Should I cut the long roots before planting them? It's too hard to spread all the roots while planting them. If the tops are too long should I cut them too? The tops are good eating but I've never tried the roots.
Maybe I don't understand your question, but when I plant garlic, I separate the cloves in the head, and plant them individually with the points up. I put them nearly an inch deep. If there are roots remaining on each clove, I plant them also.
Dwayne
Not quite sure I understand either. (It's been a long day and I didn't feel like fixing the top posting response to this. Gawd folks, please bottom post as per usenet norms that have been in place for years, top posting sux)
Break the head of garlic into the "toes", plant the root side down. Done.
I do understand actually as I sprout my garlic too prior to planting it. I get better success that way.
Don't trim anything at all! Just dig...... and don't worry about binding the roots a bit. It won't hurt them.
Do NOT trim the sprout top!!!!!
Maybe most of us don't let our garlic get that far gone and use known varieties for planting stock.
See my spreadsheet for details, in the .sig.
BTW, cheap shots at the people who are trying to help you is doubleplusungood.
Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G
And a sort of followup to Om's post: We northern gardeners generally don't want the garlic to sprout before (fall) planting, because the shoots will likely get damaged in the winter. The cloves will usually survive, but they've lost some of the "early start" energy.
In east-central NY (near Albany), I've still got bok choi in the garden, though Bambi likes it too!
Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.