I had hopes of planting a nice mix of garlic this season, particularly some red skinned & hot varieties. Unfortunately I procrastinated to the point that all the mail order garlic is sold out and all the supermarket garlic seems to be from China. So it would appear that I have to make due with what I have this year.
This is all the garlic I saved from this seasons garden for replanting. I'm not sure what variety this is but I picked it up at a local farm in 2008. It produces huge cloves on small heads, about 5 cloves per head. I quite like it so I will have to save more for next seasons planting.
This season I spaced the garlic out a lot more after over crowding them last year. They are placed at a minimum of 4" from each side. I am hoping for larger head this year with the added space.
After planting all the seed I saved I was three cloves short of filling the area so I looked around the garden and found garlic sprouting that I missed harvesting. Out of these two clumps I managed to salvage three cloves that were big enough for replanting.
Here they are in the ground. If I recall correctly these replanted ones are a softneck garlic from the supermarket that I planted last fall. Now I will just play the waiting game and envision 8 big garlic heads next summer. Mental note - Next year order garlic early!
This is all the garlic I saved from this seasons garden for replanting. I'm not sure what variety this is but I picked it up at a local farm in 2008. It produces huge cloves on small heads, about 5 cloves per head. I quite like it so I will have to save more for next seasons planting.
This season I spaced the garlic out a lot more after over crowding them last year. They are placed at a minimum of 4" from each side. I am hoping for larger head this year with the added space.
After planting all the seed I saved I was three cloves short of filling the area so I looked around the garden and found garlic sprouting that I missed harvesting. Out of these two clumps I managed to salvage three cloves that were big enough for replanting.
Here they are in the ground. If I recall correctly these replanted ones are a softneck garlic from the supermarket that I planted last fall. Now I will just play the waiting game and envision 8 big garlic heads next summer. Mental note - Next year order garlic early!
I planted my garlic around October and it's already a foot out of the ground. I hope it survives the winter! I'll have to remember like you to save some for replanting.
ReplyDeleteI know Fall is ideal for planting garlic but mine will be going in next Spring. (I'm still planning out the beds). You think it'll do as well ?
ReplyDeleteRibbit - Oct is the best time to plant garlic. It is really hardy and needs cold exposure to develop properly. Yours will make it through the winter no problem at all, mine took -4f last winter.
ReplyDeleteMiss M - I think garlic can be planted in the spring but I think it needs to go through some sort of cooling cycle. I have also heard it will produce smaller heads and much later with spring planting. If you can find a spot for them I would plant asap.
I definitely did not end up with enough garlic this year. I hope my garlic bed is a better producer in 2010.
ReplyDeleteThat was a lucky find of the missed and sprouting garlic!
Wow, Dan. It looks like I've missed a lot of posts while on my travels! I like your simple coldframe design! I'm slowly realizing that the simplest techniques are the best.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your latest batch of cider! I can't wait to read about how it tastes!
I planted my garlic out in mid October. My supermarket softnecks have sprouted but my heirloom hardnecks have not. Hopefully, they are doing ok under my straw mulch!
I don’t know Dan, my wife would snicker at 8 heads of garlic (she is Italian). I plant 24 cloves and we usually run out. John
ReplyDeleteKitsapFG - It was lucky to have the forgotten garlic in the ground. I wish there was more.
ReplyDeleteThomas - I am in arrears with my posts so I am trying to post everyday to caught up. I think your hardneck will be fine, they quite often don't make an appearance until after the snow has come and gone.
John - I wish I had more garlic that's for sure, at my planting rate most will be used for seed next year. Must remember to order garlic seed early....
Your garlic looks similar to the Romanian Red garlic that I planted in October. These too had rather large cloves, only 5 to 6-bulb.
ReplyDeleteI am sure both your hard- and softneck will all will grow well. From my experience, garlic is pretty forgiving. Even the mystery garlic I transplanted last spring did well providing me with 1-inch bulbs. The little cloves are a little more difficult to peel, but they taste wonderful.
Hi Dan. I bought some organic garlic at the grocery last year without noticing that it was from China. Instead of using it in cooking, I planted 11 of the cloves, but the spot I chose was too shady. I thought they all died, but I found about 16 cloves when I was digging up that area a few weeks ago. I replanted the cloves in a spot that I hope will be better. After two years in my home garden, they should be edible. Time will tell.
ReplyDeleteMany of the necessary vitamins are found in garlic as a natural antibiotic and food should be consumed in more than gives great flavor
ReplyDelete