wisconsindead
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Should Garlic grow shortly after fall planting?

I planted my garlic on October 15th. I was poking around and noticed the bulbs have begun to grow underneath the hay mulch. The tips are all white and haven't breached the mulch yet. But this is my first time planting garlic and am unsure as to how much growth should occur before winter fully sets in. From what I understand, this is the period that they initially set out roots. All the websites about growing garlic do not seem to mention anything about the growth that occurs prior to winter. So, does this all sound normal?

pepperhead212
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Years ago I had this happen for the first time, and had the same question, and everybody assured me that there would be no problems, which was correct. Now it seems that this happens almost every year, even though I plant later than I used to, probably due to warmer temps, both air and soil. And some seasons the early growth doesn't even die off! But they always seem to produce great bulbs.

imafan26
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Make sure you got the right kind of garlic for your area. In the north you want a hardneck type and it should be planted in October-November. Garlic needs vernalization or exposure to cold before it sprouts. 40-50 degrees for 12 weeks. In the North, winter takes care of that so you want to plant your hardnecks a few weeks before you get freezing temperatures so the roots have a chance to grow. Most of the top growth will come in the Spring. The bulbs start growing when the days lenghthen and the temperature changes.

In Hawaii, I chill my garlic for 1-2 months in the frig and a lot of times, I end up having to plant earlier because they will start sprouting in August or September. Where I am I can get Christopher Ranch garlic at Costco in the grocery section and California garlic is a softneck that is not treated. The Chinese garlic is treated to prevent sprouting. I cannot get bulbs shipped in, as most companies will not ship live plants to Hawaii because of Agricultural restrictions. The only way to get bulbs is generally from a big box store which does get them in somehow, but since they ship all over the country, they don't always bring in things that are appropriate for our region and it comes at the wrong time of the year. My garlic is never very big, but I don't have an ideal climate and garlic does not really like acidic clay soil, but I keep trying. I'm thinking of growing them in a pot this year instead so I can control the soil.

Here are a few places I found helpful that had useful information for me. At least now I know why the elephant garlic shrank when I planted them. Some of the advice seems contrary, so if one doesn't work for you try the other.
https://www.filareefarm.com/growing.html
https://greyduckgarlic.com/Southern_Garl ... Guide.html
https://extension.uga.edu/publications/d ... umber=C852
https://www.garlicfarmct.com/GrowingGarlic.htm

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rainbowgardener
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But yes, my garlic always sprouts and grows a few inches and then just sit there until late winter when it starts growing again.

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jal_ut
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I played around with a lot of varieties before I found one that would excel in this environment. So I am going to suggest trying some different varieties to see if you can find one that is better suited for your area.

Does it grow in the fall? Sometimes I will see it coming, sometimes not. Guess it depends a lot on when it was planted and what the weather does? This year I planted almost a month ago and out looking yesterday, don't see any coming. Its been rather warm and dry ...... perhaps it needs more moisture? I am not giving up, from past experience I suspect it will come when its ready.

wisconsindead
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Appreciate all your input! That removes my worry.

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MockY
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I had the same worries last year when they started to poke through almost right away. Same behaviour this year, but now I expected it. You can find my original thread here:
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/vi ... 7&p=372061

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applestar
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Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

I’ve been thinking about planting garlic.

I had to admit defeat and stop growing garlic and onions a few years ago when my crop were decimated by onion maggots. They were salvageable to some extent but only with excessively extra work.

Since arriving at and admitting that insect mesh netting to exclude unwanted pests is probably the key, I’ve slowly started experimenting.

Since finishing the fully insect mesh-enclosed tall hoop house last fall and testing its defenses this season, I’m ready to try growing some garlic and onions, although only at a small, experimental level this fall and next season.

Reviewing what I know about garlic planting and care for my area, and working on tweaking it for growing inside the hoophouse, which will be “winterized” with multiple overlayers of greenhouse film.

…..


In my area, we do have deep freeze but we’re supposed to ideally time garlic planting so they sprout and grow to about 4 inches before the cold and freeze shut them down for the winter. Before the hard freeze arrives, they should be mulched well but leaving the tip of the garlic shoots exposed to take in the winter sun, and if expecting extra deep freeze, more mulch should be applied to cover them completely. (Not that I do all these consistently, but those are the ideal care regimen.)

Reason for the extra mulching step is because we don’t often get deep snow, and the overwintering plants are subject to being freeze-dried when exposed to temperatures that stay in the (°F) lower teens-single digits-negative single digits, with rare dips down to negative double digits. If in snow country where snowfall in early winter results in continuous coverage as more snow accumulates, they get natural mulching effect from the snow.

When the additional mulch had been correctly applied, then there is a reverse step to remove the upper layer of mulch sometime in mid-late February as the occasional above freezing temperatures become more frequent and days lengthen.

Garlic care in the farther south gardens is of course different with garlic being planted even earlier (maybe already?) to encourage the autumnal growths for good head start.

…I might have to borrow/lean into this kind of thinking in the hoophouse. I expect to use interior low tunnels with multiple layers of spunbonded fabric and vented poly during the coldest part of winter.

Wonder if there is another set of instructions for areas further north? …Like not expecting them to sprout before winter? Not needing to fuss with the mulch to allow for winter sun exposure since they are dormant until spring? More mulch right away until spring?

pepperhead212
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I always put over them 4-5 inches of ground up leaves, as soon as I plant the garlic and shallots, and always have good results. Often, when the temps only go down in the teens, some of them don't even die back (Estonian Red does this a lot). When they start growing more, usually in March, I start piling up more leaves on them, then put the drip irrigation line down between the rows. This last season I did them in a raised bed, which did well, and usually I go down a straight double row, which I'm back to this year, because the greens are in the raised beds. I was going to put in another raised bed, but it was just too hot this year, and lumber prices way up. Hopefully, both in will go down soon!



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