I always plant garlic cloves between my roses. They seem to be
effective in keeping off pests.

But when the garlic tops die and I lift the new heads, they are so
tiny! Pathetic.

Any relevant experience out there?

TIA

Higgs Boson wrote:
I always plant garlic cloves between my roses. They seem to be
effective in keeping off pests.

But when the garlic tops die and I lift the new heads, they are so
tiny! Pathetic.

Any relevant experience out there?

TIA



When are you planting them? Spring or late fall?

Bob

Higgs Boson wrote:
I always plant garlic cloves between my roses. They seem to be
effective in keeping off pests.

But when the garlic tops die and I lift the new heads, they are so
tiny! Pathetic.

Any relevant experience out there?

TIA



Garlic is the easiest plant to selectively breed. The rule is simple:
Plant big cloves, they make big bulbs. Plant small cloves, get very
disappointing bulbs. Whether you plant garlic you buy in the
supermarket (which has always worked extremely well for me) or by
certified garlic stock from a seedman, get twice what you think you want
to plant, and plant only the largest cloves.

In most areas of the country, garlic is best planted about a week after
the first frost. It winters over, vernalizing that way, and comes up in
the early spring. Those bulbs will ultimately be larger than ones
planted in the early spring, but in my experience, the difference
(assuming well prepared soil) is not great. Garlic doesn't need a lot
of fertilizer, but it does need light, loose well-drained soil with
plenty of organic matter. Though it will actually grow in shade, the
more sun it gets, the better. My first year, I planted in the spring,
buying the bulbs in late February, and vernalizing them in the coldest
part of the refrigerator for a month. If you want to grow garlic to
keep a long while (up to a year) grow softneck varieties (Silverskin,
Artichoke, California Early and Late). Those are the "supermarket"
garlics. Hard neck garlics are a more gourmet item, with distinctly
different characteristics, but they only keep a few months, generally.
When the foliage is about half died down (mid-late summer), scrape soil
gently away from a plant and look at and feel the top of the garlic
bulb, If it's still one smooth bulb, give it another week or ten days,
and check again. If it has "cloved" (you can feel the many cloves
around the perimeter) it's ready. Dig it up gently, and store them in a
dark, dry place for 3-4 weeks to cure completely. A box frame with a
screen bottom or a mesh onion bag is ideal for this. Then braid or trim
the leaves and cut off the roots. Always save however many bulbs you
need to be next years seed stock, and save the biggest ones (that's the
selective breeding angle).

My first year, I bought my seed stock from the bulk garlic bin for
$1.00. That was the last time I bought garlic. Nature has suppied me
since. Quite a return on an initial investment!

Tony M.

Higgs Boson wrote:
I always plant garlic cloves between my roses. They seem to be
effective in keeping off pests.

But when the garlic tops die and I lift the new heads, they are so
tiny! Pathetic.

Any relevant experience out there?

TIA

Do you feed themand water them if it is dry? You need good healthy tops to
grow big juicy bulbs.

Do you plant them in the right season for your climate?

How long is the time from planting to tops dying?

How deep do you plant them?

David

On Jun 4, 11:46*am, zxcvbob wrote:
Higgs Boson wrote:
I always plant garlic cloves between my roses. *They seem to be
effective *in keeping off pests.

But when the garlic tops die and I lift the new heads, they are so
tiny! *Pathetic.

Any relevant experience out there?

TIA

When are you planting them? *Spring or late fall?

Bob

Mmm...AFAIK, it's "winter", after I finish pruning.
"Winter" in quotes because this is a mild Mediterranean area.

On Jun 4, 12:48*pm, Tony wrote:
Higgs Boson wrote:
I always plant garlic cloves between my roses. *They seem to be
effective *in keeping off pests.

But when the garlic tops die and I lift the new heads, they are so
tiny! *Pathetic.

Any relevant experience out there?

TIA

Garlic is the easiest plant to selectively breed. *The rule is simple:
Plant big cloves, they make big bulbs. *Plant small cloves, get very
disappointing bulbs. *Whether you plant garlic you buy in the
supermarket (which has always worked extremely well for me) or by
certified garlic stock from a seedman, get twice what you think you want
to plant, and plant only the largest cloves.

In most areas of the country, garlic is best planted about a week after
the first frost. *It winters over, vernalizing that way, and comes up in
* the early spring. Those bulbs will ultimately be larger than ones
planted in the early spring, but in my experience, the difference
(assuming well prepared soil) is not great. *Garlic doesn't need a lot
of fertilizer, but it does need light, loose well-drained soil with
plenty of organic matter. *Though it will actually grow in shade, the
more sun it gets, the better. *My first year, I planted in the spring,
buying the bulbs in late February, and vernalizing them in the coldest
part of the refrigerator for a month. *If you want to grow garlic to
keep a long while (up to a year) grow softneck varieties (Silverskin,
Artichoke, California Early and Late). *Those are the "supermarket"
garlics. *Hard neck garlics are a more gourmet item, with distinctly
different characteristics, but they only keep a few months, generally.
When the foliage is about half died down (mid-late summer), scrape soil
gently away from a plant and look at and feel the top of the garlic
bulb, *If it's still one smooth bulb, give it another week or ten days,
and check again. *If it has "cloved" (you can feel the many cloves
around the perimeter) it's ready. *Dig it up gently, and store them in a
dark, dry place for 3-4 weeks to cure completely. A box frame with a
screen bottom or a mesh onion bag is ideal for this. *Then braid or trim
the leaves and cut off the roots. Always save however many bulbs you
need to be next years seed stock, and save the biggest ones (that's the
selective breeding angle).

