Spring Garlic planting

[LindaD]

Hi...living in the cool Canadian spring is chilly...but is it chilly enough or too BRR to plant Garlic now? I have read it is best planted in the fall, but as I have a lovely clove with greene greenery growing out of it I am wondering what happens now? I would appreciate any and all info ..Thanks and happy sprouting!
Linda

[shadylane]

Planting garlic in the fall are for those with warmer climates where winters are not to harsh.
I planted in the fall and it was a total failure, most rotted. Those that were planted deeply 6 inches, seem to still have some life to them (green tops)...time will tell. But I'm leaning to the failure side.

Planting garlic for colder regions should be in the spring in rows of 18-24 inches apart, I planted a variety of sizes 4-6 inches deep. It would be best to use the larger cloves, in moderatley fertile soil. In rich soil the tops can become over developed. In autumn when the leaves have died the plants are dug and dried..

Perhaps your lovely clove could be placed in potting soil till the soil warms at least at the 50 range.
I am giving garlic growing another attempt with more knowledge of it than I did the first time.

[rainbowgardener]

I don't know. We have another spring garlic thread going on elsewhere, that I don't have time to find and link now.

I always fall plant garlic and it works beautifully. I haven't tried planting spring garlic, but I am not sure it would have time to actually make separate cloves and might be just one big round by fall this year. I might not be quite as cold as you in Illinois, but I'm not sure that's the variable. Here's an article that says people in Canada should plant garlic in the fall:

https://www.garlicfarm.ca/growing-garlic.htm


If your garlic rotted, that might be a drainage issue, staying too wet.

[applestar]

I recently posted some info about garlic here
http://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/vi ... 76#p294276
and planting elephant type garlic in spring was mentioned in the citation.

[shadylane]

Hope this doesn't seem rude since I didn't ask the question but...Thank you large for that nice site Rainbow.
Paul Puspisil has done a nice job giving details on all about garlic..he's in zone 4 so I shouldn't have any problems planting garlic here in zone 5 in the fall. I believe I put them in the ground to soon due to seeing green tops come up before winter. That would explain the rotting. And as he explained not to let that happen, only enough time for the roots to take hold... nor did I mulch.
I will have to admit due to my lack of knowledge on the subject I was going to see another disappointment if I would had continued planting garlic this spring.
Thanks again

Thank you also Applestar I will continue to read the post on Garlic

[LindaD]

Thanks everyone for the great garlic planting info I am looking forward to trying the cloves in a pot on a cooler window ledge and will see what happens.
Keep on growing
Linda

[tomc]

Planting garlic in the fall are for those with warmer climates where winters are not to harsh.
I planted in the fall and it was a total failure, most rotted. Those that were planted deeply 6 inches, seem to still have some life to them (green tops)...time will tell. But I'm leaning to the failure side.

Living in the north, you'll need to plant hardenck garlic, and not the softnecks you planted. Said the boy born in Elmhurst.

If hardnecks worked for me in the lakes region of NH, they'll work for you in IL.

[digitS']

I know next to nothing about garlic. I grew it only one season that I can remember, a long time ago.

However, I was curious . . . I think the shallots that I grow would be fine planted in the fall but I've never done that in the 20+ years that I've grown them. They come out of the ground in July and have a good curing, then go into the garage to spend the winter on a shelf. They must freeze in there, just sitting in their basket but are just fine for kitchen use and to plant out as the very earliest things (with the onion sets) in the spring.

Here is what the Saskatchewan agriculture ministry has to say about planting garlic: "Garlic can be planted in spring or fall. Fall planting is somewhat riskier in that there is danger of winterkill, but there is also potential for higher yields with fall planting. In general, fall plantings are made in mid to late September. The cold winter will break the dormancy of the bulbs and allow growth to begin early in the spring. If garlic is to be planted in spring, previously chilled bulbs should be planted on prepared soil before the end of April. This early planting will allow the plant to obtain sufficient size by late June, when bulbing begins. Late planted crops will bulb poorly and give poor yields." Time of Planting, Garlic

They are, of course, advising people in Saskatchewan and they only mention Elephant Garlic by saying that it is a leek "and may be less hardy than regular garlic."

Steve

[Ohio Tiller]

I plant in the fall here in lower Ohio every year and mine gets about 2 or 3 inches above ground before winter sets in. As of right now they are all about 8 to 10 inches tall. I tried spring planting once but it never amounted to much they did not get very big at all!

[shadylane]

Planting garlic in the fall are for those with warmer climates where winters are not to harsh.
I planted in the fall and it was a total failure, most rotted. Those that were planted deeply 6 inches, seem to still have some life to them (green tops)...time will tell. But I'm leaning to the failure side.

Living in the north, you'll need to plant hardenck garlic, and not the softnecks you planted. Said the boy born in Elmhurst.

If hardnecks worked for me in the lakes region of NH, they'll work for you in IL.

Thank you tomc, I will give the hardnecks a try this fall, I think that was the failure...wrong type of garlic. I used garlic that I had here purchased from the store. Which I had read could be done so I gave it a shot. digitS thank you also I will give your suggestions a good trial for spring and fall and to make sure I will chill the bulbs before planting this april soon as it stops raining...I will also give the Elephant garlic a try...Thank you fellow gardeners you have been VERY helpful

[shadylane]

I plant in the fall here in lower Ohio every year and mine gets about 2 or 3 inches above ground before winter sets in. As of right now they are all about 8 to 10 inches tall. I tried spring planting once but it never amounted to much they did not get very big at all!

Thank you Ohio...