Too late for Garlic and Shallots!?

[chappy]

Hi all,

Was a bit lazy with my garlic and shallots, but got them in this morning.

I'm pretty sure I planted my Shallots about this time last year and they worked OK but do you think my garlic has any chance?

Chappy.

[chappy]

[Cuke]

note sure about the shallots but my onions only went in last weekend so I'd hope we're both going to be ok with those :)

May be a bit late for garlic though, but I'm no expert. You'll get some nice tasty shoots off it no doubt tho so it won't be wasted... :)

[chappy]

Ah yes, I just read somebody asked for an "idiots guide to Garlic" in an earlier post and everyone says I'm too late.  bought it ages ago too.  what a shame.

Luckily I had risked trying a couple of supermarket cloves in a large pot and they are doing well.  So I may still get my home grown garlic.

Only a small plot so not got much space to waste for a few shoots even though they may be tasty.

Think I might pull the garlic and put more shallots or onions in their place.  Or perhaps give red onions a go. 

[Cuke]

Sounds like a good plan, and everyone needs red onions! :) :)

[grawrc]

My understanding with garlic is that it needs a good frosty spell to split into cloves. So you may get onion like garlic from your late planting.

[froglets]

I put my garlic in way too late a couple of years ago and got a crop of small bulbs, a bit like those smal onions you buy for pickling.  They were not a waste though as they had bags of garlic flavour in them & we nearly gassed ourselves a couple of times because without thinking really, we just put the whole bulb in the garlic press, squidged and carried on cooking.

Got out of that habit after the second time of gasping   :o

[chappy]

To be honest I've been confused by various websites/books regarding garlic.

Some say they need that cold snap to "split" the clove into a new bulb. (Plant on the shortest day, harvest on the longest etc).

But then the label on the packet says plant Autumn or Spring!

I'm gonna leave one row of garlic in (small gass bombs or not!  :o ) and put some red onions in place of the others.  Onions always works! :D

Off to Wilko's at lunch! ;)

That then leaves just enough room for a row of leeks, baby and spring onions in the bed.

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

we've planted garlic late before and it grew properly without a cold period. Truth is though I don't want to say it, there's still lots of time for lots of frost  ???

[chappy]

lol.  I almost said it myself but deleted it before posting.

That's a swear word round these parts I bet! :-X

[tim]

Shallots will be fine. If nothing else, you will get 'green garlic' - a delicacy.

[Robert_Brenchley]

You can plant some garlic in March, but it's getting a bit late now even for that. You'll still get a crop, but the bulbs will be smaller, and may not divide into cloves. But far better than nothing!

[chappy]

Good point Tim.  I'll leave it in.

I'll be sure to find some gourmet recipes to use it in.

Still gone and got some red onions, but will find them a home.

[chappy]

http://inmykitchengarden.blogspot.com/2006/04/spring-green-garlic.html

Farmgirl's Green Garlic Fettuccine
Cook your choice of pasta according to package directions (I add a splash of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt to the water). Meanwhile, heat a lump of butter in a skillet. Finely chop as much green garlic as you like (warning: it shrinks down) and add it to the pan of butter. I used the white and light green parts plus about an inch of the leaves of three stalks (for one serving). Cook on low heat until softened, about five minutes or so. Add a splash of pasta water, cover, and turn off heat while pasta finishes cooking. Stir drained pasta into green garlic mixture, along with another lump of butter and plenty of freshly grated pecorino romano (or asiago or parmesan). Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with more grated cheese and a few finely chopped garlic leaves if desired, and serve it up quickly--or risk finding yourself standing in the kitchen with fork and empty bowl in hand and a very confused look on your face.

Yum Yum!

I bet it makes a fine Spaghetti e Alio e Olio! :D

[grawrc]

Just back from planting my shallots. Since they arrived it's been either too cold or too wet - ground frozen or waterlogged. Today like baby bear's porridge it was just right.

Also got my second earlies in.

[bluehousehill]

Hi I didnt realise garlic had to be in I saw a packet of garlic that said March/April so didnt get any. Im a bit gutted as we use loads of garlic. I had better get some onions and shallots for the weekend but snow forcased around here.

[Vortex]

There is a difference between the hardneck and softneck varieties of garlic. The hardneck are adapted to cold and generally require being in over a cold winter. The soft neck varieties don't - they're generally the ones planted in February/March. I suspect you'd do ok with a softneck variety.
All my garlic/shallots went in at the end of Feb. My module sown onion sets will go out next weekend, and the seed sown in about 5 weeks.

[chappy]

Got my onions and red onions in last night alongside my shallots and garlic.  Just spring onions and leeks to go for the full house!

Thanks all for the advice.  I'll make sure I come back and let you know if my garlic splits or not . :D

The variety was Cristo by the way not sure what type that is.

So we'll wait and see what happens.

Thanks for the advice all.

[Patrick King]

just checked my garlic cloves and they have rooted very well only planted them sunday.  so i am guaranteed some garlic this year.  ;D

[Twirlie]

Just planted mine today.  Not worried as I'm up North and two other plotters were planting their onions and shallots today too!  Our more mature experienced plotters on our site advise to go a month behind any books or seed packets.  They've been here since I was 5 so I think I'll listen, they never have a lack of produce!!!!

[Robert_Brenchley]

That's probably about right for a lot of things. I often seem to end up planting at the end of the period given on the seed packet, or even later.