Hi Ed,
Nothing to worry about, as long as your soil is not clay bound they will be ok.

With the amount or rain we have been getting clay soils will be totally saturated with surface water, and this is the real danger. Soil drainage is the most important thing in ensuring that your cloves don’t rot in the water laden soil.

When the first foliage shows through the soil is dependant on several factors:-

The fertility of the soil in which they are planted.

When planted, this is best done last 2 weeks in October when the weather is usually mild, this will encourage root growth.

The position in which they are planted, they do best in soil which gets the early spring sunshine.

Cloves which show foliage before winter sets in tend to produce larger bulbs come harvest time.

When planting my own garlic I use a bulb planter to make a hole about 6 inches deep. Into this I lightly pack my own kitchen compost. From experience I have found that 1 inch deep to the tip of the clove is sufficient but this is a personal preference.

Garlic likes rich compost full of banana skins, vegetable peel, fruit peel etc., and contrary to accepted wisdom I don’t let weeds be they annual or perennial anywhere near my compost bin ,I burn them.

At the end of the day the compost you reap is the compost you sow.

PS:- Always douse potato peel with boiling water or you will end up with potato growth in your compost bin. Likewise with onion, cut of the root end before despatching to your bin.

I hope this has been of some comfort and help to you with regard to the subject as stated.



uriel