Cultivating garlic

tedlester · « **on:** August 10, 2007, 21:07 »

I have been trying to cultivate garlic for several years without much success. This year for example I planted about fifty jumbo corms in staight rows across my allotment in October last year, but as usual some failed to grow despite me hoeing them to keep the weeds down. Then when Spring came they were slow to grow larger stems. During the summer many of them went to seed and others died off due to a fungus growth at the roots. They all started die off early and some were attacked by a rusty mold which made the matter worse. When I finally harvested them all I had were a few poor bulbs and most of these rotted off leaving me with a total of fourteen bulbs none of which look healthy. Can someone tell me what I am doing wrong, and what is the best way to cultivate this plant ?

Ted Lester

WG. · « **Reply #1 on:** August 10, 2007, 21:39 »

I wonder if perhaps your ground has white rot in it. Can you grow onions / shallots at all?

WG. · « **Reply #2 on:** August 10, 2007, 22:53 »

Hope you are careful with that hoe. They do a lot of invisible growing under the surface.

Also, where do you get your seed garlic from? Is your ground very wet in winter??

adekun · « **Reply #3 on:** August 11, 2007, 06:33 »

Sorry to read it hasn't worked out after a few attempts. I had my first crop a few months back. whisky_golf made some good points, can't add much but here's what I did.

After getting the bed down to a fine tilth a 45cm row was made, the cloves with some of the paper on were inserted 5cm down every 15cm and 15cm apart.
Took a couple of weeks for them to emerge. I don't have a hoe, weeding was done by hand - garlic bruises easily. I missed harvesting it as we were away.

We get a lot of heavy rain here, double digging was a must.
Should be able to keep planted garlic in the same spot, unless there a problem lurking.

David. · « **Reply #4 on:** August 11, 2007, 15:35 »

Sounds like white rot that destroyed my stock of garlic some years back.

I now grow in at least 2 locations and plant in both Autumn & Spring. This year the Spring planted garlic has grown best, and it is fresher come the Autumn to use for re-planting.

Move your garlic bed and don't compost the plants.

tedlester · « **Reply #5 on:** August 12, 2007, 12:20 »

Thanks to all the people who replied about my problems with growing garlic. I shall in future be careful with the hoe. With regard to my soil conditions, it is sandy well drained loam and supplied with home made compost; all my growing is organic. I do usually select a different place on the garden each year because I know that I do sometimes get problems with white fungus on both garlic and onions. How can I combat this organically apart from changing location each year and destroying all affected plants? I have always planted my garlic in the manner suggested by some of you, but I do think that I shall change to spring planting as suggested. In the past I have planted corms bought from the greengrocer for consumption and is only since I have bought especially for growing from a trusted garden centre that I have really had big problems. So perhaps I should change supplier,
I am a new member to this site ( or any other similar ) and this is the first time that I have posted a question. I am happy with the responses.
Thanks to you all,
Ted Lester,

WG. · « **Reply #6 on:** August 12, 2007, 12:33 »

Light soil in Essex, eh? And I thought it was all clay!

White rot (if it is that) is very bad news. See http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/factsheets/dc16.php which does give a tip for growing garlic in infected ground.

Quote from: "David."

and it is fresher come the Autumn to use for re-planting

I don't agree - surely you harvest both Autumn and Spring sown garlic at the same time of year?? I find garlic keeps exceptionally well in storage anyhow (6-9 months at least). I would always advocate autumn planting.

David. · « **Reply #7 on:** August 12, 2007, 14:38 »

I dug a few of most ripest of my spring planted garlic this afternoon, to see how they are getting on, but the tops have only recentley gone over and they could be left at least another couple of weeks. They are bigger and will be fresher than the winter planted cloves, making them my first choice for planting both in autumn and spring.

I had to lift all my overwintering garlic 4 weeks ago as the tops had died away so much that I was in danger of have to turn the entire bed over to find them.

The top row are the (larger) spring planted garlic, with the very best (but still smaller) of the autumn planted garlic below:

But my overwintering elephant garlic are bigger than spring planted! That's why I always do both.

WG. · « **Reply #8 on:** August 12, 2007, 14:43 »

Interesting, thanks David. Do you remember when you planted your spring-sown stuff?

David. · « **Reply #9 on:** August 12, 2007, 14:45 »

Early March. Many of the mid-Oct planted cloves sulked in the (wet clay) ground and didn't show their heads until spring, which is why I planted more than I normal in March.

They are all the same variety (don't ask which because I only by garlic when I lose all my stock), the one on top just need to ripen some more to look just like those below.

WG. · « **Reply #10 on:** August 12, 2007, 14:54 »

Thanks David - early March is still winter up here!

Brrrr.

I reckon the autumn planting may suffer because of your clay soil. Useful to know since a lot of forum members do have clay. Clearly you are sowing early enough in the year to catch some cold weather which all garlic needs.

David. · « **Reply #11 on:** August 12, 2007, 15:39 »

I would have planted them in Feb but it was too wet.

Something I forgot to mention was that not one single spring planted garlic went to seed this year.

WG. · « **Reply #12 on:** August 12, 2007, 16:18 »

Most hardnecked varieties will throw up a seed stalk. I take this to be a sign of good health. Simply snip off below the seed head as soon as it forms. Be sure to use the cut part (scape) for stir fries, salads, soups etc.

David. · « **Reply #13 on:** August 12, 2007, 19:00 »

Quote from: "David."

not one single spring planted garlic went to seed this year.

Can't do that as none went to seed.

WG. · « **Reply #14 on:** August 12, 2007, 19:22 »

Quote from: "David."

Quote from: "David."
not one single spring planted garlic went to seed this year.

Can't do that as none went to seed.

:roll: :roll: The inference was that your autumn planted garlic had thrown up a seed stalk. :roll: :roll:

Anyhow, my reply was intended for a wider readership.

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Cultivating garlic

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