Re: Mary Mary quite contrary, how does your garlic grow?

**llama momma** Fri Jun 30, 2017 4:11 pm

CapeC-
Music is a variety of true garlic, or hard neck. Elephant garlic is different and not a true garlic.
I think llama manure in the compost is the secret ingredient.

**donnainzone5** Fri Jun 30, 2017 4:56 pm

I planted 72 garlic cloves, although 4-6 did not come up.

Nevertheless, I had four volunteers, which I transplanted to the rose area to deter deer; they all developed scapes.

The first scapes began to appear during the first week of June, so I should be harvesting around the end of this month, bad back permitting.

I'm awaiting a date for surgery....

**Scorpio Rising** Fri Jun 30, 2017 5:57 pm

Mine is larger than I thought it would be. And shading out my cucumbers. But doing well. When do you harvest it? I have 15 plants. In the middle of my 4x4

SwampTroll Fri Jun 30, 2017 7:08 pm

To be perfectly honest, I don't think my garlic is growing at all.

The onions that they are next to is going gangbusters, but the garlic seems to be suspended in it's growth cycle.

I haven't had this problem before and I'm just confused.

**Turan** Fri Jun 30, 2017 8:23 pm

Scorpio Rising wrote:Mine is larger than I thought it would be. And shading out my cucumbers. But doing well. When do you harvest it? I have 15 plants. In the middle of my 4x4

I think it is roughly 3 weeks to a month after picking most of hte scapes. When about half the foliage has died back. The green leaves create the protective wrapper. You are supposed to cut off the water for the last weeks.... which is impossible in the middle of a bed with other things that need water (mine are with the eggplant, eggplant needs win). I figure if I can not stop watering it is ok, I harvest and give them a long time to cure before cleaning them up. Seems like that is an equivalent. I have had the garlic store well after leaving them in the ground way too long and too wet and it was ok. I have also had failures when I thought I did everything right. But even the failures just meant getting all the cloves peeled and frozen.

Garlic greens, like green onions, are tasty too.

**donnainzone5** Fri Jun 30, 2017 8:34 pm

I can move that portion of my drip system aside for a couple of weeks.

I just pulled a few "experimental" onions--boiling onions that I planted last fall because I couldn't find any sets. The ones I pulled were rotten. However, the remainder appear so far to be healthy.

**Scorpio Rising** Fri Jun 30, 2017 10:03 pm

Turan wrote:
Scorpio Rising wrote:Mine is larger than I thought it would be. And shading out my cucumbers. But doing well. When do you harvest it? I have 15 plants. In the middle of my 4x4

I think it is roughly 3 weeks to a month after picking most of hte scapes. When about half the foliage has died back. The green leaves create the protective wrapper. You are supposed to cut off the water for the last weeks.... which is impossible in the middle of a bed with other things that need water (mine are with the eggplant, eggplant needs win). I figure if I can not stop watering it is ok, I harvest and give them a long time to cure before cleaning them up. Seems like that is an equivalent. I have had the garlic store well after leaving them in the ground way too long and too wet and it was ok. I have also had failures when I thought I did everything right. But even the failures just meant getting all the cloves peeled and frozen.

Garlic greens, like green onions, are tasty too.

OK thanks, how do you preserve your garlic? I have 15 bulbs!!!!????? You say freeze?

**Turan** Fri Jun 30, 2017 11:08 pm

I only freeze if they are not lasting well. After I let them cure I tidy them up and put in an old burlap bag and hang them in the unheated mud room. That room doesn't freeze in the winter but is cooler than the house. I bring in a few bulbs at a time and keep them in a basket next to the stove. Usually they are fine until late spring, some may start to sprout but we chop that up too.

Here is a good resource I found ~
https://www.growveg.com/guides/how-to-harvest-and-cure-garlic/

SwampTroll Sat Jul 01, 2017 8:57 pm

Garlic - Mary Mary quite contrary, how does your garlic grow? - Page 28 2017-011

What's wrong with it? It was planted at the same time as the onions which you can see going gangbusters at the top of the frame, even the beets on the left are doing better than the garlic appears to be doing. Should I attempt to start over and try with new cloves?

**trolleydriver** Sat Jul 01, 2017 9:03 pm

SwampTroll wrote:

What's wrong with it? It was planted at the same time as the onions which you can see going gangbusters at the top of the frame, even the beets on the left are doing better than the garlic appears to be doing. Should I attempt to start over and try with new cloves?

Wait until the Fall and plant your garlic at that time. Make sure you use garlic that is specifically made for growing not the stuff you buy in the super market for eating. Also I think hardneck garlic (e.g., porcelain/music) is what is best to grow in Canada.

**Scorpio Rising** Sat Jul 01, 2017 9:06 pm

SwampTroll wrote:

What's wrong with it? It was planted at the same time as the onions which you can see going gangbusters at the top of the frame, even the beets on the left are doing better than the garlic appears to be doing. Should I attempt to start over and try with new cloves?

