another garlic question

The last 2 times I have tried growing garlic it has failed to produce any cloves. All I got was a spring onion type bulb. I read that it needed cold in order to produce cloves but the one sowing was a autumn sowing and in the ground over winter and still had the same result. Previous to these 2 failed attempts I had a couple of really nice harvests. I haven't put any in this year but would like to plant some this fall. Anyone know why they failed???:cnfs:

 

Garlic needs a long growing season, you plant september/october one year to harvest august/september the following year.:gnthb:

 

alot of the leaves on my garlic are browning on the ends. When do I know that they are ready to pull?

 

I got some wet garlic in my organic box this week - which I mistook for spring onion and put some in a sandwich! A bit powerful in that circumstance but isn't the garlic edible even though it's a single bulb?

 

Yes, I would think so mchumph. As an aside, I mentioned this before on another thread, the seed head that comes from the centre known as a 'scrape' is also quite edible and in fact very tasty :thumb:
Cheers...freddy.

 

Ah, now, Freddy; I remember reading one of your posts on these "scrapes" before. I've just checked on my (apparently healthy) plants but nowt but leaves there. Bit early yet perhaps? Are they obvious? When are they edible?

Jon.

 

Hi again. I would have thought that you would have seen them by now. They are quite obvious, looking a lot like 'bolting' with onions. I read that you should leave them until they make one full twist (they curl around). I just used them chopped up in a salad and had a nice mild but full garlic flavour. I would imagine they'd be nice lightly fried :thumb:
Cheers...freddy.

 

The best thing to do with wet garlic is to clean them off, removing the roots, chop off the tops - leaving a 1->2 inch stem. Put them in an oven proof dish, sprinkle with sea salt, pepper and olive oil and bake for 30 minutes (about gas 6).

The tastiest starter you will ever make!

 

Yes JWK they were planted deep enough and left in long enough as well. The tops had started to die back and the necks were a good size just no cloves whatsoever!!!

 

I have discovered these "scrapes" on mine they are quite long can i use all the stem

 

I think it's a matter of taste...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/27/AR2009052701110.html

The ones I've chopped off are a bit small still - there're no curl in them. The part above the bulb looks and tastes a bit garlic chive-y, although a bit tough raw. Below the bulb it's crisp but quite powerful!
I'm intending to chop a few more tonight, lightly steam them and eat with a bit of butter as someone suggested. I'll, at least, try to eat all of them, bulb and all...