Garlic again.

[tim]

Daughter-in-Law just back fron Aix-en-Provence with some rose garlic. Received this am.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained - so it's IN. 14 cloves. Will report on its progress.

[tim]

[ermck1]

Great idea Tim.

I'm just going to Beregrac and will scour the markets for Garlic and Shallots. Anything else you can think of that I can bring back and plant?

Mike

[daisymay]

this reminds me, I was planning to use a head of garlic from last year's bumper crop - I assume this is OK having read this?

[MattyJC]

I always remember my dad planting the previous years shallot crop (or part of) for the following year, I'm not 100% sure if he did with the garlic, though I'm pretty sure he did.

Ordered my garlic lovers pack from the garlic farm this morning, so lets hope the weather stays good till the weekend and hopefully I can plant them

Regards

Matt

[tim]

erm - can't think, Mike. I'm afraid I would bring back confit de canard!

Fine, Daisy - so long as you know that it is free from rot.

[artichoke]

I've just brought back a pack of huge shallots designed for planting (from Arles) and put them in last week. I was surprised they were so big, as received wisdom (RHS) is that the smaller ones make the best "seed".  I have also put in the smallest of my homegrown ones, so we shall see. Most garden centres in this country don't stock shallots until February, which is frustrating.

[Curryandchips]

The garlic looks interesting Tim, any more details?

[tim]

Nope!!

[Curryandchips]

A link with info about undivided cloves that I was unaware of -they are considered less effort in the kitchen, and will produce early heads the following year ...

http://www.gourmetgarlicgardens.com/growfaq.htm

[tim]

Some good reading there, but I find that a 'ball' still has a membrane between  each embryonic clove?

[Curryandchips]

I have noticed the same, but I have used 'balls' occasionally when I have been out of normal cloves, and the membrane just gets chopped up and cooked, and 'disappears' ... ?

[sally_cinnamon]

Wow!  Has everyone been to the South of France for thier hols?!?  I've just come back from St Remy de Provence and brought some garlic back for planting, not sure what type.  Bought some seeds too, Aubergine and shallots...

Here's a proper newbie question - are onion sets just baby onions?  Cos I brought back some baby onions too, and was going to cook with them, but if I can use them as sets I'll give them a go in the ground as well as the pot!

[tim]

Same thing - but some Onion sets are heat treated for better performance.

[sally_cinnamon]

So I could give them a go....?

Do I have to put them in the ground now for overwinter?

[tim]

Spring, usually.

[Tora]

Tim, your garlic bulb looks quite similar to Germidour, which I planted this week. I bought 3 bulbs for 1.99 at a local garden centre. Apparently it is one of three main french commercial varieties (other two are Printanor and Messidrome).

[Hyacinth]

this reminds me, I was planning to use a head of garlic from last year's bumper crop - I assume this is OK having read this?

If it looks healthy, YES!

Sept. 2004 I bought some Elephant Garlic in NY....grown in Chile....planted it in Birmingham that autumn.. 2005 sent a head of new-grown to Tim for eating 8) 2006 sent a head of this year's harvest to KP (runt of the litter, weighing in at 8oz - garlic NOT KP ::)) for planting. Have planted cloves of a head myself.......not bad going for a market-bought head back in 2000 in NY, via Chile..

[tim]

And, boy was it good!

[Hyacinth]

 8) Thanks for the endorsement Tim ;D

[OliveOil]

Blast it!!! Woman at work is spending the hols in France - i could have asked her to bring me back loads... v annoyed with myself now!