My first year, I bought my seed stock from the bulk garlic bin for
$1.00. That was the last time I bought garlic. *Nature has suppied me
since. *Quite a return on an initial investment!

Tony M.

Thanks for that comprehensive reply.
Does this advice hold for So.Calif coasta -- a mild Mediterranean
climate?

On Jun 4, 3:26*pm, "David Hare-Scott" wrote:
Higgs Boson wrote:
I always plant garlic cloves between my roses. *They seem to be
effective *in keeping off pests.

But when the garlic tops die and I lift the new heads, they are so
tiny! *Pathetic.

Any relevant experience out there?

TIA

Do you feed themand water them if it is dry? *You need good healthy tops to
grow big juicy bulbs.

They're right between the roses, so they get a good soaking every
week-10 days.

Do you plant them in the right season for your climate?

That's what I'm wondering now, based on several comments.
What IS the right season for So.Calif coastal - mild Mediterranean
climate?
As I wrote in another reply, I've been planting the cloves after
pruning roses.
which here is mid to late January.

Any thoughts?


How long is the time from planting to tops dying?

Mm...I shoulda paid better attention. AFAIK, I've seen tops
dying from about mid-May.


How deep do you plant them?

Not very. Is that good or bad?

Tx for your analysis; await replies w/interest.

David

Higgs Boson wrote:
On Jun 4, 12:48 pm, Tony wrote:
Higgs Boson wrote:
I always plant garlic cloves between my roses. They seem to be
effective in keeping off pests.
But when the garlic tops die and I lift the new heads, they are so
tiny! Pathetic.
Any relevant experience out there?
TIA
Garlic is the easiest plant to selectively breed. The rule is simple:
Plant big cloves, they make big bulbs. Plant small cloves, get very
disappointing bulbs. Whether you plant garlic you buy in the
supermarket (which has always worked extremely well for me) or by
certified garlic stock from a seedman, get twice what you think you want
to plant, and plant only the largest cloves.

In most areas of the country, garlic is best planted about a week after
the first frost. It winters over, vernalizing that way, and comes up in
the early spring. Those bulbs will ultimately be larger than ones
planted in the early spring, but in my experience, the difference
(assuming well prepared soil) is not great. Garlic doesn't need a lot
of fertilizer, but it does need light, loose well-drained soil with
plenty of organic matter. Though it will actually grow in shade, the
more sun it gets, the better. My first year, I planted in the spring,
buying the bulbs in late February, and vernalizing them in the coldest
part of the refrigerator for a month. If you want to grow garlic to
keep a long while (up to a year) grow softneck varieties (Silverskin,
Artichoke, California Early and Late). Those are the "supermarket"
garlics. Hard neck garlics are a more gourmet item, with distinctly
different characteristics, but they only keep a few months, generally.
When the foliage is about half died down (mid-late summer), scrape soil
gently away from a plant and look at and feel the top of the garlic
bulb, If it's still one smooth bulb, give it another week or ten days,
and check again. If it has "cloved" (you can feel the many cloves
around the perimeter) it's ready. Dig it up gently, and store them in a
dark, dry place for 3-4 weeks to cure completely. A box frame with a
screen bottom or a mesh onion bag is ideal for this. Then braid or trim
the leaves and cut off the roots. Always save however many bulbs you
need to be next years seed stock, and save the biggest ones (that's the
selective breeding angle).

My first year, I bought my seed stock from the bulk garlic bin for
$1.00. That was the last time I bought garlic. Nature has suppied me
since. Quite a return on an initial investment!

Tony M.

Thanks for that comprehensive reply.
Does this advice hold for So.Calif coasta -- a mild Mediterranean
climate?


I'd be talking through my hat there - I don't know the ideal planting
time for SoCal, but local nurserymen would. If you buy from a seedsman,
ask if it's been vernalized already. I know in Gilroy they grow it year
round.

Tony M.

Higgs Boson wrote:
On Jun 4, 3:26 pm, "David Hare-Scott" wrote:
Higgs Boson wrote:
I always plant garlic cloves between my roses. They seem to be
effective in keeping off pests.

But when the garlic tops die and I lift the new heads, they are so
tiny! Pathetic.

Any relevant experience out there?

TIA

Do you feed themand water them if it is dry? You need good healthy
tops to grow big juicy bulbs.

They're right between the roses, so they get a good soaking every
week-10 days.

Do you plant them in the right season for your climate?

That's what I'm wondering now, based on several comments.
What IS the right season for So.Calif coastal - mild Mediterranean
climate?
As I wrote in another reply, I've been planting the cloves after
pruning roses.
which here is mid to late January.

Any thoughts?


I would have thought then you would plant them sooner in autumn say
October-November.


How long is the time from planting to tops dying?

Mm...I shoulda paid better attention. AFAIK, I've seen tops
dying from about mid-May.


My understanding is that the tops dying is triggered by heat. So they are
only growing about 4 months, if you plant sooner you may get them to grow
longer before they die off they stand a chance of being bigger.


How deep do you plant them?

Not very. Is that good or bad?


I plant upright with the top of the clove (the sharp end) a little below the
surface of the soil.


Tx for your analysis; await replies w/interest.


As others have said, you should plant big cloves to get big bulbs.

David