Starting garlic
Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter
I don't mean actually starting to plant garlic, but how do you get the first clove out safely, either for eating or planting? I always damage at least one of them by poking a knife between two cloves which doesn't matter for eating but ruins them for planting! Any good tips appreciated.
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Westi
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I know what you are saying - never peeled a clove of gralic as carefully as I do for planting. I usually nick the dry bit (but up the top) with my knife and then peel them away clove by clove. Need finger nails though which causes me the biggest problem!
Westi
Westi
Westi
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WestHamRon
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Turn the clove upside down and whack it on the worksurface.
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PLUMPUDDING
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The ones I save for planting have usually been left in the ground for longer than the others and the cloves actually start to separate a bit on their own, then they separate quite easily when they've been dried.
Have you ever tried just leaving a couple of bulbs in the ground and lifting and separating them when the cluster starts growing in spring? You also know the weather is OK for them if they've started growing on their
own
I even just leave some in the ground and let them form a clump and just take small ones from the outside for use early before the main crop is ready.
I live at 560 feet in Yorkshire, so they have to contend with very cold winters. I think the main thing is not to have them in very wet ground.
Have you ever tried just leaving a couple of bulbs in the ground and lifting and separating them when the cluster starts growing in spring? You also know the weather is OK for them if they've started growing on their
own
I even just leave some in the ground and let them form a clump and just take small ones from the outside for use early before the main crop is ready.
I live at 560 feet in Yorkshire, so they have to contend with very cold winters. I think the main thing is not to have them in very wet ground.
I would not peel cloves before planting. Just take a head of garlic and prise the cloves apart with your hands.
I like your idea of leaving the garlic in the ground until it starts separating, Plumpudding. Will try that next year. The hardnecks are usually easier because one can prise the cloves away from the centre, it's the softnecks which cause the problem.
I really do not understand the problem. I have never had any difficulties what-so-ever getting garlic apart. Mine is hung up and left to dry and the outer skins, all bar one, are removed and then stored at room temperature. I always select the best for seed next year and my crop is those remaining.
I thought that due to the bad weather this year I had lost about half of my crop but digging over the patch I find that I had left most of it in the ground which I have now retrieved the foliage had totally disappeared. Very fine flavour this year.
JB.
I thought that due to the bad weather this year I had lost about half of my crop but digging over the patch I find that I had left most of it in the ground which I have now retrieved the foliage had totally disappeared. Very fine flavour this year.
JB.