready at this time. Think that all you have are a few of the older leaves giving up. Some of the ones I have in the ground have done that but the number of leaves that have gone brown are very few.

Last year mine were ready July/August. About half to two thirds of the leaves began to wilt and turn yellow/brown.

That was when I harvested them. It was pretty obvious when the leves were going over.

[Jay Dubya]

Hi, you'll know when they are ready they realy wilt wet or not, to dry them you can either hang them in a net in a shed or lay them on some chicken wire thats raised on some bricks.

[DavidT]

Garlic shouldn`t be ready to harvest until August/September time, so not to panic. What you DON`T want to do is keep the ground wet. Keep the ground moist not waterlogged.

[janeheritage]

I'm near you in sunny Surrey and I harvested mine in late June last year from overwintering, early June the year before. Mine have just got their swan necks now (you should snip these off) and after that they start going limp.

Watering is essential if you want them to bulb up properly.

Not sure how much you have planted, but you could always dig one up and see how it's getting on. If it hasn't bulbed you know you have a month or so to wait. And there are lts of great recipes for green garlic - let me know if you'd like some!

Enjoy 

[mumofstig]

Earlier today I pulled one up that was all on it's own (cos it wouldn't fit in the row) and they have no bulbs yet.
I used some of it in my stir fry tonight and it was v nice

[janeheritage]

Green garlic is the best in stir fries and risottos. Yum 

[herbiegrowsbananas]

Hiya

I planted garlic in April, I know it's totally the wrong time to do it, but the garlic bulb (from the supermarket, lol) was sprouting anyway and  thought that it if would keep some insects away, then it was worth doing... so I separated it into cloves and planted them.

Anyway, my question is, will we be able to eat it at some point or will it rot down? The stalks are looking really healthy, 12" tall or more and far more impressive than my leeks, lol.

Would love advice, sorry if this is a hi-jack... 

Herbie

[mumofstig]

Just let them grow on, they will be ready for lifting later in the year the same as onions

[herbiegrowsbananas]

Just let them grow on, they will be ready for lifting later in the year the same as onions

Wow, excellent!  Thanks for that!    I'm really happy now,    can you tell, lol! 

They are also doing a great job keeping creepy crawlies off my lettuces too!

Herbie

[HelenK]

Just to let you know that I've also planted a load from my greengrocer in containers ready to go in to the plot. They had such lovely fat bulbs I thought it must be worth a try! Not like those shrivelled little miserable things you get at that well known supermarket that begins with T! I also have some that I planted in Autumn last year so should hopefully be ready in a few weeks, I'll let you know! 

[janiejakemum]

I thought that if garlic was planted to over winter then it should be ready in 6 months - mine went in on 21st Dec so should be ready 21st June??

I think i will wait until then and then dig one up and see.  Im quite excited - my garlic last year was a flop and my mums was lovely so i sort of copied what shes did this time.

[DavidT]

Normally you would plant garlic in September to harvest the next August/September.

[mumofstig]

You can get away with spring planting i did last year..........some you order from suppliers don't arrive til spring

[SG6]

Planting on the shortest day and harvesting on the longest day is a bit of folklore that is a fair guide but not necessarily the best.

My neighbour likes to do that, not sure why.  My garlic get planted in Oct/Nov and by Dec 21 they had reasonable growth, simply put they had a good head start of the neighbours.  Last year they were harvested when they died back, about the end of July. Neighbour hauled his out 5 weeks earlier whether they were ready or not because the calender said so.  My crop of garlic was great, neighbours weren't as big.

He did however grow better sunflowers then I managed.

I suspect that planting on the equinox would mean they go in too early. Halloween should be a fair choice. And they do keep vampires away