Garlic

Mine were planted on 26th October, grew well and steadily all winter. Some produced scapes around 10th May, while gradually developed rust. The stems mainly fell about three weeks ago , and have been lifted to dry. Average result on a 2nd year new garden converted to nodig from (poor)lawn. Satisfied with the result but have done better elsewhere.

 

Generally my garlic goes over before the onions, this year the scapes were few and small.
@Loofah how did you prepare the scapes?
Elephant garlic has a different flavour that I am less fond of, but the saving grace is the flower head which I and the insects like.

 

I usually lift my garlic some time in July, its ready before my onions but I only grow spring grown onions, maybe the overwintering types of onion would be ready around the same time.

 

@Loofah thanks for that next year if I get some I'll try a couple of those.

 

Following on this thread, can anyone recommend a garlic variety which does produce larger bulbs- other than elephant garlic?

 

Not too sure it is the type, but the conditions in the growing - bad year this, but next might be okay. We will grow multiple (x3 normally) yet again for next year (planting Oct/Nov24).

 

I know there are rough neck and smooth neck types but have never found any difference in growing either. The Isle of Wight Garlic Company send a useful leaflet when you purchase from them. I have never been able to grow garlic in open ground, had moderate success growing them in containers. Weather has a lot to do with success as they need a hard cold spell during the winter to do well.

 

@Goldenlily26
It's actually hard neck and soft neck. Kings Seeds say this about the difference " Softneck garlic is easier to grow, produces plenty of gloves and stores well. Hardneck produces fewer but larger cloves and have a shorter shelf life as the skin is thinner. It also produces flower stalks as part of its natural growth."
This is what I've found both in Essex and now in Devon apart from one thing; the hardneck have always done better for me.
I've always planted mine in the veg plot in November most years the shoots are above ground by Christmas, flower buds can be picked off and used in stir fries etc. I've never found they needed a cold spell in winter, mine go in about 3" down. The most important things are fairly consistent water, a feed in spring as they start to grow and weeding.
Note this year has been rubbish and the slugs and snails had ago at the leaves, which is unusual.

 

First year I grew garlic I used a spring sown type, it was a soft neck and did really well, cant remember the variety now, but there are some available.

I usually plant mine in October hoping to get it done before the ground becomes too wet.
I've been growing a hard neck variety in the last few years which I bought while visiting a garlic farm on the IOW.
Just save a few good sized cloves for replanting each year.

 

I've grown quite a number of garlic varieties over the last few years and the most consistent has been the popular Germidor variety, which was from Drôme in France. It's a softneck, autumn planted, ready by end of June which is pretty early usually and survives our very wet winters here. Plus softnecks don't need as much vernalization as hardnecks which is handy for our mild winters. It stores well, up to 9 months, and is a pretty large size if you give it good spacing and some feed. Both Thermidrome and Messidrome are similar but have slightly different maturity dates, I presume this is to help commercial farmers. I doubt there's more than two weeks between them though

From now on I am avoiding the extra early types outside as we don't have enough warm days before end of may for them to get big and later varieties like silver skins as rust will always hit at some point so that affects them getting large too.

A hard neck I do like is Spanish Morado, it's a creole hardneck and stores for about a year. But it produces smaller bulbs so won't be what you want. It is one of the most available garlics available in the supermarket too