garlic

[lincsyokel2]

My garlic has fallen over so I guess its done.


Its the first time ive tried garlic, there only about an inch and a quarter in diameter. Has everyone else had small garlic or am i doing something wrong ?

[lincsyokel2]

[Tee Gee]

Snap!

I sorted my lot out this morning the hard neck variety is a bit smaller than usual and the soft neck was poor in numbers and quality.

What I did notice this year or I suppose I should say last year and that is; my garlic tops seemed to take much longer to 'fire' up that is;

Normally the tops are around 8" tall around Xmas but last year they had not emerged.

Thinking I had lost them I planted some more then all he'll broke loose, they all started growing ( both first & second sowings) then things progressed as normal.

Although I know they need a cold spell to split in this case they got the cold spell too soon I.e. Before they started growing. Luckily they got another cold spell once they did start growing and split.

Then we got the dry and hot spells in spring so they didn't t bulk up ( that's my excuse)

So I think the topsy turvy seasons have played their part!

Usually I save planting stock from my harvest but this year I think I will start with new stock,although I will use a couple of my old stock for comparisons in case the seasons go haywire next year again!

So as I have said I am in the same boat as you Lincs!

[chriscross1966]

Mine were looking great once they got going and some of the elephants look like they'd have got huge if onion white rot hadn't struck.... I'm going to hae to clean and freeze most of it I think, will try to clean off some elephant cloves adn sterilise in Milton fluid, I've got one left on the plot with a flower head on it so maybe I'll get some seed to grow cleanly next year.... to an allium fiend like me white rot is a disaster.... got to see if |I cna rescue some tree onions and the potato onions get them all on the home plot for a couple of years and try and clean the soil on the allotment with the garlic powder treatment..... wish we could still use armillatox.....

[antipodes]

That is a little small but if they have decent sized cloves you are OK. Most of mine are more like 5 or 6 cm across.
The early ones were very small this year, but the later ones, planted in January have given me quite good bulbs. I got 32 heads this year! so I am pleased. I am only just finishing last year's!!!

[brown thumb]

can i  use eg plant own grown garlic which matured last summerish time this Autumn or will it have dried out  gone past its best before date as i have several cloves i was saving to do this

[chriscross1966]

can i  use eg plant own grown garlic which matured last summerish time this Autumn or will it have dried out  gone past its best before date as i have several cloves i was saving to do this

You could give it a go but I duobt it would come to much, better to use fresh, as long as you've not had any disease problems just plant the biggest out for next year...

chrisc