garlic 2014- plastic?

[littleminnie]

So my plan for this fall had been to order my drip equipment needs for next year in September and then prep the onion beds and garlic beds now and cover with plastic. But we spent so much on our trip I chose to wait until spring to order the drip equipment and prep for onions. As for garlic- well I have never experimented with planting it into plastic but everything else does so well for me. But without any brand new drip lines to lay down I didn't want to try the plastic. I already have one bed planted and mulched and have one to go. Today I found 3 new drip lines that could go on the other bed under the plastic but I don't know if I should do it. The gophers could make so many holes in the lines before next July, but then again, if I suspect holes I could pull off the plastic being the garlic is thin and would go through the hole and then repair the lines. So I am brewing on whether to do the second bed with plastic or without.

[paquebot]

Skip the plastic. Garlic likes cool ground, not hot. There have been reports of people using plastic and virtually cooking the bulbs.

Martin

[littleminnie]

Ok! Thanks. It sue works wonders on onions. I do have the white on black to cool the soil BTW.

[littleminnie]

The bed is planted sans plastic which was easier and safer from gophers. A half bed of shallots and bulbils still needs to be done. 645 cloves were put into the two beds I did.
German hardy
Khabar
Russian
Killarney Red
Lorz Italian
Shandong
Kettle river giant
Brown Rose
Transylvania

Old Homestead bulbils and my surprise garlic is left to plant.

[paquebot]

You have some good ones there and I'm familiar with most of them. Ah, but you don't have the best, Martin's. Figured that when Filaree got it, that was tops for it and then Burpee added it this year. If Dutch Valley Growers pick it up, only a matter of time before it will be available at WalMarts.

Martin