Kitchen Garden Forum

I was planning to plant some garlic in the borders this week, but alas 'snow stopped play'

Can I still plant the garlic out until the snow goes, or have I left it too late?

Hi Marge

I'd plant it in pots ('cos the ground will be frozen) and then leave them outside until the spring when you can plant them out.. Garlic needs a really cold snap to make it divide properly and you can plant up until March.

I plant garlic in pots and tubs every year. Those planted in a tub are left to mature in there but those in pots are planted out in early spring.

The reason I do this is as our clay soil is very soggy in winter and cloves are likely to rot. As long as the garlic isn't coddled or allowed to dry out plantng under cover doesn't harm them. They just as Chantal says need to experience being cold so the bulbs form cloves.

I planted all mine on the allotment during Oct/Nov. I saw a gardening program which suggested ridging up the soil and planting in the ridges, so that excessive moisture drains down around the cloves. This may stop them getting over-wet and rotting.

It's a little late to act on this now, but I'm hoping the use of some sand around the cloves will also help, as mentioned in this thread

I had never thought of putting garlic in pots - a great idea I shall give it a whirl

Dear Marge, just a little word of warning, if you do put them in pots they will need a little protection from the worst of the elements. If they keep getting constantly wet and frozen, the roots will rot, shortly folowed by the clove.

OH is absolutely right - I should have said our pots/tubs are in a cold greenhouse. The tubs are moved outside in early spring and the garlic in pots as I said earlier planted in the ground

erm... still not got round to it, my excuse is I had flu When I do I shall make use of the cold frame.

Hi we always plant our crop in the aurtum in a prepared bed we place a weed mat down and plant the cloves holes in the mat and we always get a bumper crop. Hope this helps