Garlic for 2025 - nothing new, but two oldies again.

[pepperhead212]

This week I've been getting the garden ready for the garlic, and the shallots, and also got some of the garlic ready for that experiment I'm doing, chilling about half of each of the variety in the fridge, and leaving the rest in the basement. There are theories about vernalization of garlic helping to grow larger heads (and some, especially down south, need this to form heads at all, but that's not my problem), so I took heads with about half of the cloves, and put them into a box, and into the lower level shelf of the fridge.

Those shallots I have to look at closely, to see how many will be planted (some will be split, other, smaller ones, as one), and they will go into the end of the 3 rows, then I can see how many of the garlics can be planted. I only chilled 8 Bogotyr and 17 Music cloves - the rest will all go in, with the chilled labeled.

Northern While Porcelain - new this season, but grew it years ago. 18 chilled, plus 19.

Metechi - favorite in the past, but would be out of stock, by the time I ordered the last few years. Best storing hardneck, in my experience. 27 chilled, plus 29.

Estonian Red - largest variety I've ever grown, but doesn't store well, but keeps until planting - it's the first variety I use after harvest. 22 chilled, plus 23.

Georgian Fire - second largest, even stronger flavored than Estonian Red, and stores a little longer, but it's the second I usually use up, after planting the largest. 20 chilled, plus 19.

The Music and Bogotyr I have the most of, left from last season, but I told my friend that I'd give her some to plant, since she wants to start planting it this year. The Music is the second best storer, for the hardnecks I've grown - too early to tell for the Bogotyr, as this is the first season for me. It has a powerful flavor, but not as strong as the GF.

Earlier this week I 'tilled the row, where 3 rows will be going, about a foot apart, with a T-tape between the rows. I had to wet the ground some, as it was rock hard, from the lack of rain. Today, it 'tilled easier, and I'll do it again, just before planting.

 

[larry_stewart]

This week I've been getting the garden ready for the garlic, and the shallots, and also got some of the garlic ready for that experiment I'm doing, chilling about half of each of the variety in the fridge, and leaving the rest in the basement. There are theories about vernalization of garlic helping to grow larger heads (and some, especially down south, need this to form heads at all, but that's not my problem), so I took heads with about half of the cloves, and put them into a box, and into the lower level shelf of the fridge.

Those shallots I have to look at closely, to see how many will be planted (some will be split, other, smaller ones, as one), and they will go into the end of the 3 rows, then I can see how many of the garlics can be planted. I only chilled 8 Bogotyr and 17 Music cloves - the rest will all go in, with the chilled labeled.

Northern While Porcelain - new this season, but grew it years ago. 18 chilled, plus 19.

Metechi - favorite in the past, but would be out of stock, by the time I ordered the last few years. Best storing hardneck, in my experience. 27 chilled, plus 29.

Estonian Red - largest variety I've ever grown, but doesn't store well, but keeps until planting - it's the first variety I use after harvest. 22 chilled, plus 23.

Georgian Fire - second largest, even stronger flavored than Estonian Red, and stores a little longer, but it's the second I usually use up, after planting the largest. 20 chilled, plus 19.

The Music and Bogotyr I have the most of, left from last season, but I told my friend that I'd give her some to plant, since she wants to start planting it this year. The Music is the second best storer, for the hardnecks I've grown - too early to tell for the Bogotyr, as this is the first season for me. It has a powerful flavor, but not as strong as the GF.

Earlier this week I 'tilled the row, where 3 rows will be going, about a foot apart, with a T-tape between the rows. I had to wet the ground some, as it was rock hard, from the lack of rain. Today, it 'tilled easier, and I'll do it again, just before planting.

It's so funny you posted this. I literally jus came here too ask what everyone was doing to prep their garlic beds this year.

Last year I had 2 garlic beds. One did better than the other, so that will now be my only garlic bed ( Ill still plant the same amount of garlic, just use up more of the bed).

I was lazy today, but intended to put a layer of compost on top of the bed ( ill probably do it tomorrow or Wednesday.

I also just ordered a big bag of perlite to mix in just to make sure I dont have any drainage issues.

My seed garlic was delivered today.
- Metechi
- German White ( which usually is my main crop)
- Also, a friend gifted me some of her garlic after I gave her bunch of strawberry plants. She gave me three heads. She didnt label them but she grows "Russian Red , and Italian Purple. Ill probably plant a few of hers cause they look so perfect.

Looking forwards to a good season next year

 

[pepperhead212]

I'm planting in a different bed, where I've planted them a few years ago, and I had it covered with black plastic the entire season. I didn't add any compost yet - it was so rock hard I had to get it loose with these two 'tillings, and I'll maybe add some later this week. We are supposed to get some rain Wednesday, but as usual, I'm not turning my timers off! And I will probably have to set that watering again, before the final 'tilling, before planting.

 

[larry_stewart]

If you have any luck with your shallots , let me know. Maybe it's the variety, but mine never ge any bigger than a garlic clove. Not worth the effort to peel them. They do produce nice tall, thin green leaves that can be substituted for chives, so at least I made some use of them. Ive tried growing in the spring, and also tried starting then in the fall with the same results.

