Garlic Confusion!

[garry88220]

I'm new to the site, but not to gardening. I need some clarification about garlic. First, I have read garlic is to be planted only in the fall, I have also read some kind can be planted in the spring, and have also read any and all can be planted spring or fall. I have seen garlic bulbs (cloves?) for sale at some garden centers also for planting now. Which of the above is correct? There are so many types also hardneck, softneck etc. Anyone know a site that explains the term used to describe the types? Yhanks for any help advice in advance! Garry

[mnjrutherford]

I'm new to garlic, but not to the site or gardening...

Alliums are (were) rather intimidating for the very reasons you've pointed out. I just sucked it up and bought a bunch of sets last fall and planted red and yellow onions and shallots. I also planted a bunch of store bought garlic as well as a bunch of garlic from Pugs who is a co-member here and some garlic I requested from GRIN.

I'm still trying to work out when to harvest. I'm not sure about the garlic yet, but the onions should come up about June/July...

[mjc]

Well...the first question is...where do you live?

That, in part determines when to plant. Warm winter areas, like the deep South should definitely be fall planted. Very far north (like nearly tundra country in Alaska/Canada) probably spring...everywhere in between...either, but fall is usually better. As it overwinters, it develops an extensive root system, which often leads to larger bulbs.

So, it isn't too late to plant some, unless you are the deep South (like Z10 Florida).

[Rebsie]

My understanding is that you can get away with planting in spring, but autumn gives better results as the bulbs have a longer season to mature.

Have a look at Patrick's blog ... www.patnsteph.net/weblog/ ... he is a garlic specialist who has written a lot about different types and methods and will probably answer any specific questions you have.

[garry88220]

mnjrutherford : GRIN?? what is that..

mjc I am in Carlsbad, New mexico zone 7 or 8 depending on what site you look at!

Thanks for the quick replies! Garry

[mjc]

Fall would be better for you, if only because you get more rain over the winter months, but you can get something, if you get it the ground immediately...it may not be a bumper crop, but it will beat the store bought stuff by ten miles...even if you just grab some from the bulk bin at the store.

[mnjrutherford]

Apr 15, 2010 19:37:40 GMT -5 garry88220 said:

mnjrutherford : GRIN?? what is that..

ah... GRIN! I recall the first time I read that magical word here on the forum. I GOGGLED it. GR stands for Germplasm Repository. I HIGHLY suggest, that you find yourself at least an hour or to and peruse the website, THEN ask questions. I'll be more than happy to answer what I can. There are other here who are much more knowledgeable than I. If you are into the scientific side of gardening, you will fall in love.

[grunt]

Good to see you back, Rebsie.

[Rebsie]

Thank you Dan. It's good to be back - though I sorely miss seeing Val's sunny presence around here.

[canadamike]

Hey people Rebsie is back!!!!

Glad to see you! How is the pea experiment going?

[ottawagardener]

Rebsie! Welcome back!

I concur with everyone, for many growing seasons, fall planting is best. I have planted in spring and got some garlic, enough to replant in the fall for a bigger harvest. May I recommend getting some garlic from a local garlic festival for planting stock as it will be better adapted to your area.

Garlic growing is relatively easy and fun so don't be put off by contradictory planting instructions - this phenomena is surprisingly common. Just stick some in the ground and marvel at the growth. This fall you can try that technique and compare. If you don't have enough space so are humming and hawing about what to plant, I'd wait until the fall assuming you have growing conditions suited to this sort of cultivation plan.

[rrheyn]

garlic needs much warmth and good heavy soil i think. I have some Oregon elefant garlic in my garden but they become tiny and not so tick as i wish.
I found an asian serpent garlic with long stems, who can grow very well in our colder climate, they don't need so much space between and growing to 1 meter high in spring. You can use the whole plant.

[Joseph Lofthouse]

I normally plant garlic in the fall.

Most winters, most of it survives most of the time....
(This year an unusual combination of environmental
factors killed 80% of my fall planted garlic, but most
years it all survives.)

If there are blank spots in the row where a clove died
during the winter, then I replant in the spring.

There isn't much difference in growth for me between
fall planted garlics, and garlics planted as soon as the
snow melts in the spring.

Regards,
Joseph

[paquebot]

May 31, 2010 18:22:49 GMT -5 Joseph Lofthouse said:

There isn't much difference in growth for me between
fall planted garlics, and garlics planted as soon as the
snow melts in the spring.

That is very, very true. The key is to plant as soon as one can dig or chop holes in the ground to plant it. In a normal year, garlic planted here in mid-October will have zero growth until the soil temperature is above freezing. For many years, we always planted in the early spring since that is how the few growers did it. Now we know that precautions can be taken to prevent winter loss and almost everything is planted in the fall. We do know that if a heavy snow cover falls early, and the soil never freezes thereafter, there will be growth under and into the snow.

Martin

[mnjrutherford]

I don't think I lost any of my garlic. Of course, our winter temperatures are not all that extreme either so that's no surprise really. What is interesting is the different maturation rates.

I've harvested about half the garlic so far. Some of it was clearly harvested far to early. Some, perfectly timed. Others, just a tad over done, and I say that because the wrappers are a bit on the loose side and there is an occasional split in the wrapper close to the root.

I am having some puzzlement regarding the hard / soft neck issue. I'm presuming that if I hold it sideways, about an inch or so from the bulb, and it's floppy, it's a soft neck. If it's rigid, hard neck. The one's deemed soft neck are then braided and hung off the mantle with a fan on them for continued circulation. The hard neck get the stem cut down to about 5", arraigned in trays and put in the drying room, also with a fan for circulation.

I've also sorted out the few bulbs that failed to fully develop or became stunted in some way. Those have been peeled (very easy to do while still not fully cured), sliced, and placed in the drying room. Those will be ground and bottled. I had a small test batch that I ground yesterday and it came out beautifully.

Next year, I think I should separate the hards from the softs, just to make the processing a bit easier.