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Old 03-11-2008, 04:33 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening,rec.gardens,rec.gardens.edible
Sheldon[_1_] Sheldon[_1_] is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Sep 2006
Posts: 713
Default Garlic/onion frost damage

"Steve Young" wrote:
"Bob Hobden" wrote
"Sheldon" �wrote:
Garlic and onion sets shouldn't sprout until early spring... (same as
other allium), you obviously planted way too early... if anything the
early cold/snow may be a gift.

Rubbish! Garlic has to be planted before winter sets in if you want decent
sized heads. I try to get a good growth before they slow for the winter
cold. Spring planted stuff is almost a waste of time the heads are usually
so small. It's a tough plant and won't bother about the winter in the UK
at all. �There are autumn planted onions (as well as the usual spring
planted) although I've found they are not as tough as garlic.


Nobody is talking about spring planting, we are talking about when it
sprouts.

If garlic has not been mistreated, very little sprouting/(above ground
growth) occurs between Fall planting and ground freeze. Now if it gets very
cold after planting and then a warm spell occurs before finally freezing, an
unusually large number may sprout. �Here in NE Ohio probably less
than 20% sprout before a winter thaw. �What confounds this timetable
is if garlic has been stored in a refrigerator anytime prior to planting. It
will sprout almost immediately after planting, long before strong roots are
established. Not a good thing.

Steve Young


Yup, obviously some of these folks don't read very well, the OP didn't
really mention a time frame, or even a locale, but from context it
seemed pretty obvious to those with intelligence that he meant
planting very recently, like now, as in this fall. I don't grow
garlic anymore (used to), haven't for like five years now because my
next door neighbor grows garlic and onions in great quantity, like 500
pounds of each, he supplies the entire neighborhood and attends the
local garlic festivals. I used to grow garlic in sets of 100, not a
lot but was more than enough for me and to share. I only take like
6-10 heads from my neighbor because I don't use it up fast enough and
it's a shame to let it rot, but I take 20 pounds of red and yellow
onions and 20 pounds of his spuds, russets and Yukon golds. Anyway,
my neighbor is a real garlic maven, he has quite an operation, grown
in very neat raised beds filled with soil he is constantly amending
with all sorts of composted manures, leaves, and a huge variety of
plant waste. I've learned a lot more about garlic growing from him
than I already knew. One thing he is very careful about is watching
the weather (I assume all agri people do) so he'll know the most
advantageous time to plant. He waits until we've had a few light
frosts and then plants as close as he can to four weeks prior to the
first hard frost. He mulches heavily with straw (about 8") that's
held down from wind with plastic deer fencing, which also keeps birds
off. He already has his garlic planted, this is the sixth season
since I've lived here and I've never seen any of his garlic sprout
before spring... you can set your clock on its sprouting because it
sends up green on the same day as daffodils. I don't know about
growing garlic in warm climes but here in NY's northern Catskill
region (zone 5/6) if garlic is planted too early prior to the first
hard frost it will sprout, and if sunlight can get to the sprouts it
will grow very rapidly, especially if there're a few day's warm
spell.

I have a clear view of his garlic bed from my window as I sit he
http://i36.tinypic.com/14lmx7b.jpg

A little far, let's try with tele:
http://i36.tinypic.com/wit2s8.jpg