 

[pepperhead212]

I just counted them out - some need split, some are smaller, so I won't split. I got 33 in a lb of red Holland shallots. Usually these produce large clusters from just the one. Last year's didn't do great - just got long - but they were just from the Asian market, so no idea what variety.

I've also grown shallots from seed, but only got small bulbs - the greens were better!

 

[pepperhead212]

I got the garlic in today - 254 cloves, more than I was expecting, but I planted 33 shallots, which was exactly what I had counted (I had sort of counted them in the mesh bag, some had to be separated, some not, so I was sort of guessing). I planted 12, 11, and 10 at the far end, before I started with the garlic, and the 3 rows I finished with 10 and 26 Bogotyr and 49 Music, saved from last season.

Here's the 3 rows of garlic planted, then mulched with last year's leaves. I'll be getting many more soon.
Planted triple row of garlic and shallots, at the end of each. A row down the middle, and another about 3" outside of each T-tape. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Last year's leaves on the garlic row, to start it out - will need more, once they start blowing down this year. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

 

[larry_stewart]

You're a few weeks ahead of me. Today , weather permitting, my intentions are to prep the beds by clearing what's growing there ow, spreading a layer of compost and pre fertilizing. After rotating the garlic around the past few year ad messing with the drainage issue, Im putting all my eggs In one basket this year by planting them all In the bed that had the best, most consistent results. No shallots this year , as my results have been consistently poor no matter which variety, location and planting time variation. I d rather have the more predictable extra row of garlic . ( Ill probably be cutting back on onion for similar reasons).

I like the shredded leaf mulch. it does such a good job of keeping weeds down. Better than any other mulch Ive used in the past.

 

[blissful]

We'll have composted manure put in, in about 2 weeks, then till it in. We put landscape fabric over the area we use, it has holes every 8 to 10 inches apart in rows a foot apart. Then plant, russian red, somewhere between 200-400, we haven't discussed it between us yet.

 

[pepperhead212]

While out harvesting those last few (I think) tomatoes today, I noticed quite a few garlic sprouts out there! Mostly Music and Metechi, but a few others, as well.
Some of the garlic stalks coming up, mostly the Music and Metechi, though I saw a couple of others, too. 10-16 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

 

[taxlady]

Is it normal for the garlic to start coming up in autumn?

 

[dragnlaw]

If I remember correctly it seems to be fairly common with Larry and pepper, eh guys?

 

[pepperhead212]

Yes, it is normal, and many times they don't even die back in mild winters.

 

[larry_stewart]

Years ago, it shocked me and I got nervous. Now I almost expect them to get about 3 - 6 inches before the winter kicks in.

 

[blissful]

In the first years we planted garlic we got them in in early October, then we saw growth in the fall peaking through the mulch. The past 8 years we've put them in during the end of October-but not for reasons of growth in the fall. If it is a year we put in composted manure (every other), it takes time to wait for the delivery and taking all the landscape fabrics off at one time. In the other years, we can do sections of the gardens when we need them. I think we are in a colder climate than Larry or Pepper, by a week or two.
The day we put in the garlic will almost always be cold for us physically, sometimes wet. We soak the garlic in vodka and soap solution for an hour, then plant. 300-400 will take us about 3 hours. It goes faster when we work together. (I split the bulbs into cloves about a week before and count them to make sure we have enough seed.)

I just want to mention a gardener friend (late) that put in garlic as late as Dec 31st. He was a prolific gardener into his old age. (usually we're told to plant in october) He said that garlic (in WI) can be planted anytime in the fall up to and after the ground freezes. If the ground is frozen, it can be drilled to make the holes, which can be done, and they come up great in the spring. He planted whenever and always had good garlic grow. I mention it for anyone wanting to plant garlic their first time. It's not too late and it won't be too late now until Dec 31. It just might be much harder once the ground is frozen.

 

[larry_stewart]

Although posted in another thread, Im excited to see a few garlics poking through the leafy mulch. I used to be nervous when the showed growth in the fall, weeks after planting , but now knowing they will survive, it actually gives me relief knowing that they are vital. When they dont pop up in the fall, I get nervous and assume the worst, that I'd have a poor harvest. Although the bulls vary in size when harvested, I almost always have a near %100 germination rate with garlic. Now that I've said it out loud, I probably just cursed myself for next years harvest.

 

[dragnlaw]

Would you like me to send a squadron of dragonettes to burn that curse out of the sky?

hmmm... just checked to see who's available.

You might have to wait a day or two for some of the older kids to get back from another job.

 

[larry_stewart]

Would you like me to send a squadron of dragonettes to burn that curse out of the sky?

hmmm... just checked to see who's available.
View attachment 71455 You might have to wait a day or two for some of the older kids to get back from another job.

Ill take any help I can get.
When I graduated high school, I did everything in my power to make it rain so I wouldn't have to attend the graduation (it was outside), including a rain dance. Didnt quite work, but I gave myself an A for Effort.

 

[pepperhead212]

That happened to me with the garlic sprouting in the fall, the third or fourth year I qrew garlic; now, every year! Used to get colder much faster.

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[larry_stewart]

Yeah, I get nervous now when I dont see it pop up in the fall