8:07 pm Eastern time!

I'll start by inviting anyone who grows it, and is not on the list, chime in! List is on (Compiling a Quick list of garlic Growers! First post.) I'll get you added!

OKAY,

Now, let's get to important part of our seasonal meeting:

1. My garlic is starting to recover from the pitifal February and March weather, but I'm not impressed yet.

2. I planted some spring garlic as a pest deterrent, when I got home from work today. Not looking for bulbs with this planting, only something to deter Japanese beetles later.

3. We have a new member, MooreHaven Gardens, on the Compiling a List of Growers, with some valuable information. Please check it out and welcome our new friend! He is a commercial grower, and loves talking about Garlic, he is from Iowa!

4. Meeting will stay in session until JUNE 10th, when my last thread on garlic will be, and when we will be getting down to the nitty gritty.

5. Pictures are to die for here, so keep that in mind.

Love you all, and thanks for sharing these past months since Autumn, when we started all this.

It has been so much fun for me. And I hope you guys have enjoyed it too!

lisaann

Now that it's warmed up a little and I can see the ground again I found that I do have about 2-3 inches of green growth going.I also found that I need to watch out about not planting too shallow or not firming the ground up good enough.I do have a few cloves that got heaved up, their growing but are up above ground level.
As I was straightening up in the garden I also found some volunteers from last years planting growing too.Now I'll be able to compare fall vs. spring planted garlic of the same type too this year.That is if I can remember to plant my leftover garlic thats sprouting in the kitchen now.

I can tell where the critters that plagued me last year tried to tear of my garlic this year, but the chicken wire I placed over the plot stopped them. Looks like most all the garlic I planted last fall has survived and is growing.

Looks like I posted a day too soon - I did write an update - it is over on the other garlic thread (list of garlic growers) if anyone is interested....

Sorry about that Lisaann....

Last weekend my garlic was poking up through 4 inches of sleet, with temps in the teens, but that is already melted, and it was near 70º today. Good thing garlic is hardy!

Dave

bluestreak,

I have volunteers, too, but can't, for the life of me, figure-out where they came from! They started growing in the fall, but I thought I'd gotten all the garlic out of there!

I also planted some new garlic in the fall, but don't see any of it. I hope it didn't rot with all the wet ground we've had!

Beansprout
I know exactly what your talking about.I'm usually pretty good on getting everything harvested but apparently last year I must have picked with my eyes closed.I looked again when I came home today I've got at least a full dozen volunteers of garlic and a half dozen shallots going strong now.
Lisaann sorry to steal your update but can I relocate my new found bounty or should I leave it where it is?I was planning on planting herbs in the spot where they are.

I was just looking at the garlic today and noticed that EVERY single clove of garlic has sprouted, none have been lost or stolen, none have moved. They're perfect little soldiers standing (a little lazily) 6 inches apart.

Is anyone fertilizing? I have on a note (that I copied from a book somewhere) that I should fertilize every week (up to a certain point - June maybe)starting around March when spring growth begins.

Geezzzzzz Lisa Ann.....accolades like that can make an old man blush !!! ( and thank you for such kind words ) btw - MooreHaven is spelled as one word ; )

Got a request - When we ask questions about our garlics, it would be helpfull to know if we are talking about hardnecks (ophioscorodon) or softnecks (sativum). The given "name" is of little value, but the type holds the key to the details.

Volunteers.

Not to many reasons for that....so here we go....
The first question I would have would be about how last year's crop was harvested. You should dig your garlic like you would your potatoes. The "old gardening book" recomendations of pulling it after the top growth has folded over like onions can leave cloves in the ground. This is something I touched on in my earlier long-winded post about rotting sheathes underground. And there is always that rogue garlic that matured earlier than the rest and you lost track of where it was. Digging with a spade or fork like your potatoes will often unearth the stray.
Next has to do with why I made the hard/softneck request. As we all know, hardneck's send up a flower stalk ( scape ) with a flower head ( bulbil ) gently bobbing in the breeze. If you want to ask me about scapes, we'll save that for another post. If you're one that followed the philosophy of leaving the scapes and bulbils attached ( and that's a whole 'nother post in itself ), you've inadvertantly seeded your patch with garlic "seed". No harm done, it happens. Unless you're one who doesn't like what looks like grass-on-steroids growing in your cilantro. If thy garlics offends thee, pluck it out. Otherwise just harvest it as part of next year's seed stock. Softnecks on the other hand generally do not have scapes/bulbils ( yes, there are a couple subspecies exceptions, but for the sake of long story short here ), unless stressed due to high growing season temp.s and/or lack of moisture, then they may send up a scape/bulbil. It's Mother Nature's way of saying " Wow, tough neck of the woods, I'd better hedge my bet for coming back next season..." Softnecks compensate for the lack of bulbils with a greater number of cloves per bulb. They also will produce corms; you'll see these as "growths" or bumps on the stalk or under the sheaths around the bulb. Corms are seed also, but take a little more effort to use as such.

