Garlic growing

Some do better planted in mid winter, or early spring ...

 

Isn't it normal for Garlic to bolt? Hence the 'scapes'?

 

I didn't think it was supposed to flower?

First year I grew it from a spring sowing it didn't flower and I had some decent garlic, since then, the last two years, its just disappeared after early June.

But the stuff I planted last year came up again this spring and went on to grow some really big bulbs, but no flowers.

 

Maybe it's a Hardneck/Softneck thing? I grew Solent Wight which is a Softneck. I always planted it in October and always got 'scapes'.

 

I'm so glad I joined this forum! I hadn't thought of planting garlic now - it will have to go in pots this year, will give it a go in long toms. Hopefully this will be my first crop in this garden.

 

All Garlic bolts Pete, nothing unusual there

 

Does it?
I wont feel so bad about it then, if it does.
So why wait until Oct or Nov to plant?

 

Nothing wrong with planting now, get a good root system established before winter.

Garlic will keep on growing thru the winter months

 

As I understand it, overwintering promotes division of the bulb, at least with some types.

 

'Scapes' is the flowering part. Very delicious if taken at the right time. The flower (seed-head)grows from the centre and curls round. It should be taken before the curl forms a circle.

 

I've heard the same also Freddy, but some varieties say Autumn or Spring sowing?

Just thought it was a bit like Japanese onions, if you sow to early they bolt next year.

 

Dunno Pete. I do know that I planted late (early?) one year and I just got one big bulb, no flower.

 

All Garlic is capable of bolting

Hardneck (usually) produce a flowering spike, but because it [is capable of] produces seed it is more shy about producing cloves, so can need two seasons, or produce a lighter crop than Softneck.

Softneck doesn't produce a flower (except when it bolts), so to compensate for reproduction it produces more cloves. If the plant is stressed it will produce a flowering stalk but (I believe) that then produces bulbils rather than seed.

Hardneck thrive better in areas with cold winters, and require a decent period of cold to cause the clove to split (so if they are started off in pots don't stick them in the greenhouse over winter!)

Hardneck flavour is generally more "garlicky", Softneck cloves tend to be smaller and more difficult to peel, but they tend to store better than Hardneck, and we store ours such that we use the Hardneck first.