Garlic growing

[julie williamson]

Does anyone know anything about growing garlic? I planted them out like onions, but although they are growing well, they have'nt risen out of the ground like onions, and their bulbs are still buried.. should I dig away the earth from their bulbs so they can get the air and sunlight? ( and I can see what they are doing!)

[lyndap]

The garlic bulbs don't show above ground like onions do.No, dont fetch the earth from around them. They are supposed to grow like this.Depending on type, when planted etc, will vary for cropping times, so dont be to anxious to check what bulbs are doing.

[valmarg]

According to OH, cropping of garlic should be the end of July/early August, when the foliage starts to die back.

The first time we grew garlic, like you, we thought they should form the bulbs above ground, like onions. We dug them up, ready to throw them on the compost heap, only to find lovely garlic bulbs.

Every day you learn something new, whether it's gardening or just general knowledge!

valmarg

[poultrychat]

I have autumn garlic and the leaves are just starting to brown if that's of any help

[julie williamson]

Thanks..have now covered them up and will be patient..the leaves are a bit dead on the end, but in spite of watering whenever possible, I expect they are just feeling the effects of the drought?
I don't know what variety they are, they were 3 for a £1 in the garden centre!

[Slug]

My autumn garlic bulbs are starting to show signs of browning leaves, so I would think that's why your leaves look a bit dead at the end.

I tried both autumn garlic and spring garlic this year and I have to say that my autumn garlic looks fantastic (well.... the stalks are nice and thick and strong!) compared to the weedy looking spring garlic.

Has anyone else had any experience with autumn vs spring sown garlic and which is the best time?

Slug

[Birdie Wife]

Definitely autumn sown for me, garlic is so hardy it can overwinter even up here. I tried it in the spring last year and the bulbs I got were so wimpy that most of the them I'm just chopping in half horizontally and chucking in casseroles. They keep really well too, so I wouldn't even go for a spring sowing to extend the cropping period. Maybe with the longer growing season in the south you might get something reasonable from spring garlic though.

[poultrychat]

I've still got bulbs from last year that are fine, garlic needs a cold period which is why autumn crops will do better

[Getoffmylande]

Just a quick idea for julie don't water the bulbs as by doing so you may rot the actual bulb that is developing below the ground. i planted just one complete bulb this year in a small veg plot,(before we managed to get an allotment).It has come on okay and we will be looking to harvest the new bulbs in August or as stated lift it out once the stem has died back.

[leona]

about the watering, i understand it that garlic is from the mediteranian (my spelling is bad sorry) and therefore will be draught tolerant. i hardly water mine and they are fine.

[julie williamson]

Oh! So much to take in! can stop watering them then, and wait until the tops die off like onions? is it possible to save a few bulbs and plant them in september for next year?
Grown most things, but not tried garlic seriously until this year, although eat it every day!

[sewer rat]

Julie
You can stop watering them without any problems. My autumn garlic has never been watered and is healthy as hell. Wait til the tops die down before harvesting - just like onions, as you correctly said.
There is nothing at all to stop you from keeping a couple of bulbs back for planting in autumn, assuming that your variety is suitable for an autumn planting.

[maranne]

I thought our garlic was bolting until I checked it out, and have now cracked off the 'scapes' - will be using them with out dinner this evening. We had never heard of this before, and are looking forward to tasting the scapes.

[bramble]

Hi Maranne, hope you don't mind my asking but what are 'scapes'

Bramble.

[smallblueplanet]

Some garlic is prone to 'bolting' - hardneck type I think, and what you get are green stalks with little mini garlic bulbs growing in them. You can also save them and plant them in autumn.