I posted this in the veggie forum but got no responses even though there was another question about garlic with responses!
I'll try here. Can anyone tell me how to grow garlic, when it's ready for harvesting, and how to re-plant? Thanks in advance.
garlic
I'm not sure in your zone 8, but up here in zone three it's best to plant in the fall, overwinter it and harvest as you would onions. I had a perrenial patch of garlic at my old house and haven't gotten around to putting in a new one. It's simple really. Go buy some seed garlic and plant it as you would onion sets. Mulch it with straw and let it go. It's ready when you run out of patience. There's a flower - seed ball thingy that develops on the stalk. It's best to clip that off to encourage bulb growth. Good luck with it.
Dana, fall planting is best, but I have successfully planted garlic anytime I can dig in the dirt. Even regular heads of garlic from the grocery will grow. Just separate the individual cloves, and plant them stem side down and about 4" deep and 6" or more apart. They will sprout and grow. I usually harvest mine when the greenery begins to look spent, much like tulips or daffs.
To harvest, dig the whole bulb, and hose off the soil. Put on a screen or something in the shade to "cure" for a week or two, better under cover so they get a chance to dry.
When planting, I like to use the biggest cloves only. The little ones don't make a very large new bulb.
It's great having your own fresh garlic!
speaking of... I was just planting onion sets and really had no clue. Just stuck them in the dirt a few inches. A few inches apart, the dirt is heavy with manure..... how'd I do?
I've never grown onions, so can't help.
Somebody say onions!? I luvs onions!
gretagreta, howdyhowdy! Yes, you did good. A few inches apart will be fine, and deep enough so the top of the sets are either at ground level or just slightly below. (Most plantings are made in the row four inches apart to give room for bulbing; I like to plant two inches apart so I can pull every other one for green onions and that gives room for the ones left behind to bulb up and get bigger!)
If your manure is not too fresh or too much you'll be fine.
thanks, I hope theyre not too deep. Well. we'll see. How do onions work? Do they make lots of onions for each or just one big one?
Only "potato onions" and "multiplier onions" will make more than one bulb. Probably what you planted was the typical onion set. It'll make one bulb (and of course the green top!).
(Sure wish I had picked some greens ones for 'frying up' tonite for supper!)
Thanks horseshoe..... Im curious to see if they work..... Probably should have tried some better onions. All that trouble to grow them, I hope its financially worth it,
Greta
Oh it will be! What you paid for them sets is pennies compared to the crop you'll get. On top of that you'll get good safe food, homegrown by yourself, and you'll be able to pick what you need as you need it, fresh!
Pick some as green onions (table onions), put in salads or cook in olive oil, simmer in broth a bit, serve up w/salt, pepper whatever! Pick the bigguns as they grow, use in stir-fry, fresh salads, pickle some in balsamic vinegar/red wine, etc...ain't no end to your onion adventures!
You make me so pleased!!! I have always been an avid flower gardener and am venturing into growing food this summer which is exciting but Ive had little success in the past, I truly believe it is a different hat and requires alot of experience for success. I need to just have fun with it and let the chips fall. Its hard not to be a little spoiled since I know how my flowering plants will do with my eyes closed. Learning new things is a great thing. I look forwardto eating fresh onions on a summers eve.
Greta
Yep...I agree, it certainly does seem different than flower gardening.
What you might like to have fun with though is putting some veggie plants IN your flower beds, just for fun. Eggplant is purty there...beautiful flowers, wonderfully pretty fruit when it comes on; squash, with its big leaves looking "tropical" and those pretty yellow flowers; okra...tall stalks, lavender-ish flowers, edible pods (or you can dry them for crafts if you ain't an okra eater)...
There's no limit! Have fun!
Actually Ive been building a HUGE formal potager with a tiny pond in the middle. Its a maze of raised beds with a mixture of fruit and ornamentals mixed with flowers and veggies. A very FANCY kitchen garden is the goal. Ambitious but very sculpural and pretty. Course its still just a pile of dirt....with onions that is........
Greta
Can't wait for your pics! Sounds good to me!
HI Dana,
I just finished up my first effort at growing garlic. I used grocery store garlic, separated the cloves and planted them. About 3 weeks ago we pulled 3 plants, hung them in the garage to dry. Yesterday we pulled the plast three from the ground and hung those up. The first ones were dry and ready to take in the house.
I must say, they were very very small, but they smelled great.
I may try them again next year. We'll see. Here's a link that gives lots of info on growing them you might find interesting.
http://www.homegardeners.com/garlic.htm
http://www.gourmetgarlicgardens.com/grow2.htm#anchor17762007
Good luck.
Molly