Garlic for Dummies

[COMPOST CORNER]

I planted Garlic in March last year and still got a decent crop.
I read somewhere that to simulate frosting you can keep the bulb in the salad drawer of your fridge for a week, giving it 30-45 minutes per day in the freezer.
Worked for me, but if you are absent minded, as I am, make sure you set an alarm to remind you to take the garlic out of the freezer.

[toffee565]

You would probably need to leave the doors of the polytunnel open for a few days to harden it off before lifting. Do they look like small leeks at the mo? If so, I would lift them with as much soil as you can and they should transplant ok.

Hi i wouldnt say that they look like small leek's, most have a few green leaves showing(if thats the right term?)though when i pulled one up to have a look it just looked like it had swelled and rooted, hence why i want to get them outside, when transplanting how deep should i put them?..on another note also pulled an autumn planted onion set likewise they have green shoots but seemed to have srunk into themselves? very bizare

[Snadger]

Hi i wouldnt say that they look like small leek's, most have a few green leaves showing(if thats the right term?)though when i pulled one up to have a look it just looked like it had swelled and rooted, hence why i want to get them outside, when transplanting how deep should i put them?..on another note also pulled an autumn planted onion set likewise they have green shoots but seemed to have srunk into themselves? very bizare

After experimentation I've found that garlic planted 1 to 2 inches below ground seems to work for me.

As to the onions shrinking into themselves, you have to remember that the onion 'set' when planted is only a food store for the growing onion which grows up the centre then eventually begins to swell itself. What you are seeing is the 'husk' of the original foodstore which it doen't need anymore once its made its own roots and topgrowth.

[toffee565]

After experimentation I've found that garlic planted 1 to 2 inches below ground seems to work for me.

As to the onions shrinking into themselves, you have to remember that the onion 'set' when planted is only a food store for the growing onion which grows up the centre then eventually begins to swell itself. What you are seeing is the 'husk' of the original foodstore which it doen't need anymore once its made its own roots and topgrowth.

Snadger thanks for the information i was going to go and pull them all up for the compost heap really thought that they weren't working, same as the garlic i'll leave them be for now though i'll transport the garlic into the new beds hopefully they'll survive

[toffee565]

Hi all, just an update, i transported the polytunnel garlic yesterday morning and moved it outside into one of the new bed's i just hope they survive the move? all have green shoots showing and i have noticed that two off them have splitand one clove now has two very exciting