Garlic

[smurfy]

planted mine 2-3 weeks ago. I too had some pretty nice bulbs. kept more for planting as I need a bunch next year.

 

so when should a guy cover them with mulch exactly???

[Big-Al]

I covered mine right after planting this year.  I usually mulch a week or two after planting but I wanted to keep as much warmth in the soil as possible since I was later planting than I wanted to be.

[smurfy]

thanks for the info. gotta go out there tomorrow anyway to take care of camper will cover then!!!!!!!

[SkunkedAgain]

I planted late this year - first week of November. I still have to mulch it all as well. I mostly make sure that they are covered before we start getting frosts

[smurfy]

will be going to go cover it this weekend!!!!!!!!!

[smurfy]

finally got my garlic covered...........looks like just in time!!!!!

[smurfy]

With this odd weather would it be to early to start taking or removing the mulch from the garlic and other things I covered?

[Early Riser]

I fluffed up the leaves that were matted down over my garlic, some of which had emerged during last fall's big warm up into November. I didn't pull the leaves back as it looks to be getting below feezing again into next weekend. 

[smurfy]

thanks early riser.............I may remove them next sunday!!!!!!

[SkunkedAgain]

I still have my garlic covered in leaves. My daughter and I looked last night and noticed that most of the garlic has already poked up through the leaves. I'm leaving it on through the freezing this weekend but it's coming off next week.

[smurfy]

thanks for the tip!!!!!!!!!!!

[JIvers]

I missed a bulb of soft-neck garlic in my garden when I dug it last summer.

In mid-March (this is in Johnson County, Iowa) I found the missed bulb because all nine cloves had sent up green shoots. I pulled it up, thinking it was a bunch of chives. (The previous owner left me a chive infestation in the garden and flower beds.) Seeing it was garlic, I broke each clove off and re-planted them separately. As of now they are doing fine, pending whatever this weekend's hard freeze might have done to them.

I also planted onions and garlic the last week of March, and some of them have poked through as well.

Granted, I live two or three degrees of latitude south of most of you, but in my experience garlic is pretty hardy when it comes to cold temps.

[SkunkedAgain]

I had already uncovered my garlic, with just some of last year's mulch over the top to dissipate any rain that came along until I weed & till the rest of the garden for spring planting. My garlic did fine with those two nights in the low 20s. The biggest problem is that rabbits have munch on three of my plants but they seem like they are going to re-grow.

[smurfy]

6 minutes ago, SkunkedAgain said:

I had already uncovered my garlic, with just some of last year's mulch over the top to dissipate any rain that came along until I weed & till the rest of the garden for spring planting. My garlic did fine with those two nights in the low 20s. The biggest problem is that rabbits have munch on three of my plants but they seem like they are going to re-grow.

thanks for the rabbit thought. I need to bring my repellent with. best bunny repellent I seen work has been fox scent/urine!!!!!!!!!

[SkunkedAgain]

A 22 works well too

[smurfy]

When does a guy new to start thinking about the scapes on the garlic to remove them?

[SkunkedAgain]

My scapes are just starting to pop out on my plants. I usually don't cut them until just before they start to flower. There really isn't a right or wrong time in my opinion - although they may be more potent at certain points. I wouldn't worry too much about cutting them off too early, as that only directs the plant's resources back towards the bulb. Maybe I'll cut mine earlier this year to see how that affects my yield.

[smurfy]

Thanks for the advice will probably go check them another week or so.

[Big-Al]

I would imagine that I will start to see my scapes soon.  I have one of the best crops of garlic going that I have ever had.  White Porcelain in the foreground and German Red in the background.

[delcecchi]

That is a lot of garlic....   Glad I don't live downwind from you. 

[SkunkedAgain]

That is a lot of garlic....   I wish that I lived downwind from you!

My scapes have been growing for a few weeks now. I've already cut a bunch of to give away and made batch of pesto on Tuesday night. I love garlic season.

[Big-Al]

The harvest has started.  Average size is over two inches with many over 2.5.

[smurfy]

I reckon its getting close to that time to replant!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Cooperman]

I will be planting garlic for the 1st time this year. I'm thinking of planting in a terrace that is not fenced in. Is there any varmints or deer that I have to worry about? 

[smurfy]

20 minutes ago, Cooperman said:

I will be planting garlic for the 1st time this year. I'm thinking of planting in a terrace that is not fenced in. Is there any varmints or deer that I have to worry about? 

mine gets planted out in the open that has critters around including deer and never had issues. that's just me though!!!!