Never got my garlic in the ground

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Sue_CT
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Never got my garlic in the ground

#1

Post: # 39658Unread post Sue_CT
Fri Jan 29, 2021 12:02 pm

I bought seed garlic last fall, but never got it in the ground. It is hard neck garlic grown locally, and I read online that it only needs about 3 weeks of mild cool weather, I think I read about 3 weeks below 50 degrees. Not sure if that is true or not. Anyway, I am hoping for a short thaw when I can get it into the ground before real spring temperatures are here, but do you think it would be worth it? I hate to use the garden space if it is a waste of time, I could always plant a row of something else like swiss chard, carrots or brocoli, or just space out my tomatoes a little better, or, more likely, try to squeeze in another row of tomatoes, lol. I have a small garden, and by the time I harvest my garlic its too late to add more tomatoes.

LK2020
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Re: Never got my garlic in the ground

#2

Post: # 39661Unread post LK2020
Fri Jan 29, 2021 12:53 pm

I did the same thing the year before last. I kept debating it and never did put it in the ground. Now I think I should have, and then just harvest it however far it made it, because I hear young green garlic is fabulous grilled! I did plant a bunch of garlic this fall. But probably didn't put enough leaves on top to mulch it - they're all blown off anyway with these high winds - and it is FRIGID here in the Northeast today. Hoping mine doesn't freeze! But the one year I did grow it, it did fine despite dreadful winter weather. I've heard of people using an axe to plant their garlic in winter, so I think you're still okay, lol

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Re: Never got my garlic in the ground

#3

Post: # 39662Unread post LK2020
Fri Jan 29, 2021 12:56 pm

It is a trade off though, as you say, for the limited garden space. I had such good-looking seed garlic that I planted into some of my tomato space this fall. I may be facing some hard decisions this year! Or I may pull up some garlic early, too. I vote, give it a go if you can get it in the ground.

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Re: Never got my garlic in the ground

#4

Post: # 39672Unread post pondgardener
Fri Jan 29, 2021 2:21 pm

[mention]Paquebot[/mention] was one of the members who has mentioned about planting with an axe, so hopefully he sees this and responds with more elaborate directions.
It's not what you gather, but what you scatter, that tells what kind of life you have lived.

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Sue_CT
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Re: Never got my garlic in the ground

#5

Post: # 39674Unread post Sue_CT
Fri Jan 29, 2021 2:38 pm

Well, I would hazard a guess that if I wasn't determined enough to get it planted in the fall, the chances I would get out there in the freezing cold with an axe are pretty small, lol. But it looks like I might get the week of Feb 8th off, and some above freezing temps in the low to mid 40s might be in future. I only need a few inches down to thaw to get them in. But they won't have put down any roots and I am not sure if they will just get killed off or they will just be a little later next year because they will have to do that first, or if they will never mature as much as they would have if I had gotten them down in the fall. It IS a trade off. If they just get killed off, I lost what I paid for them. If I don't plant them at least I can use the garlic, lol. But I love the scapes and try to get some in the freezer each year. I guess I could also plant them in pots once I figure out when to plant the pots and how to get them them enough cold without freezing solid. How deep a pot do you think garlic needs? Something just occurred to me while I was writing this. What if I stuck a pot or 2 or 3 in the ground, something like the 3-4 foot long ones they make for decks or window boxes, and then pull them up to finish out of the ground when it warms up enough to use the space for something else?

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Re: Never got my garlic in the ground

#6

Post: # 39676Unread post rxkeith
Fri Jan 29, 2021 3:06 pm

one year i got some surprise garlic in a swap, in november. we already had
about a foot of snow on the ground, and planting then wasn't an option. i kept
the garlic in the fridge over the winter, and spring planted. the bulbs were showing
their age a bit, but most of the cloves planted grew decently. the bulbs were smaller
than my fall planted cloves, but they sized up the following year. bulbs stored outside
the fridge are mostly dried up when spring rolls around. if you decide to spring plant as
soon as possible, the fridge will be cold enough for them to bulb up in the summer.
there are people in some parts of the country that can spring plant garlic, and get full size
bulbs. it just doesn't happen where i live unless i'm not growing the right garlic.


keith

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bower
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Re: Never got my garlic in the ground

#7

Post: # 39686Unread post bower
Fri Jan 29, 2021 5:11 pm

You will definitely get some garlic, I would say, by planting them.
I would think that planted in a february thaw, they're going to get lots of cold and so most of them should make bulbs and scapes.
Spring planted cloves will sometimes produce a big undivided garlic 'round' instead of a divided bulb. So waiting could mean, a greater chance that you'd miss out on scapes.
I don't think the lack of fall growth should affect them. Mine never do grow before winter. They just come up as soon as ground is clear in spring.
I bet Paquebot knows the answer. :)
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Re: Never got my garlic in the ground

#8

Post: # 39687Unread post bower
Fri Jan 29, 2021 5:14 pm

But seriously [mention]Sue_CT[/mention] , what else are you going to do with a february holiday in covid world 2021? :lol: Go plant garlic in february for the stories to be told to posterity! The vacation of the year! 8-) ;)
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Re: Never got my garlic in the ground

#9

Post: # 39708Unread post Paquebot
Fri Jan 29, 2021 10:55 pm

Didn't read all of the replies. (Eye appointment at a low vision clinic and it takes two days to recover so I'll be brief.)