I don't know, it almost looks like it has a virus? So stunted...I would be tempted to scratch and plant at Halloween for a summer crop.

BeetlesPerSqFt Sun Jul 02, 2017 6:33 am

Two of my garlic varieties look like they have yellow streak virus:
Garlic - Mary Mary quite contrary, how does your garlic grow? - Page 28 Img_9010

SwampTroll Sun Jul 02, 2017 11:19 am

Yeah.

What I had was specifically for growing, not eating. Not sure which variety it was, but I did pick it up from my local garden center.
Think I'm going to repurpose that square and see if I can get some kale in. Weather's been wet and cool enough, that I might be able to get at least one harvest in. Wish I had some daikon seeds to try in there.

Now to figure out where to find some hardneck garlic around here.

**trolleydriver** Sun Jul 02, 2017 1:01 pm

SwampTroll wrote:Yeah.

What I had was specifically for growing, not eating. Not sure which variety it was, but I did pick it up from my local garden center.
Think I'm going to repurpose that square and see if I can get some kale in. Weather's been wet and cool enough, that I might be able to get at least one harvest in. Wish I had some daikon seeds to try in there.

Now to figure out where to find some hardneck garlic around here.

ST ... If you cannot find hardneck garlic at a local garden centre you can order some from Vesey's Bulbs in Charlottetown, PEI. You probably will not find it in garden centres at this time of the year but at the end of summer they should start getting it in.

SwampTroll Sun Jul 02, 2017 2:17 pm

Thanks. Definitely going to have to try the hardnecks. Never attempted to grow those.

Perhaps while I'm ordering, I'll pick up some flowering alliums.

**trolleydriver** Wed Jul 05, 2017 9:37 am

Concise article on harvesting and storing garlic ...

https://tinyurl.com/yamprp5d

Planting garlic (not ANSFG) ...

http://growagoodlife.com/planting-garlic-3/

**Scorpio Rising** Wed Aug 30, 2017 7:51 pm

OK, so I harvested about 15 bulbs. In July. Some were past prime, and once cured, pulled apart a bit. Have a couple away mostly to kids...

Should I plant the pulled apart "past prime " cloves for next year? Does that have any effect on ability of the garlic plant to "make it"? I have some bulbs that are tight and really nice for storing, I am talking about planting cloves from the heads that are a bit apart....not what I would choose to store thinking

**sanderson** Sat Apr 14, 2018 2:19 am

It's only mid April and some of the lower leaves are drying. I thought that happened when they were nearing harvest?? The soil is MM and I don't know if I should remove the mulch and let things warm up? I actually order this garlic and was hoping to have a decent harvest. Sad

Garlic - Mary Mary quite contrary, how does your garlic grow? - Page 28 Garlic12

**trolleydriver** Sat Apr 14, 2018 9:01 am

Sanderson this is what mine looked like last summer and one month before I harvested. It also produced scapes.

Garlic - Mary Mary quite contrary, how does your garlic grow? - Page 28 Img_4010

Garlic - Mary Mary quite contrary, how does your garlic grow? - Page 28 Img_4010

**Turan** Sat Apr 14, 2018 11:29 am

Use your finger to feel around the base of the plants to check bulb size. There are only roots from the bottom center so you will not be hurting anything. How many months since you planted and did you stick them in the fridge for 6-8 weeks?
If you think the bulbs need to grow more keep any mulch on, the bulbs need cool soil to develop, hot soil tells them to mature.

Take a look at this http://greyduckgarlic.com/Southern_Garlic_Grower_Guide.html

**sanderson** Sat Apr 14, 2018 3:06 pm

I felt around on a thick plant and there was a bulb about 2" in diameter. Can't find any on some of the others. I bought these from a grower, maybe Territorial? Should I give each a pinch of Espoma Garden-tone and water, then cover with more straw? I can turn the drip line off if needed.

TD, you probably have hard neck garlic (long day, cold winter). I have soft neck California (short day, mild winter).

**Turan** Sat Apr 14, 2018 4:01 pm

When did you plant them? From sprouting in the spring until pulling time for me is 4 months. If you planted at the New Year I would guess they should be ready to pull soon.

You might pull out those you think bulbed enough and leave the others. If so you might as well try fertilizing and mulching and keep watering them. You soil should still be in the bulb growing temperature zone. With the green tops maybe they will keep going. If they are not putting out new leaves and just dying, then it is time to pull.

**sanderson** Sat Apr 14, 2018 4:57 pm

I think I planted them late Oct. Maybe early November? I think I will take a pinch of Espoma for them. They have their own bed this year so they could mature on their own schedule.

**Scorpio Rising** Sat Apr 14, 2018 6:10 pm

Honestly, they do look done! But I would think based on the planting time, they need more time....I agree, give some nutrient and see if that makes a difference!

**donnainzone5** Sat Apr 14, 2018 7:00 pm

I plant my hardnecks around Halloween each year. Typically, they're ready for harvest in mid-July.

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