Clove orientation affects blade direction

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ponyexpress
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Clove orientation affects blade direction

#1

Post: # 21312Unread post ponyexpress
Wed Jun 03, 2020 6:25 am

I came across the Tomatoville forums recently and in the Alliums sub-forum, there was a post from someone explaining that the orientation of the garlic clove at planting time determines the direction of the leaves direction. I believe it's the back side of the clove closest to the center.

Like many others, I never paid attention to the orientation other than making sure the basel plate side is down. Does anyone recall the post I'm referring to? Thanks!

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Whwoz
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Re: Clove orientation affects blade direction

#2

Post: # 21314Unread post Whwoz
Wed Jun 03, 2020 6:52 am

Yes, the thread is still active, last post was only a couple of hours ago. I planted some in the same orientation not that long ago and they have come up with the leaves in the same orientation as stated in that thread

crankyoldfart
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Re: Clove orientation affects blade direction

#3

Post: # 21315Unread post crankyoldfart
Wed Jun 03, 2020 6:57 am


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brownrexx
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Re: Clove orientation affects blade direction

#4

Post: # 21320Unread post brownrexx
Wed Jun 03, 2020 7:28 am

Interesting. I never knew that.

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bower
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Re: Clove orientation affects blade direction

#5

Post: # 21325Unread post bower
Wed Jun 03, 2020 8:08 am

I never knew that either - but trust Tom to figure out this amazing thing! :D Since reading about it I checked the orientation of leaves on the garlic I planted last fall, and sure enough they are random. So this is a genuine effect. :)
AgCan Zone 5a/USDA zone 4
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ponyexpress
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Re: Clove orientation affects blade direction

#6

Post: # 21328Unread post ponyexpress
Wed Jun 03, 2020 8:21 am

So what is the best orientation? It sounds like Tom does his perpendicular to the row for max sunlight. I was thinking slightly off parallel (10deg instead of 90deg) mainly so that I can move my watering wand easily up/down the row to water the garlic. This way, it does not get tangled in the leaves.

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AZGardener
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Re: Clove orientation affects blade direction

#7

Post: # 21357Unread post AZGardener
Wed Jun 03, 2020 12:00 pm

I never knew about it either. I just made sure the root side was down. :-) I am going to try Tom's method in the Fall and see how it works out for me.
Thank you for the link. I haven't been over to the sister-station in a while.
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ponyexpress
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Re: Clove orientation affects blade direction

#8

Post: # 21374Unread post ponyexpress
Wed Jun 03, 2020 1:54 pm

Someone kindly provided the image from that thread in the other forum so I'll post it for everyone's benefit. This is what his garlic patch looks like:
Image

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pepperhead212
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Re: Clove orientation affects blade direction

#9

Post: # 21427Unread post pepperhead212
Wed Jun 03, 2020 6:10 pm

I never paid attention to this, either. Maybe I'll try this next season, to see if it makes a difference with mine.
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Whwoz
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Re: Clove orientation affects blade direction

#10

Post: # 21441Unread post Whwoz
Wed Jun 03, 2020 11:16 pm

Certainly works folks, I planted some at different orientations deliberately and one can see how they align easily. Will get a photo shortly

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