We always plant garlic in the fall (Syracuse NY, zone 5.something). The stalks start yellowing in early or mid-July, and we harvest in late July or early August.
July is when we (often) get our best sun and warmth, and the rest of the garden really takes off then - just when the garlic is falling over. I wonder if we might be better to plant it in the spring, so it could benefit from that time. A later crop would be OK, if it meant larger heads.
Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks, George
George wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:
Where are you located? That makes all the difference in any kind of planting plans.
Puckdropper
Still Syracuse NY, zone 5.something.
George wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:
Sorry, looks like I can't scroll up. ;-)
Puckdropper
Why, should be just in time to transplant in some fall greens. 8^)
I first planted garlic in the spring. Not a huge success. I've ever after planted in the fall.
Thanks. Probably, it would be the same here. When do yours start falling over/yellowing/whatever?
GGeorge, Are you planting hardneck or softneck? Here in Colorado we plant Hardneck because it's much more cold resistant. We plant in the fall and harvest late August. We're in Zone 2-4. It may also have to do with your source. I get mine from Seeds of Change ( Russian Giant, Spanish Roja, German White). Taken from a website:
warm temperate areas - generally speaking, it can be planted in autumn through to early winter. Under warm temperate climatic conditions autumn planted garlic will remain dormant for a few weeks, then develop roots and a shoot. With the onset of the cold of winter growth is fairly slow until temperatures warm in spring. The cold of winter is needed to initiate the side buds that will ultimately grow and swell to become cloves (and in some types, to initiate the flower bud). The lengthening days of spring are the signal for the initiated but undeveloped side buds to start forming into cloves. It is possible to sow in early spring and get a reasonably good harvest, but everything is against you - wet, difficult to work soil; no early root growth; less exposure to winter chill. Early Spring is possible, but definitely a second choice. Temperate areas- plant after the first good frosts of autumn. Spring planting is possible in the higher latitudes, as the longer day lengths promote bulbing, but the shorter season means the bulbs are often smaller. Autumn garlic will produce roots, but either no, or short, top growth. If the garlic sprouts have emerged, they will survive freezes and snowfalls, but they should be mulched heavily (about 15 cm/6 inches) to prevent heaving. Pull the mulch aside in spring. Autumn planted garlic will have strong roots by winters icy grip, and these roots will help prevent the 'seed' being pushed out of the ground as the soil alternately freezes and thaws ('frost heave'). Let me know if it's helpful,
Lee
On Nov 13, 12:32 pm, George wrote:
They start yellowing in July. I usually harvest in mid to late July, when the top three leaves still show some green.
Normally I reprep the bed and follow on with lettuce and bok choy for fall harvest, but it was so flipping dry this year (except for one week at the end of August where it rained enough to ruin some of what I was growing -- exploding tomatoes and butternut squash!?!) that that fall planting didn't happen.
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