Here's a tip for ya.....if you are using your garlic as a bug deterent ( altho I'm living proof that they like garlic as much as anything else does ) spread the seeds. Garlic seed takes four or more years to size up to a worthy cooking size so you will accomplish what you were after as a deterent AND not waste garden space getting it up to food stock size. Just remember that seed takes a week or two longer and alot more moisture to sprout than cloves do to root.

It might be time to start talking about the bugs and seasonal variables that can ruin your garlic crop, especially those farther south than I. After-the-fact is...well... hindsight. And this too I wish I didn't have a working knowledge of Loosing 2/3 of a primo crop last year to a certain species of little known centipede was a hard and expensive lesson to learn.

I love this part of the garlic season, the differances between my varieties is never so apparent.

I wish I could post some "proud pappa" pictures here, but it seem's my PC security won't let me use the blue reply tab as it's a java script....unless there's a trick I'm not aware of.

I'm praying to the Garlic Gods for many, many garlic rounds this year, those coveted nuggets of the garlic world, and I hope you all find some too.

.....and with that; a hearty "Garlic on, Garth!!" to you all.

I have some terrible news.

Some of my storebought, first year in the ground garlic, did not make it through my 2º weather. I thought it looked like it would not make it back then, but now I know it didn't.

Second year in the ground garlic did make it , as did the Korean Red(hardneck).

So, anyway, that is 12 heads that ain't gonna happen. BOOHOO!


MooreHaven Gardens,

Just the man I was hoping would show up here today! I was thinking of you at lunch when I read an article in an old mag. (Garden Escape Fall 2000)

It sounded like I might be reading about you. The guy moved from New York to Iowa, and took over the family farm. His main thing planted back then was garlic and greens. And he sold commercially at a farmer's market.

Man by the name of Cleverley.

If by coincidence this is you, I will pass out.
It would be too wierd of a coincidence.

And thanks for sharing more of your wisdom!

Damn !!! I told my case worker at the witness protection program departure center that that article was a bad idea....now I've got people passing out to burdon my concience too {....I thought my choice of name was clever tho....hahaha !!!}


Ok....is it my turn to querry a quandrie??
Why do I keep hearing ya'll talk about your "store-bought" garlic ?? I understand it's cheap and readily available. But quality proven seed stock is also cheap and readily available, either thru a local grower, catalog sales, or over the Internet. So what gives.....?
Not to mention the nasty little viruses, like Yellow Dwarf, or a disease like White Rot or Pink Root, even Basal Rot, that you could be introducing to your growing enviorment, which is then gonna be waiting for you again next season.
Not to mention the fact that almost all "retail" garlic is grown outside the U.S. The domestic garlic industry in the U.S. took a major hit a few years back with the allowance of the Chinese imports to flood the market at pennies on the dollar, to the point that some of the major garlic processors had to stop growing their own or buying domesticly as the imports are so much cheaper. WalMart is Chinese. It may even have the small print disclaimer ( if you buy the little boxed garlics ) printed on them saying "Packaged in U.S.A." ....Blah blah blah...there I go again on my soap box....

Anyway......let's toss this thought into the pond and see how far the ripples travel.........
One of the most prominent exclimations I hear from customer's are that they had no idea there were so many types, varieties, and flavors of garlic. Most folks think garlic is garlic.
Now tasting the sutle nuances of individual strains is alot like tasting wine....you either have the palet to do it, or it all tastes like grape juice. I for one don't have the "sophisticated" taste buds that my wife does, I have to be on either end of the taste test to tell. She on the other hand can pick them consistantly enough to have developed her personal favorites per her application. I'm happy with my grape juice.
So how about a bit of Garlic Treasure Hunt. Think of the joy of finding a flavor that personalizes your salsa or beef roast over all others. The elusive search thru farmer's markets for that unique obscure variety that has just the right zip to tickle your taste buds until your eyes roll back in your head. Imagine watching the differances between the varieties as they grow in your garden.
And when you find one of those "personal favorites"....tell us about it.
Or has all this been done already and I just haven't been paying attention.

