Garlic problem

 


Just dug up some of my garlic which was planted last autumn.  I was
looking
forward to some nice big bulbs. However, they are not so big.
Medium size I
suppose but what has bothered me is that the cloves
haven't developed.  What I
have got are just large bulbs.  I dug up some
as they have sprouted leaves and a
flower stalk so I would assume they
are ready to harvest.

Can anybody tell me please why the cloves haven't developed?




--
Lintama

 



Only in a general way:  Garlic has the worst of both worlds:  a poor
competitor and a heavy feeder.  So if there aren't enough nutrients or too
much weed competition you'll get small bulbs.  Not having the main bulb
divide into cloves is just an extreme case.
If it was hardneck garlic, you should cut off the scapes ("flower" stalks)
when they form to direct energy into the bulb.
It's also best to get your seed garlic from close to home, so you have
something adapted to local conditions.
Moisture is critical when the bulbs are sizing up, but I'm guessing in most
of the U.K. this isn't a problem?


Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic
Zone 5/4 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G

 

On Mon, 28 Jun 2010 22:01:41 +0000, Lintama


Sounds like you might leave it in the ground longer. You want to
harvest when all the leaves are turning brown but there are still
maybe three that are mostly green. Each leaf represents a layer that
covers and protects the bulb. If you leave it too long the cloves are
not protected well and the bulbs store badly. Harvest too soon and
they haven't grown as much as they could.

 


Bobo;892581 Wrote:

Thanks to both people who responded.

I don't think that I did anything wrong according to your suggestions.

The garlic was planted last Sept or Oct.  Perhaps they were planted too
deeply.
I pushed them in to about 2 inches below the surface.  Water
hasn't been a
problem. I dug some up to see how they were.  Also the
flower stalks were coming
up so I cut those off.  A lot of the leaves
are now brownish but I don't think
that any of the bulbs are divided
into cloves.  I used ordinary garlic bulbs
bought from a supermarket as
I have done before.  The soil is rich in nutrients
due to lots of
compost dug in before planting and there are no weeds whatsoever.
 Looks
like it is depth of planting that could be the answer.  I seem to
remember some years ago planting garlic cloves with the tip showing just
above
ground and the garlic was successful that time but it was in a
different garden
with different soil.  I think I will try this shallow
planting method next time.

Thanks again.




--
Lintama

 

On Sat, 3 Jul 2010 22:06:29 +0000, Lintama


According to the experts I always plant too deep, four to five inches
in Ohio zone 5. I've planted early and I've planted late and only very
occasionally have I had a head that didn't develop into cloves. I
don't know why it happens. This year I had problems with too much rain
and poor drainage that caused some rot and poor covers on the heads. I
buy garlic I plant online. There's allot more variety out there than
you get at the grocery. Most places sell a pound of only one kind
which is way too much for most people. If you look on ebay you can
find a one pound variety listing. Here's a good place
http://www.keeneorganics.com/