[Philby]

I am hoping to plant quite a lot of garlic this year and I understand now is the time to do it - the problem is I don't get my allotment plot until January.  Is it possible to start the garlic off in a pot and then transfer it to the ground in January, or am I better off just leaving it in pots this year?

Thanks,
Philby

[arugula]

I'm not sure about transplanting, having never tried it, but it doesn't seem ideal. Some people plant their garlic in the ground as late as January, with good end results.

[bazh]

Just wait until January you don't have to plant it now, I've planted some already but more will go in over the winter and some in spring. I've never had a problem with germination so haven't felt the need to use pots.

[Philby]

Thanks for the advice.  I think I will try some in pots now and then plant the majority of it when I get my plot in January.

[Salmo]

Garlic does need a cold period to make it split into cloves next Summer but it is not much, something like 3 weeks under 10 deg C.

In some southern european countries I can see this might be a problem with Spring planted garlic but I cannot see this ever being so in the UK unless you wait until April/May to plant.

[eeedowls]

I grew garlic in pots this year (planted middle of December) in old potato compost but with added potash at sowing and then some general fertiliser in the spring

I had some very good results

[Philby]

Very encouraging eeedowls!

[TerryB]

I planted mine in Feb this year because the bed was not ready,snow and cold in Nov & Dec, and had a good crop.
If you plant some in pots make sure the soil/compost you use is free draining.

[arugula]

Garlic does need a cold period to make it split into cloves next Summer but it is not much, something like 3 weeks under 10 deg C.

In some southern european countries I can see this might be a problem with Spring planted garlic but I cannot see this ever being so in the UK unless you wait until April/May to plant.

Don't confuse the difference between planting hard-necked garlic for over-wintering and soft necked garlic in our spring/summer.

[eeedowls]

Very encouraging eeedowls!

Thanks  - for info, they were in Supermarket flower buckets (with holes in bottom) - one or two per bucket - the bigger bulbs came from the single plantings - some of them were excellent and nice and strong.

The variety was Marco...

Incidentally, this was my first success with garlic (had 16 bulbs in all) as the previous two years I had planted in clay type soil which the cloves did not like at all!!

hope this helps...

:-)

[Yorkie]

Argyllie's right, you need to make sure that your variety will be happy being planted in spring.  If it's an autumn planting variety, it will need the cold period over winter to do its best.

I am sure that you can start them off in pots and plant them out with the rootball later.  I'd do a separate, slightly smaller, pot per clove rather than one large one with lots of cloves in, so as not to disturb roots when planting out.  With the smaller pots, you simply transplant the whole contents of the pot.

[Philby]

Sounds like the best plan Yorkie, i think i will go for that.

Cheers

[clairebeau]

Argyllie's right, you need to make sure that your variety will be happy being planted in spring.  If it's an autumn planting variety, it will need the cold period over winter to do its best.

I am sure that you can start them off in pots and plant them out with the rootball later.  I'd do a separate, slightly smaller, pot per clove rather than one large one with lots of cloves in, so as not to disturb roots when planting out.  With the smaller pots, you simply transplant the whole contents of the pot.

So glad this question was asked as I too was wondering what to do about Autumn garlic, we were worried we'd missed the boat.  Yorkie I am going to follow your advice as we don't actually get our plot officially until the 1st Dec and then we need to get the ground ready etc. But we wanted (my lad especially) wanted to get busy and plant something for the plot now, this way he can plant something that we can transfer when we're ready.  Would there be anything else we can do like this?  Shallots?  Now I DO LOVE Shallots 

[Yorkie]

I think shallots go in at the start of the New Year (others will know for sure).

If you don't get your lotty till Dec then I think you are limited to either starting garlic cloves off now in pots (don't leave it much longer) or getting small plants which you can plant out e.g. broad beans.

It's a bit late to be starting most stuff off.

[arugula]

We discussed shallot planting just here recently.