Elephant Garlic Question

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Elephant Garlic Question

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sueshells

Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 690
Location: North Bucks

Posted: Thu Sep 11, 14 6:35 pm Post subject: Elephant Garlic Question
This year I bought a pack of two elephant garlic cloves but was rather late planting them. As a consequence I have two nice big bulbs which haven't split into cloves. At the moment they are firm and sound and I am planning to plant them and hope that they split into bulbs with cloves next year. Question. When should I plant them?

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Thu Sep 11, 14 6:42 pm Post subject:
Doesn't tradition dictate plant on the shortest day, harvest on the longest?

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4651
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Thu Sep 11, 14 8:48 pm Post subject:
I normally plant garlic when I think "F*** me, I haven't planted the garlic yet!"

sueshells

Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 690
Location: North Bucks

Posted: Thu Sep 11, 14 9:06 pm Post subject:

Nick wrote:

Doesn't tradition dictate plant on the shortest day, harvest on the longest?

I've a feeling that's shallots......

sueshells

Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 690
Location: North Bucks

Posted: Thu Sep 11, 14 9:13 pm Post subject:

NorthernMonkeyGirl wrote:

I normally plant garlic when I think "F*** me, I haven't planted the garlic yet!"

Yes - me too - which is where the problem arose last year! Probably didn't help that I'd bought the garlic in good time, i.e. in the Autumn, but didn't plant it until about March. I think I bought the elephant garlic in the spring, however.

Guess what I'm trying to establish is if elephant garlic is hardy enough to plant in the autumn or if it's better left until spring.....and if my bulbs will last that long in good condition.

I could just Google it, of course, but I was hoping someone might have some experience of this situation. They are such lovely bulbs, I'd hate them to go to waste.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 16257

Posted: Fri Sep 12, 14 6:41 am Post subject:
I find that if I don't plant in the autumn the cloves don't split. Think they need the colder weather, perhaps for dormancy (?), to make them split. You could try using one bulb and planting the other.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 43839
Location: yes

Posted: Fri Sep 12, 14 10:23 am Post subject:
when i have had most success it has always been october planting ie strait in after clearing the last bits of a autumn crop if they are anything like the ones i had space them like onions cos the leaves do spread a bit

sueshells

Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 690
Location: North Bucks

Posted: Fri Sep 12, 14 5:34 pm Post subject:
Thanks - will bung them in next month, I think. That way they won't be out of sight, out of mind and out of luck.

sgt.colon

Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.

Posted: Mon Sep 15, 14 10:47 am Post subject:

Nick wrote:

Doesn't tradition dictate plant on the shortest day, harvest on the longest?

Ahhhhh that's nice. I like that.

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