Garlic advice needed

[Millymollymandy]

My garlic leaves are looking rather brown and dried out on the tips, rather as if they were struggling in heat and drought. But it isn't hot or dry (yet)!

I fertilised all the plots in the veg patch and I 'think' I sprinkled fertiliser around the garlic, but of course I can't really remember now! Should I add some more - nitrogen? The garlic was planted at the beginning of December and the fertiliser is granular (probably slow release) sprinkled around in March so maybe it hasn't released enough yet?

Any bright ideas? Also I am tempted to dig one up to see how far it has developed, even if only half developed it has got to be better than the rubbish we get from the shops which always are mouldy and/or have green sprouts in the centre of each clove. What do you reckon?

[Andy Hamilton]

It might mean they are ready to harvest that is what they go like when they are done, so yep pull one up and see how it looks.

[Millymollymandy]

I thought they wouldn't be ready until the summer? Oh well will go out in the drizzle again and pull one up to see!

[Cheezy]

"even if only half developed it has got to be better than the rubbish we get from the shops which always are mouldy and/or have green sprouts in the centre of each clove."

Crap garlic .....in France!!!! OMG whats happening over there?.

Sorry no advice this is the first year I have planted garlic so I'm a garlic virgin.....so while I'm on

Andy when is it ready? should it flower first? DO you stop it flowering (like onions?). A brief garlic help thread would be useful.

[Andy Hamilton]

From our garlic page

• Garlic grows best in hot wet conditions, but try it all year round. (I have only tried in the spring digging up in the summer, but am told that it can grow all year round.
• Ensure that the growing area is weed free.
• Garlic likes water, so if you live in a hot climate you may need to water it a fair amount. Just don't let it dry out is the common sense approach.
• After about four months you should have some lovely strong garlic, you can tell it is ready when the foliage dies down
• Dig up with a fork to avoid damaging the bulbs..
• Does best when the soil pH is in the 6.2 to 6.8 range.

It might be ready, I am thinking that as it has had over 4 months to grow then it could be, although it has been pretty cold - mind you it is hotter over there, so worth picking one out and seeing.

[hedgewitch]

I grow Garlic successfully all year round and I have some now which is ready to harvest - I planted them in November. MMM - I'd leave it a couple of more weeks if I was you, the Leaves should turn brown and die down completely when they're ready.

[Millymollymandy]

It's not ready - looks like a fat spring onion. I didn't expect to harvest it before about August anyway. You can plant garlic in the spring or the autumn before, but it is supposed to be better when planted in the autumn. Mine's currently about 14" tall.

BTW to dispel a common myth. France isn't warmer than the UK in winter. It has a continental climate whereas the British Isles have a maritime climate. Minus 10 to 15 is common in inland France. The only place that is warmer than England in winter is the Mediterranean coast, but that can feel really freezing with that nasty damp cold that seeps through your layers of clothes.

[Cheezy]

Yeah, cold maybe so...but they are famous garlic eaters non the less, and I'd expect half decent garlic in the shops!!

Perhaps they need a Mr T***o over there where everything is regulated to size and shelflife (not taste) where they chuck out anything that does not comply, or put farmers under if their crop does not match the "standard".
That way they too like T***o's could "earn" £70 per minute profit!

Sorry had to get that rant off my chest

[Millymollymandy]

Do you think that the supermarkets aren't the same here?

The only time we get usable garlic is when it is fresh - about one month in the summer. The rest of the time it is stale and sprouting.

Onions are all sprouting in the shops at the moment - I might as well have grown a load more as the shop bought ones are exactly the same condition as mine were!

As for apples - never fresh, even in the apple season!

That's my rant. Please please do not think that France is better for produce. It isn't! (And it is much more expensive than Tescos - I was amazed at how cheap salad stuff was when I was there in November)

[Camile]

Hello everyone ...

I wonder what it's like in the UK .. because when you compare France to Ireland ... there is a hugue difference in freshness and quality of the products ...

In Ireland all the veggies you get in the shop don't look or taste fresh at all ... so for me I still have in mind that France has much better veggies or fruits than in Ireland ... even in the supermarkets ..

But I'm not saying they are top class quality .. just way better than in Ireland .. hence my veggie patch !

The good place you can get fresh veggies in France are the small market stall in most villages .. and there you normaly find decent products ...

Or it's just Ireland that's really crap with fresh food ... except Spuds and cabbage ! but I'm still glad to be in Ireland and wouldn't go back to France even if you paid me ...

Have fun !
Camile

[hedgewitch]

I've found that all super markets are the same around the world - crap, tasteless veggies and fruit.
The only way to get good, fresh, tasty produce, besides growing your own, is to shop at local farmers markets.

[albert onglebod]

Mine were looking a bit yellowish and I sprinkled Blood,fish and bone around them (organic fertiliser)and they seem to have perked up. They like it if you hoe the earth around them too.

[Millymollymandy]

but I'm still glad to be in Ireland and wouldn't go back to France even if you paid me ...

Have fun !
Camile

Makes a nice change to read that as I see so many postings on the French forums going on and on and on about wouldn't go back to England for all the tea in china. (Then they do, 2 or 3 years later!).

[Millymollymandy]

Mine were looking a bit yellowish and I sprinkled Blood,fish and bone around them (organic fertiliser)and they seem to have perked up. They like it if you hoe the earth around them too.

I think I'll add a bit of gen purpose organic fertiliser to them then, as I might have missed the garlic when I was sprinkling it around the rest of the plot.

[Camile]

Makes a nice change to read that as I see so many postings on the French forums going on and on and on about wouldn't go back to England for all the tea in china. (Then they do, 2 or 3 years later!).

Good morning MMM if I may ..

I doubt that for me I would go back .. I've been in Ireland for 6 years now (in the cottage only since 1 1/2 year) ... in we are so in love with the place that we wouldn't have the heart to see sell it .. even tough I'm sure we wouldn't have any troubles finding someone !

Camile