Elephant garlic

Need to know the best time to plant?

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tracie
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Hi All,
First year for me growing elephant garlic, some of mine has a seed/flower head forming.

Do I leave it or snap it off and now do I tell when ready to be dug up. It has been in since about November.

Many thanks
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peter
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I dig mine up after the leaves have died.
A much milder flavour, very nice.
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sally wright
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Dear Tracie,
there are several ways of approaching this dilemma.

Enjoy the flowers when they arrive; they are rather cute and the local bees will adore them. They also make the gardener's equivalent of the steel ball cradles that were so beloved of the City Yuppie. They are great fun to pat around.

Cut the flowers and use them as an exotic ingredient in a flower arrangement.

Snip them off and chuck them in the compost bin.

If they are still young and tender buds; cut them off and chop them fine as an ingredient in oriental cuisine. Don't ask me for recipes 'cos I know none; soups or stir fries I suppose.

All that said leaving the flowers will reduce the size of the bulbs; but not by all that much. So take your pick.

Regards Sally Wright.
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