how late to plant Garlic

[Bhilltop]

My garlic bulbs have arrived soft neck. I wanted to do a bit more work in my garden to prepare the ground better for our veg growing efforts next year.

How late can i leave it until i plant the garlic. Does it need to be before the frost?

[greenishfing]

I haven't planted mine yet. In the "old days" the advice was plant them on the shortest day and harvest them on the longest. I will plant mine when the ground (hopefully) gets a bit less boggy. I usually get a good crop planting them anytime between now and January. They do need some cold weather while they are growing or the bulbs don't split into cloves.

[Plot70]

It just needs a few cold nights to get it started.
If you put it in the fridge for a week before planting it can go in as late as April.

[Bhilltop]

Fantastic as i've ordered another variety to try. I'll probably put one bunch in containers and the other into the ground when its ready and compare how they fare against one another

[annie8]

Helpful reminder that I need to get my garlic in.

[Snadger]

.....or you could plant in pots/trays and transplant to final position?

[Snoop Puss]

.....or you could plant in pots/trays and transplant to final position?

That's what I do if the ground isn't suitable. Keep in a cold frame while they're waiting for their permanent accommodation.

Hello and welcome Bhilltop, by the way.

[Bhilltop]

thank you're for the warm welcome and sound advice.

I think I will try some in containers as you suggest and the other half in the ground. It would be a nice insurance policy and interesting to see how they compare

[Mark_Riga]

I had some in pots in a cold greenhouse one year when it froze. They didn't recover. They were on some staging though.probably would have been ok on the ground.

[Bhilltop]

Okay, so the deed is done... I have planted half of the cloves in the ground in what is a fairly light well-draining sandy soil and the other half are now comfortable and neatly planted in a line in my new raised bed.

Fingers crossed and let's hope I remember to compare the results in 9 months' time .....

[annie8]

Saw today that there are a few garlic coming through in the bed I had them in last year. Must have missed a few cloves when I cleared the bed.