Because our soil is clay, I start my garlic off in pots in Autumn and keep them in the cold greenhouse overwinter to plant out in Spring. This has worked for me for the last 3 years but this year it has been a complete failure. The bulbs started into growth but the the shoots stopped growing at less than an inch tall. I turned a couple out today to see what was happening and they had developed a decent root system but the bulbs have gone completely mushy and the shoots are rotting away at the base. Any ideas why this should happen; the compost was kept barely damp?
Is it too late to start again with a spring planting variety? If not, can anyone recommend a good variety?
Regards, Diane
Garlic Failure
Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter
Hi Diane,
You are not too late to plant Garlic although you may have to plant a different variety.
I take it that the garlic was planted last Autumn and it is the sheer cold that has got to the bulb during the very cold period.
JB.
You are not too late to plant Garlic although you may have to plant a different variety.
I take it that the garlic was planted last Autumn and it is the sheer cold that has got to the bulb during the very cold period.
JB.
Hi JB, thanks for your reply. I did wonder if the exceptional sustained cold was the problem and you have confirmed that belief. I have now checked all the batch and have had to consign them all to the bin.
I think it might be better for me to plant in spring in future to be on the safe side. I now have to track down something suitable as a replacement for this year.
Regards, Diane
I think it might be better for me to plant in spring in future to be on the safe side. I now have to track down something suitable as a replacement for this year.
Regards, Diane
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oldherbaceous
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Dear Diane, it's funny how some things seem to suffer in pots more than the open ground sometimes.
I have lost about forty pots of Tete e Tete this year, in a cold greenhouse and not over watered, whilst ones in the garden are growing away nicely.
I had another couple of hundred pots of various bulbs in the same greenhouse but these were not effected.
Last year i lost a lot of potted ornamental Aliums in the same way.
But getting back to the Garlic, i do try and plant mine direct into the ground in the Autumn, and never had a problem with them rotting off.
This year though, the weather turned before i could get them in, so i planted them in pots in January, and planted them out about three weeks later when we had a dry couple of days.
They had only been in the pots for about three weeks but had made a good root system and had started shooting green tops.
They have nearly caught up with other peoples, that had been Autumn planted, but whether the crop will be a large we will just have to wait and see.
I have lost about forty pots of Tete e Tete this year, in a cold greenhouse and not over watered, whilst ones in the garden are growing away nicely.
I had another couple of hundred pots of various bulbs in the same greenhouse but these were not effected.
Last year i lost a lot of potted ornamental Aliums in the same way.
But getting back to the Garlic, i do try and plant mine direct into the ground in the Autumn, and never had a problem with them rotting off.
This year though, the weather turned before i could get them in, so i planted them in pots in January, and planted them out about three weeks later when we had a dry couple of days.
They had only been in the pots for about three weeks but had made a good root system and had started shooting green tops.
They have nearly caught up with other peoples, that had been Autumn planted, but whether the crop will be a large we will just have to wait and see.
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.
There's no fool like an old fool.
There's no fool like an old fool.
Hi OH,
Autumn planted Garlic is a disaster here planted direct and being that Diane is not that far away from me it could well be the same for her.
I used to live in Hertfordshire which is the next county to you and I never had any trouble with Autumn grown Garlic.
The climatic conditions in this whole area is a far cry from Bedfordshire.
Mike who has an allotment here grows his autumn planted Garlic protected in one of the tunnels and they survived and were planted out a couple of weeks ago and have picked up well.
Here the pots have to be insulated not just placed on the bench.
We use 4" expanded polystyrene sheets on the bench and a protection barrier standing vertical as protection and in very cold periods another sheet is placed over the top.
So do you now see Diane's problem.
JB.
Autumn planted Garlic is a disaster here planted direct and being that Diane is not that far away from me it could well be the same for her.
I used to live in Hertfordshire which is the next county to you and I never had any trouble with Autumn grown Garlic.
The climatic conditions in this whole area is a far cry from Bedfordshire.
Mike who has an allotment here grows his autumn planted Garlic protected in one of the tunnels and they survived and were planted out a couple of weeks ago and have picked up well.
Here the pots have to be insulated not just placed on the bench.
We use 4" expanded polystyrene sheets on the bench and a protection barrier standing vertical as protection and in very cold periods another sheet is placed over the top.
So do you now see Diane's problem.
JB.
Hi OH and JB,
Looks like I have a use for the left over insulation from our workshop build!!! I'll be prepared next winter should I decide to try again in the autumn.
I managed to get hold of some ‘spring planting’ garlic bulbs this morning so wish me luck with this lot which I will pot up later today. It is probably still too wet to think about planting anything out in the beds although we are experiencing some nice spring sunshine this afternoon after a very dreary few days.
Thanks.
Diane
Looks like I have a use for the left over insulation from our workshop build!!! I'll be prepared next winter should I decide to try again in the autumn.
