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Posted by Tattianna (U14833264) on Monday, 8th August 2011
I'd love to grow my own garlic and from research I've already done I believe it's relatively easy. However I've read so much that I'm not sure which variety of bulbs to buy or when to actually plant them for the best results so any advice would be gratefully received.
Oh I forgot to mention I'd like to grow it in a pot as I don't have the space in the garden.
Thank you
I've grown a few different varieties, spring and autumn, and would recommend spring planting Solent Wight - it's a softneck which means it stores well. It's reliable and a good one to start with.
I've never grown it in pots, but I think the key with garlic is to let it get a good dose of cold to kick start the bulbs into bulking out, so get the cloves into pots early on.
You'll probably need a big pot - or a couple of big pots to give the bulbs enough room to grow. Should be fine though!
Just to throw the moggy among the budgies, I'de go for Tuscany as it doesn't have those fiddly tiny cloves at the centre of the bulb (fewer cloves, but larger). It also has a nice violet hew. Cheers, Tony.
We have grown both autumn and spring garlic in pots for a number of years now, with good success. We use tomato sized pots, 2 cloves to a pot, keep them in good light but with some shade if it gets hot, water well, I think that is the secret. Occasionally one does not split into cloves, probably from lack of cold, (no problem in that respect last year!) but the fat single bulb is perfectly useable, and very strong in taste. I have used them finely chopped and cannot tell the difference in taste, if there was any.
The best tip is only to plant the largest cloves from the outside of the bulb. Also ensure that you only plant single cloves, look carefully at them, some are double.
I know that seems wasteful but you will be rewarded with good bulbs next year.
Thank you for your replies so far. They've definitely given me some food for thought!
Can anyone explain the difference between sort neck and hard neck garlic and the pros & cons of each?
Thank you
Have a look at this page to explain the differences between soft and hard neck garlic :-
Have a look at this page to explain the differences between soft and hard neck garlic :- Ìý Thank you for the link it is very helpful.
I've just planted my garlic in pots as per all your advice. So my next question is do I need to feed it? I seem to remember reading (but I can remember were!!!) that a feed of general fertilizer once planted would be beneficial (or was I dreaming )
I don't feed until growth commences in spring, to feed before may cause soft growth that may not withstand the ravages of winter.
This link mught help;
, in reply to message 10.
Posted by Papa Nopsis (U14479902) on Wednesday, 12th October 2011
I've done one of my daft things, and that is to carve up the segments/cloves and plant them. If potato peelings can produce potatoes, carved up garlic pieces will produce garlic bulbs. (I've got them in nutrient rich soil)
I've spent pounds on garlic from the SM, and nothing to show for it at all.
Allium seedsmanship seems to be rare as well.
I collected the seeds/scapes 18 months ago, replanted in the open, so that was a failure too. It may be failures like that which caused me to take up the mini-gh
seed planting,and guru TG's advice.
, in reply to message 11.
Posted by BaraGwenith (U14257539) on Wednesday, 12th October 2011
Your garlic will grow if every piece you plant has a shoot. Some of what you write seems a bit muddled. Carving up individual cloves serves no purpose. Dividing up each bulb into whole cloves is correct.
, in reply to message 12.
Posted by Papa Nopsis (U14479902) on Wednesday, 12th October 2011
(Garlic)
The people who don't like Wiki, do not, because they lift their information from elsewhere and present it here as their own!
If you look at the second pargraph of this hyperlink Bar, you will see the seed head ,with one of two seeds sticking out. They form at the top of the Scape when the plant has done, what most people think of as "bolting", Actually they are just ripening the seeds, and taking goodness from the bulb, which most people do not want them to do.
Those seeds take much longer to grow and mature as full size bulbs, but if you can dedicate yourself to them, are much more economical than buying 2bulbs for £2 at the SM.
That is big money, when you could have 40 bulbs from 2 bolted flowers , for nothing,after two years or so, quicker and bigger, if well composted.
, in reply to message 13.
Posted by BaraGwenith (U14257539) on Wednesday, 12th October 2011
Yes, but you're always complaining you don't get the results you expect.
You only have to buy bulbs once, they are a self-perpetuating crop.
I will not be consulting Wiki because I get good results from my own method; year after year after year.
, in reply to message 14.
Posted by Papa Nopsis (U14479902) on Wednesday, 12th October 2011
In a minute Ms Repetitious will be round here, saying I am always repeating myself. Ok I admit it, mainly to help myself to remember, and yet on the right of this "form" there is a "search" engine which may even reveal how many times I have done so., ie forgotten!
The memory is a wonderful thing, and I am not going to give you a wiki link to that because it is quite precious
Yes But I should like to plant ten thousand seeds, and get ten thousand bulbs after a year or two, and the only way to do that is to let the flowers "go to seed"
(bulbils) in the first place!
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