[Rumpleteazer]

I have been growing garlic in March for the last few years and it has been generally successful. I have read though that it is better to sow in the Autumn, although I can't seem to see why? Any thoughts anyone?

[northfifeduckling]

If you put the cloves in in the autumn they're ready earlier. That's all! I have lots of earlies because I forgot where it was in the previous year lol. They just need to be separated and transplanted in spring if they come up from a whole bulb.

[sellickbhoy]

i believe the clove needs to get a good frost in order to split to create bulbs

the general wisdom was plant on the shortest day (dec 22) harvest on the longest day (jun 21)

generally folk will plant it in oct'ish - while its still warm enough for the clove to get a bit of growth in and you will see shoots quite quickly (nice to have something growing in the garden at that time of year)

I've also put onion and shallot sets in around nov - they won't do anything but sit there until it starts to warm up again - i've seen shoots pop out in the last few weeks. so you can plant onion/shallot sets around the same time, but it's generally better to leave them until january - any sooner and they are just at risk of getting wet and rotting or getting pulled out by birds - who don't seem to eat them, just pull them out!!!

it is possible to grow garlic in spring, just that you might not get it to split into a bulb or it won't be very big.

I've heard of people planting whole garlic bulbs in spring and they just grow bigger - apparently this was an old victorian method of growing garlic - but most folk split them into cloves and get them in before xmas

but if it works for you the way you are doing it - why worry/change?

i love garlic, i planted 48 cloves in october, they have all come through nicely, but i'm now wishing i done more!! grrrr maybe i'll try planting some more just now!

[doganjo]

Isn't it just fandasmadocial when roasted with olive oil - mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm................................

[Rumpleteazer]

Well I will put some in probably this weekend and I will see how they go. Maybe I will try and put some in in October and then come back here in June/July 2010 to compare and contrast!

[sellickbhoy]

when you plant it in march, what do you get out the other end? a bulb or a giant single clove?

last year was the 1st time i tried garlic (actually 1st time i tried anything!) but i didn't plant it until march/april - and all i got back was a bigger clove.

was still tasty!

[Rumpleteazer]

Planting in March I still get a proper bulb. I have grown for about four years and has worked each time. Strange that it didn't work for you - when did you harvest? I harvest when the tops have started to die off in late June/July.

[sellickbhoy]

yeah, i harvested about the same time 

[carole h]

I've always managed to get good results from early spring sowing - and equally good ones from October planting. If I'm organised enough to get them in in the autumn though, I tend to put them into small pots in the coldframe for the winter, then put them out in the spring.
My favourite (but least helpful!) answer to the "when's the best time to...." question is "yesterday" ...always seems to be true for me - I spend most of my gardening life playing catch-up!
Everything will be different this year - when I finish working fulltime ...lol!

[Rumpleteazer]

I know what you mean - I always seem to behind schedule with my planting!

[P1nky]

I'm worried about my garlic. I planted about 80 bulbs of 2 varieties in late November in new raised beds based in East Yorkshire.  Had an excellent frost during the winter, however, I dug up 2 plants thinking green garlic about 2 weeks ago and neither had split into cloves.  It was just a large garlic flavoured spring onion. 

Partner has banned me from digging any more up stating my usual weakness of being impatient.

Any reassurance or advice for future years.  As you can probably gather I love garlic.

[northfifeduckling]

I would wait until the foliage dries up.

[sheila]

We usually sow our around  boxing day.....It's a ritual.But we always get a good crop

[Dan]

I'm worried about my garlic. I planted about 80 bulbs of 2 varieties in late November in new raised beds based in East Yorkshire.  Had an excellent frost during the winter, however, I dug up 2 plants thinking green garlic about 2 weeks ago and neither had split into cloves.  It was just a large garlic flavoured spring onion. 

Partner has banned me from digging any more up stating my usual weakness of being impatient.

Any reassurance or advice for future years.  As you can probably gather I love garlic.

I'd leave them in the ground for next year - you should get a bumper crop of large cloves.

If they start to go to seed this year remove (and eat) the seed heads, but otherwise let them die off and keep them weed-free.

[sabrina]

Mine are the same and they were planted late October last year, very dissappointing