Small Garlic Bulbs

Hi,
I bought garlic (Solent Wight softneck) from the Garlic Farm last December, and planted them in January. Following the instructions on the above seller's website, I fed them Sulphate of Potash in mid-February, and watered them when the earth got a bit dry.

In early August, I was able to get about 30 utterly delicious garlic bulbs. But they were tiny - about 2 cm across.

Do I need to feed them more regularly ? With Sulphate of Potash or some other fertiliser? Plant them earlier? Later?

Any advice gratefully received.

 

I grow softneck garlic and the bulbs are a lot smaller than the hardneck variety I grow. They are treated in exactly the same way, planted at the same time and fed at the same time. The hardneck variety comes through sooner, grows away faster, produces more top growth and is ready for harvest earlier. The softneck is ready up to a month later. I have a suspicion that the softneck requires warmer weather.
I find that the softneck keeps better well into late spring before sprouting while the hardneck begins to sprout December/January and I end up freezing those cloves I have left.

 

Hi,
Yeah, maybe I'll go for hardnecks this time. But I'm curious: they start to sprout in December/January?? When do you plant them??

 

@joh98.mac
Garlic is a popular topic at the moment.
I usually plant mine in November.
See http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/threads/garlic-growing.73456/ for more info.

 

Oh, this is good.

I'll order them next month, plant in November. When are they good to eat?

 

Actually, the wife and I are away on holiday from the end of October until the beginning of December. I'll plant them mid-October. Water shouldn't be a problem, considering the godawful weather here in England.

 

@joh98.mac
Here in Devon I have planted as late as end of November/beginning December, due to holidays, without problems.

 

Groovy. Much appreciate all this advice.

 

Handy info, Nigel, in reply to Jo's specific query; I'm afraid my Q is more inept and general. Why are my garlics always so small (2 cms, Jo? Luxury!) regardless of a November or February planting? Am I not watering them enough and should I be mulching them more? Any other thoughts please anyone? Oh and PS the onions, shallots, and those pointy French shallots, all planted next to the garlic have been amaaazing this year, so it's a puzzle.

As this is my first posting here's some background info.

Interested in vegetable growing; my wife does the shrubs and flowers in an 80 x 80 foot garden, quite clayey soil on a south-facing gentle slope. The veg are grown in two raised beds, 14' x 6' and 12' x 8' which have been enriched with commercial topsoil and farmyard manure each year; rotation needs careful planning. A handy south-facing red brick wall is perfect for tomatoes.
Apple and plum tree crop well but badly: they're wormy. Edible cherry used to make excellent cherry brandy after fighting the birds off.

 

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