Suggestions for Fall Garlic

[mattie g]

Since I started harvesting my first-ever garlic crop last week, I've been mulling over what to do about this fall's garlic. I don't wuite know why, but I'm really looking forward to this fall's planting. Maybe it's because this year was my first time, and I'm excited about learning from my mistakes and seeing if I can improve on this year's harvest.

I should have space enough to plant 50 cloves or so, give or take a few. My wife and I use a *lot* of garlic in our cooking, so I'd like to grow a variety or two that have a "full garlic" flavor and that will store fairly well.

The winter weather around here isn't too terribly harsh. While we can occasionally get down into the single digits, our nighttime temps in the heart of winter are generally around 20-25F, with highs from 35-45F. We can get decent snows, too, but we don't usually expect more than a couple storms a winter.

So...I'm putting it out there for some feedback from the garlic experts out there. What varieties of garlic should do well in my climate, and which of those might give me that "full garlic" flavor and good "storageability" that I'm looking for?

By the way...the fact that I'm already thinking about planting garlic this fall - in the middle of a successful (so far) summer season is a sign that I'm getting "the sickness."

[GardenRN]

Just a couple hours south of you, I have always just gone to walmart and grabbed a handful of heads, separated, and planted in mid October. I haven't had a problem with it storing well once dried. I think what you end up with when you do this is a hodge podge of hardneck varieties. But there is opportunity in that. Because you can always keep your biggest and best cloves for the following year's planting.

That being said, I am probably going to try planting some "music" this year. I like the color and I am interested to try a soft neck variety.

[hendi_alex]

Two of my favorites are Corsican Red and Xian. Am also trying Inchellum Red and Thai Purple this year.

[DoubleDogFarm]

"That being said, I am probably going to try planting some "music" this year. I like the color and I am interested to try a soft neck variety.

Music is a hardneck variety.

Eric

[gixxerific]

I agree with Music that is a good all around variety. I also like Cheznok Red which I am growing again. Than there is Georgian Crystal my first year with this the bulbs are way huge!

Plant a bunch of variety's you can never have too much.

[GardenRN]

"That being said, I am probably going to try planting some "music" this year. I like the color and I am interested to try a soft neck variety.

Music is a hardneck variety.

Eric

Well ........ shoot. Oh well, doesn't change that I want to try it, just was something I read wrong, or from a bad source. :shrug:

[soil]

First off I recommend that you plant an indicator clove. So you basically take a cloveand plant it just after harvest. When this one comes up naturally it's time to plant. Around here everyone plants in October and November. I plant early September when my indicator garliccomes up. Since I've been doing this I get much muchbetter garlic.

For variety I recommend Georgian crystal. Excellent hardneck, properly cured they will store 18 months. Amazing flavor. Music is also good.

[DoubleDogFarm]

First off I recommend that you plant an indicator clove. So you basically take a cloveand plant it just after harvest. When this one comes up naturally it's time to plant. Around here everyone plants in October and November. I plant early September when my indicator garliccomes up. Since I've been doing this I get much muchbetter garlic.

For variety I recommend Georgian crystal. Excellent hardneck, properly cured they will store 18 months. Amazing flavor. Music is also good.

Soil, Has the planting date changed much over the years. I'm wondering if a average is good enough?

Eric

[garlic bronco]

I love it!

we always plant what we think is going to be to much garlic, but like every year its not enough

oh well, I guess we probably use a bit more then normal, being from and living in the garlic capital of the world.

[soil]

Eric the indicator garlic does change year to year. Can
I say yet that it makes that much of a difference no. I can say it just helps with timing things the way I grow food. Which includes many microclimates. So when I'm out harvesting some food in one area the indicator garlic may pop it's head up. Where as the same day in a colder area it might be a week or two before those indicators come up. So I plant accordingly.

I am moving to a harvest and plant in the same day, because my "beds" if you can call them that are polyculture grown. Also I've been experimenting with perennial and biannual garlic plots with good results.

The best thing about the indicator garlic is it just reminds you "hey it's time to plant more of me". Where as some may forget and get it in too late.

[mattie g]

Thanks for all the feedback, folks.

I figured on picking up only a couple different varieties, rather than a bunch of different ones. That's mostly because I can find better prices for bigger quantities of one type, rather than buying by the bulb. But of course I'm not wedded to that idea if I can be convinced to do otherwise.

[GardenRN]

Soil, I've never heard of using an indicator like that....it's interesting! Does it just work for garlic? Or are there other veggies to do that with?

Seems weird though, since it's hot when you harvest, I would think the newly planted clove would just pop up in a week or two, not sit in the ground for 3 or 4 months. Not sayin I'm not buyin it, just seems contradictory of what I would have expected.

[hendi_alex]

Garlic naturally sprouts when the ground temperature hits a certain temperature in the fall. By placing a clove in the ground, its sprouting indicates that the proper soil temperature has been reached for fall planting.

[2cents]

Soil, I've never heard of using an indicator like that....it's interesting! Does it just work for garlic? Or are there other veggies to do that with?

Seems weird though, since it's hot when you harvest, I would think the newly planted clove would just pop up in a week or two, not sit in the ground for 3 or 4 months. Not sayin I'm not buyin it, just seems contradictory of what I would have expected.

RN
That's the way most plants work. Its just many plants will sprout even in hot weather.
If I put garlic or potatoes out right now, they won't pop until September, at least not around here. Soil Temp is too high.
Most of our cool weather crops are the same.
Some types may come up part way, but die back till cooler weather or die off completely.

[GardenRN]

But a potato would more likely rot before it sprouted wouldn't it? This is what I was thinking would be the problem with most indicators" is that they would rot before they sprouted.

Maybe a potato would be ok if you planted a whole potato instead of a cube. So the skin would protect all sides.

[DoubleDogFarm]

But a potato would more likely rot before it sprouted wouldn't it? This is what I was thinking would be the problem with most indicators" is that they would rot before they sprouted.

Maybe a potato would be ok if you planted a whole potato instead of a cube. So the skin would protect all sides.

A perfect example would be volunteer potatoes. I seem to have dozens of volunteer potatoes.

I may try planting a row of Yukon gold this fall to winter over.

Eric

[2cents]

Your making me think the skin actually has a purpose.
Sound like there must have been an intelligent design for that skin.

I put some greens in, in early June and they are small, but up and growing. They sprouted on the third day.
I put more greens, some from the same seed packs in June 22, and on the 28th still nothing. I've had to water daily but no sprouts, the ground is just too hot, now. They will likely sprout(my guess 10%) in September.

Actually, I will get frustrated and plant something there that does mind the heat.

[soil]

Eric fall planted potatos work great, given your soil doesn't freeze solid a few ft deep.

And no the garlic will not instantly come up. It knows what it's doing. Let garlic be garlic.

[hendi_alex]

In nature, all plants must sit in the soil until time to regrow during the next season. Some potatoes left in the ground may rot, but most of them survive until the next growing season.

Garlic, potatoes, carrots, etc. all go dormant during very hot weather. Their bulb, tubers, roots wait patiently for the soil temperatures to cool, then regrowth begins.