[Jeff Glanrhyd]

Hi all - My garlic patch (Marco) is looking a bit bedraggled compared to my onions and shallots, which are in the same raised bed. The shoots are pale, look as if they have been chewed and some of the shoots are wrinkled. (see photo). Planted Marco last year with great results.
Am I panicing over nothing? Any tips greatly appreciated.
Many thanks.

[compostqueen]

Inevitably some get chewed and look bedraggled as the pigeons etc sit on them and they get squashed and they've come through the winter and had thick snow on them so it's little wonder they're a bit worse for wear. They will be fine

My alliums are looking a bit pale and yellow so they will get watered with Epsom Salts
mixed as per packet instructions

[BabbyAnn]

My alliums are looking a bit pale and yellow so they will get watered with Epsom Salts mixed as per packet instructions

oh, I've never heard that before.  How does that help please? 

[viettaclark]

Do my eyes deceive me or is that a scape (flower stalk) forming? This hot dry weather is causing alot of stuff to bolt.

[Dominic]

Mine always grow the seed pod thing on top.
Are they not supposed to?

[BabbyAnn]

Mine always grow the seed pod thing on top.
Are they not supposed to?

It's normal for overwintered garlic, especially hard neck varieties to throw a flower head/scape up - just cut it off when it appears (you can eat it too so nothing wasted) and that will direct all the plant's energy goes into bulb formation rather than seed production 

[Paul Plots]

Mine always grow the seed pod thing on top.
Are they not supposed to?

Elephant garlic (although not the same family) always do this. It is a case of keep a look-out for the flower stalk and "off with their heads". Everything proceeds nicely after that until lifting time. 

[realfood]

Soft neck garlic does not grow scapes. Only hard necks and elephant.

[Jeff Glanrhyd]

Thanks all - but my garlic was not overwintered (planted in Feb) and there are no flower stalks forming.

The leaves seem to be disapearing fast !

[mumofstig]

I think you may find that the very upright stem will turn out to be a flower stem, it doesn't look just like a garlic leaf to me, somehow.
I just gave mine a does of BF&B and watered it in, seems to have greened them up

[Dominic]

I shall chop them off in future then

[Paul Plots]

I think you may find that the very upright stem will turn out to be a flower stem, it doesn't look just like a garlic leaf to me, somehow.
I just gave mine a does of BF&B and watered it in, seems to have greened them up

Mine need a does of something-or-other to perk them up. Just too much cold and now too much dry.