A repeating question needs answered - feeding your garlic and when.

First, when feeding your garlic, high nitrogen feeding will give you robust looking garlic, but it usually won't store worth crap.
Keep your foliar feeding on the weak side, as it's a repeated process. I prefer the slower method of side dressing with compost. Bone meal is cheap and works well also. Don't forget that if you are feeding them, you have to make sure they are getting enough water also to wash it down with.
When - anytime after the first three to five inches of growth have emerged in the spring. Basicly after about 30 days of top growth the plant has used up the planted clove and is looking for a new source of nutrients.
For How Long - If you aren't growing new leaves anymore, it's time to quit feeding. If you keep feeding them past this point, you actually decrease your finished bulb size.

And my tip for tonite ( pun intended ) - Yellow leaf tips are very common and nothing to panic about......yellow spreading down the whole leaf on the other hand is always going to be your first indication that your garlic isn't feeling well and needs you to take a closer look at it.

To pop your tops or not, should be the next thing on your list of decisions to be made by you Hardneckers'. Anybody like using the scapes in their cooking?

Nooooooooo....I'm not Mr. Cleverly, and my short search for him has turned up nada........ You can actually do a Google search and find me...hahaha !!!

Good Morning Moorehaven,

Well I don't have to pass out now! Cleverley sells at a farmers market in DesMoines. I looked at the map and saw Adair was kinda close, and thought, Hmmmm!

Store bought explanation:

This is my second season growing garlic. First year was on a whim.

I had read about being able to acclimate garlic and other plants potatoes etc. to your growing area, and I thought what the heck and stuck some in.

We had a very mild winter and that garlic turned out great. I saved some and planted it this year, to see if it would be even better. That garlic is fine.

I also planted some garlic from the store this time, but it had never grown in my garden, and didn't make it.

Winter was way colder here this year, and wet in Feb, and March. So, all I can figure is, my first garlic adaped and could take the weather, this time around, and the new garlic was a sissy and couldn't take the cold and wet.

Hardneck garlic(korean red) was from a farmer's market, and had been growing in this area, already, and that pulled through too.

And you are right about being able to tell the difference between the garlics at this stage.

Now I'll google you and Cleverley.

By the way, have I told you how much I love your posts?

Just googled and found Cleverley farm and MooreHaven Garden at the same site www.localharvest.com

Thanx for the back-pats (again).....my search error was in dropping an "e" out of Mr. CleverlEy....your garlic's failure could have been due to four things that come to mind first; #1 - to old and dehydrated to root. #2 - Grocery store imports are often heavily soaked in growth-retardent hormones just like potatos. #3 - Your wet Feb - Mar. may have caused your cloves to freeze-kill or rot before it had established enough root growth to overcome it. Garlic thrives on "managed" cold by the very nature of it's ancestory, but "wet" is a foreign and deadly enviorment for it. I have gotten away from planting in raised furrows to cut manual labor invested in my field ( I'm a one-man operation using low-impact practices, i.e - no machinery for soil compaction reasons ) but I really sweat early spring when the snow melts and leaves standing water until the frost goes out also.#4 - It was cured improperly or poorly, thus killing it. Like in letting it "cook" in the sun at harvest.
I must strongly recommend ( if I may be so bold ) that you get the failures out of your garden soil most haste, and Do Not add them to your compost pile. To leave in or to compost only breeds the sort of troubles you definately don't want to germinate.
And I enjoy your posts also

Hi MooreHaven,

Think the answer to my problem is #3. all grew great till cold set in(planted by October 15, so I know roots were established) but, very wet. Okay it might be more than #3, anyway this is a work in progress for me and others!

Do you Know that Cleverley Guy? Still a cool thing to have read a piece about a man that hangs out at the same site you do!

Yeah, I know, you won't be in till sundown! Will wait nicely for a response!

It's really nice out today! (Except for the wind.) So I excitedly went to the little spot where I put in garlic...

... pulled back the mulch...

... peered in expectantly...

... and saw...

... nicely mulched soil.

That's it. If something should happen to come up later on, you'll be the first ones to know.