Topic: rust on garlic

[foresterone]

My garlic foliage is covered in rust! They were planted in november, should I harvest them now or allow the leaves to die down?

[Plot69]

I had terrible rust last year so this year I planted mine in as open and windy spot as possible to get as much airflow around the plants. It seems to have helped a great deal as they are only just showing signs of rust. I've started pulling mine up and I have a great crop which was planted around he same time as yours.

Try lifting one see what it's like.

[foresterone]

Thanks, I will lift a couple and see what they are like 

[Plot69]

Here's a few I pulled a few days ago, also posted somewhere else. The coin is a 10p for scale.

[pieman]

plot69, do you know what variety your splendid looking garlic is? Mine looks just the same (though mostly quite a bit smaller!), but I got the garlic from the green grocer in town and it was simply labelled "wet garlic". Interested to know what I've grown!

As for rust, mine are covered in it too but I've just dug it up today and all looks fine. More concerned that it might spread to the nearby leeks...


D

[Plot69]

plot69, do you know what variety your splendid looking garlic is?

Germidour. All from cloves saved from last years stunted rusty stock. Wasn't expecting too much from them so I invested in 6 new Garden Center bulbs just in case which are planted in a different bed.

I've not looked to see how the new ones are doing yet but if they're half as good I'll be happy.

I wouldn't guarantee yours are the same variety as there are quite a few purple striped ones about. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but purple stripes indicates a hard neck variety no?

[amphibian]

I lifted a few of my rusty garlic today, they weren't big enough, the rest'll be staying in a while longer. On lifting them I found I had planted them far too deeply. No idea how, but wonder if that's affected their size adversely.

[Sally A]

Whilst rust is unsightly on the leaves, I haven't found it that detrimental to the overall yield.

I know I'm a bit early to be harvesting, but my general order is a) the wimpy straggly ones, b) the ones with any signs of rust c) the ones on the way of my next sowings of leeks or swiss chard or whatever else I am desperate to get out.

Seriously though last year I harvested my garlic, dried it by hanging it between string in the apex of the greenhouse and shed roof, it lasted well, until around Christmas.  This year I have made a pact with myself that Boxing Day will be spent grating and freezing unused garlic bulbs, as after the new year they tend to go really woody, or start going mouldy, or rock hard from the base up.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I got a decent crop two years ago when the rust was so bad that the foliage died completely. A little has no effect whatsoever.

[Ninnyscrops.]

Mine always succomb to rust, but once dried and hung up in the kitchen, they last until next spring, minimum  ;)

[hopalong]

Mine always succomb to rust, but once dried and hung up in the kitchen, they last until next spring, minimum  ;)

Same here. It comes late in the growing period and does not affect the quality of the crop.

[foresterone]

interesting replies; is there any preventative measure which can be taken for next crop? planting november 

[Plot69]

There's not a great deal you can do to prevent or combat rust. I had terrible rust last year in the bed I had it growing in, quite close together and very sheltered. This year I planted it out in the most exposed part of my plot so that it had plenty of fresh air and not so close together rather than the rather humid, less ventilated bed last year. I've only suffered from minor rust unlike last year when it all looked as rusty as an Austin Maxi.

The bulb size is almost double what it was last year as well.