Do not believe any story about me using an ax, it was a hatchet! In CT right now it may be that a hatchet is needed but that would be the only excuse for not planting now. Unless the seed bulbs are being stored under optimum conditions, their life is going downhill. Their best place right now is in the ground. PLANT THEM NOW!!!!!

Martin

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Re: Never got my garlic in the ground

#10

Post: # 39732Unread post PhilaGardener
Sat Jan 30, 2021 6:36 am

Please be careful with sharp objects like hatchets and axes.

If you can't plant directly in the ground, try putting some in pots - you can use potting soil or seed starting mix and set these up inside where it is warm - and then transfer outside, placing them in a sheltered spot or garage. Once shoots emerge they will need light. As soon as you can, transfer out of the pots into the ground in your garden.
Gardening near Philadelphia (USA)

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Re: Never got my garlic in the ground

#11

Post: # 40221Unread post Paquebot
Fri Feb 05, 2021 8:14 pm

Just one more short but important comment. Garlic does NOT like tramsplanting.

Martin

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Re: Never got my garlic in the ground

#12

Post: # 40430Unread post mama_lor
Mon Feb 08, 2021 2:24 am

There are various hardnecks in France that they typically plant them at the end of February (can also be planted in march but size will be affected). So it is possible for a hardneck to be spring planted (no idea, of course, what yours is). It's definitely not too late.

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Sue_CT
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Re: Never got my garlic in the ground

#13

Post: # 40437Unread post Sue_CT
Mon Feb 08, 2021 9:04 am

Well, with over 6 inches of snow on the ground and the ground frozen, and snow predicted on and off all week, it won't be this week. I will keep my eye out for a bit of a warm up that melts the snow and hopefully coincides with a day off. If not, I just won't have garlic this year, I guess. It is hard neck garlic.

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Re: Never got my garlic in the ground

#14

Post: # 40448Unread post Paquebot
Mon Feb 08, 2021 1:54 pm

Years ago the only advice for planting garlic was in the spring. Northern seed companies offered a lot of varieties for spring planting as late as 15 years ago. Late planting meant late harvest which had it still in the ground almost to September. When I began growing it in 1983, nobody thought of fall planting here. Each winter was a wonder to see if there would be all live cloves to plant back. Garlic has a strange survival tactic which few know about. At some point a clove becomes a sacrificial lamb to keep the others alive. Eventually it will be down to a single viable clove. Problem for gardeners is that those dying cloves are difficult to determine and a disappointment when they don't grow. That's why I said to plant them now. Sitting in a bag is not doing them any good.

Martin

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Re: Never got my garlic in the ground

#15

Post: # 40522Unread post bower
Tue Feb 09, 2021 6:46 pm

Ah... too bad about the snow after all. I would go with the pot planting if you can do that instead.
[mention]Growing Coastal[/mention] grows garlic in pots and can tell you, how large a pot will work to go all season.
But I also think you can transplant them, if you remove all the soil from the pot and don't disturb the roots, just plant it all in a block, they will grow.
[mention]svalli[/mention] uses rootrainers sometimes for spring plantings.
I have also moved a few plants before, by taking up all the soil around them (this was due to a lot of misses in the bed and wanting to put something else in the space). They didn't show any sign of noticing they were moved. Sneaky, but it works. ;)
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Sue_CT
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Re: Never got my garlic in the ground

#16

Post: # 40523Unread post Sue_CT
Tue Feb 09, 2021 6:59 pm

I have enough for about a 12-15 ft row so I would need several pots of whatever size they need.

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Re: Never got my garlic in the ground

#17

Post: # 40526Unread post wykvlvr
Tue Feb 09, 2021 7:24 pm

If it makes you feel better mine didn't get in the ground either and this Saturday it is supposed to have a HIGH of minus 3F. I don't think it will get planted this week. Not even in pots or grow bags I can move to the garage for the rest of winter...
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Re: Never got my garlic in the ground

#18

Post: # 40556Unread post Paquebot
Wed Feb 10, 2021 6:17 am

If one had a garage full of 7-gallon pots and unlimited supply of potting soil, forget about the blizzard raging outside. Fill the pots and plant 3 or 4 cloves in each. Soak them down to wake them up and wait for spring. When spring comes, set the pots about 3 or 4 inches into the soil and they will be off and running. The tap roots will escape into the soil below and growth will be normal after that. When I was connected with the local toxic dump, a.k.a. community gardens, 3 friends wanted to grow garlic. I filled 12 pots and planted them in the fall. When those were set into the garden soil, the results were as good as I got at home.

Martin

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Re: Never got my garlic in the ground

#19

Post: # 40561Unread post Sue_CT
Wed Feb 10, 2021 8:57 am

Unfortunately, I don't have room for pots of garlic in my garage. Any pots would would have to live outside until Spring.

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Re: Never got my garlic in the ground

#20

Post: # 40562Unread post stone
Wed Feb 10, 2021 9:11 am

A small garden should not preclude planting the garlic outside the garden. Like say... down the outside of the wire?
Or down the side of one of your boxes?

Nothing big bothers the garlic, planting it where the deer and rabbits will ignore it while trying to get at the peas and beans only makes sense.

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