Garlic - attn Piglet

[Chantal]

Hi Piglet

In what medium do you grow your garlic. I've tried all sorts over the years and have never had a particulary good crop. They've all grown but have usually had really small bulbs. I know you grow great garlic so what's your secret?

[Piglet]

I have grown mine in raised beds for the last couple of years filled with vintage crumbly manure. As a trial I am doing the same this year but I have planted the same amounts of the same varieties in a well prepared bed as well to see if there is any difference. The plants dont like to be sat in waterlogged ground over winter but both plots drain quite well so that shouldnt be an issue.

Last year I planted them out mid October but have planted them out today this year as we are away for a fortnight.

Finally I scatter very sparingly chicken manure pellets around when I plant the cloves and during the late winter and early spring sprinkle loads of woodash around them as they enjoy potash apparently. Keep them well watered in the spring as thats when they start to fatten up.

Finally dont bother trying to stop rust, I never get it on leeks or onions but can't keep it off my garlic so just let it get on with it. It doesnt seem to affect anything other than the appearance and as I never spray crops there is nothing that is very effective.

Enjoy

[Chantal]

Thanks Piggers old man

[cevenol jardin]

Would be interested to know if there is a difference between the manured and not piglet. I grow mine is raised beds which is good, but don't maure mine and so far i have not had a crop to be proud of, usable but a bit on the small side.

You might be interested to know that our neighbours (who used to be market gardeners) say to put woodash around onions and garlic as it is deterent to onion eel worm.

[Piglet]

To compare this year I have planted one raised bed (full of manure) and two unmanured non raised beds with garlic to see which performs best. The size of the planted garlic cloves was impressive so hopefully that will help the final size. Our crops so far have been very good with good size.

We also add wood ash in the winter to give it a potash boost and it is sometimes several inches thick come the spring.

[Alison]

I had great crops our first year, when it was planted in soil that hadn't had crops in it before. I also planted it in winter. Since then, my inefficiency has meant I haven't got round to it till spring, and the cloves have been smaller. Bob Flowerdew says it needs a period of winter cold to increase the clove size, so this year I have got it in before the frost. They're planted in the fallow strawberry bed (Bob says alliums and strawberries are good companion planting) and I'll tell you how they get on!
Alison.