Small Garlic bulbs??

[wistow-wizard]

I planted some garlic bulbs last October, purchased from a garden centre. Over winter they have grown some big tops which are starting to look a bit yellow. I was told this is the time pull and dry them so I dug up one plant, I have about 25.
The result was a small (cherry tomato) size garlic bulb.
A friend sugested thye may have been planted to deep? or poor soil.
Or is it early to dig them up?

Any garlic expert with some advice.

[Durgan]

Originally Posted by wistow-wizard

I planted some garlic bulbs last October, purchased from a garden centre. Over winter they have grown some big tops which are starting to look a bit yellow. I was told this is the time pull and dry them so I dug up one plant, I have about 25.
The result was a small (cherry tomato) size garlic bulb.
A friend sugested thye may have been planted to deep? or poor soil.
Or is it early to dig them up?

Any garlic expert with some advice.

I suggest it it too early. This is my fourth year growing garlic, and every year has been a smashing success. My garlic is planted in October and I don't pull until the first week of July, and this year I am going to leave some plants until about the end of July to determine if there is any difference. Here are pictures of my 2007 effort.

http://aipoh.notlong.com/ 1 July 2007 Pulling Garlic and re-planting the area. Pictures.

http://meiso.notlong.com/ 8 July 2007. Processing Garlic for further drying. The garlic will be dried thoroughly then stored in paper bags.

http://uuwae.notlong.com 13 July Garlic stored.


1 July 2007. Garlic was pulled today and the area planted with two rows of lettuce and one row of Joi Choi for later season use. "Durgan's Method" of planting small seeds is explained with pictures.

Two garlic plants did not have the snake seed head (scapes) removed, and these were noticably smaller than the other bulbs. All the other bulbs were about the same size. These are slightly smaller than the crop of last year. This is attributed to insufficient watering. The quality is superb generally, and all would be marketable in the commercial world.

Here are pictures of my garlic in 2008. From the height aand condition I am hoping this will be my best year so far. Touch wood.

http://uibai.notlong.com/ 17 April 2008 Snake Garlic (Allium sativum)
Planted in October 2007, and all 54 plants are doing well.

http://vohzee.notlong.com/ 9 May 2008 Indicating Growth

http://aiyil.notlong.com/ 1 June 2008 Hard Neck Snake Garlic (Allium sativum) Plants are slightly over three feet tall, and very healthy.

[Livebait]

A few tips i would suggest are to start with a well fertilized soil give plenty of water and choose the largest cloves available for planting.

For me it has proven to be a real hardy plant i have been growing it on the side of my house that only receives 4 hours of direct light a day and managed to get good sized bulbs for more than 10 years now.

Here's a few





Don't give up

[Durgan]

http://nisho.notlong.com/ 14 June 2008 Garlic producing scapes (seed trunk).

These will be cut off before they straighten out in two or three days, and used in a stir fry. Apparently the garlic cloves get slightly larger when the scapes are removed.

[Durgan]

http://vaeyu.notlong.com 17 June 2008 Garlic scapes removed.

These will be used in a stir fry. They are an expensive luxury item.

[wistow-wizard]

Variety is Wight Cristo.
Pulled a couple and they tasted great, I have used the tops in salad, spring onion like, thats good as well.
Saw a piece on Hugh Fernley Wittingstalls Spring Cottage on green garlic and roasting in them in the oven, workeda treat, very tasty.
Tops are not yellow yet so I will keep watering and hope!!