I managed to get hold of some ‘spring planting’ garlic bulbs this morning so wish me luck with this lot which I will pot up later today. It is probably still too wet to think about planting anything out in the beds although we are experiencing some nice spring sunshine this afternoon after a very dreary few days.
Thanks.
Diane
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oldherbaceous
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Afternoon Johnboy, i do take onboard what you have said about about growing Autumn Garlic, and where you live regarding the climate, but just to clarify things, are you saying it is the extreme cold conditions for garlic in pots under cover, and cold and wet conditions if planted directly outside in the autumn?
Not trying to sound awkard, just thought it might help people living further North than me.
Not trying to sound awkard, just thought it might help people living further North than me.
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.
There's no fool like an old fool.
There's no fool like an old fool.
Here in Glasgow, we had ferocious conditions for almost two months, and some of my garlic, growing outside since October, is now showing. I planted some 10 different garlic varieties, as a trial, to see which ones were truly hardy. Still too early to pass judgment.
Last year, also a hard year, I noticed that only some varieties made it.
We have to face up to the fact that some varieties from the Med, just cannot cope with really harsh conditions.
Last year, also a hard year, I noticed that only some varieties made it.
We have to face up to the fact that some varieties from the Med, just cannot cope with really harsh conditions.
Hi there, RF
Thanks for your input. I would be really interested to see the results of your trial, if you think about posting after the harvest. I'm sure others on here, especially beginners like me, would find it helpful to know which ones faired best.
Regards,
Diane.
Thanks for your input. I would be really interested to see the results of your trial, if you think about posting after the harvest. I'm sure others on here, especially beginners like me, would find it helpful to know which ones faired best.
Regards,
Diane.
Hi OH,
Grown direct here the combination of continual moisture with freezing conditions I think is what does for the Garlic.
Grown in pots in the tunnels on benches the extreme cold gets to the bulb in the pot hence the insulation.
It can be colder in a tunnel than outside so the insulation is really needed.
My thoughts on the subject are that it is the continual changes temperature that the Garlic succumbs to when planted direct and sheer low temperatures in the tunnels. Here -17.9C at worst.
JB.
PS I have just read Realfood's posting with interest because again in Scotland he has another set of weather conditions. JB.
Grown direct here the combination of continual moisture with freezing conditions I think is what does for the Garlic.
Grown in pots in the tunnels on benches the extreme cold gets to the bulb in the pot hence the insulation.
It can be colder in a tunnel than outside so the insulation is really needed.
My thoughts on the subject are that it is the continual changes temperature that the Garlic succumbs to when planted direct and sheer low temperatures in the tunnels. Here -17.9C at worst.
JB.
PS I have just read Realfood's posting with interest because again in Scotland he has another set of weather conditions. JB.
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oldherbaceous
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Evening Johnboy, they were just about my exact thoughts to, so hopefuly that will help someone else.
Interesting line of thought about some Autumn Garlic being a lot hardier than others, well done Realfood.
Interesting line of thought about some Autumn Garlic being a lot hardier than others, well done Realfood.
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.
There's no fool like an old fool.
There's no fool like an old fool.
Had a look today at my 11 varieties of garlic in my trial, and most are looking quite good at this early stage, though a few gaps as some of the garlic is only now emerging after the harsh Winter.
Sicilian Red is looking very sparce at this stage, and is one of the Med garlics. We shall see!!
Sicilian Red is looking very sparce at this stage, and is one of the Med garlics. We shall see!!
I managed to get hold of some ‘spring planting’ garlic bulbs this morning so wish me luck with this lot which I will pot up later today. It is probably still too wet to think about planting anything out in the beds although we are experiencing some nice spring sunshine this afternoon after a very dreary few days.
All the spring garlic (Wight Cristo) I potted up on Feb 22nd started to shoot very quickly and now the ground has dried out I have planted them out. They are now romping away with many of the shoots 4-6 inches long
. Hopefully they will continue to thrive and I will get a good crop. I will let you know what the harvest is like. If it is successful I think I will stick to spring planting given the very cold wet conditions we suffer here over winter. If not, it looks like I will have to adopt the insulated box approach.
Diane
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Ian in Cumbria
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I have two varieties of garlic now planted out. The first was "Tesco's best" that I "borrowed" from the kitchen in October, potted and kept over winter in a just frost free greenhouse. The second is Wight Cristo, which I potted when bought in late Jan and planted out at the same time as the Tesco which had been overwintered. The Tesco had the better root system when planted out - not surprising as it had overwintered while the Wight Cristo had only had 5 weeks in the pots. Both had shoots 4" to 6" when planted out. Now, about 3 weeks later, all look well, with them just now seeming to have started to grow again. I'm presuming that the Tesco will have been imported from somewhere rather warmer than Cumbria so wouldn't be surprised if it needed a better summer to do well. Is there anything wrong with growing veg which was sold as food?
Regards
Ian
Regards
Ian