I've been flippping through Southern Herb Growing and it looks like a beautiful plant. Does anyone have any experience growing garlic in their herb garden? Is it easy/difficult? High maintenance?
Thanks,
Sabrina
Anyone with experience growing garlic?
Ahhh Southern Herb Growing! My favorite number one reference book. If you choose a southern garlic bulb, ( if I remember, you need a softneck garlic for the south ) it will grow freely. I harvest only as needed and leave the rest in ground year around. And if I remember, they will start new growth in Oct/Nov and develop thru winter. Dying down in the heat of summer. Prepare your bed well before you plant. I do not know which one I have. It was an heirloom start from an older friend. In years past, there used to be large fields of garlic grown in this area. There are still a few old home places with a volunteer bed. Most definitely easy and worth the effort.
Thanks for the info Podster. I'm really starting to like this book too! I'm a beginner, but I'm getting all sorts of ideas of the types of plants I want to grow. I picked garlic because it looks pretty low maintenance, and I can plant it in the fall.
But, I'm only working with containers right now - do you think that will be a problem? Do I need to get one a certain depth/width? think it mentioned I could just pick up a garlic bulb from the grocery store and use it to start my plant. And you are goinig to have to forgive my ignorance, but what is a softneck garlic?
Thanks!
Softnecks - Softneck garlic is characterized by a soft central stem, surrounded by several layers of cloves. They are non-bolting and produce very large bulbs. Softnecks are used for braiding and stored properly they can last up to ten months. They are easy to grow, abundant producers and adapt to varying soils and climates. Early to mid harvest. Softnecks produce mild to medium heat. Softneck is most likely to be the grocery store variety and yes, you can plant them. That is how I started with ginger from the produce aisle.
Hardnecks - Hardnecks are favored by chefs for having exceptional flavor, and large easy to peel cloves. They do well in cold climates, and have medium storage quality. They are characterized by a strong woody stem growing in the center. This stem produces a flower or “scape”. Mid to late harvests. Hardnecks produce medium to hot heat.
I don't know how garlic would work in containers but most of the rest of my herbs are in containers. Your questions made me notice that my garlic is starting to break thru the ground even as horribly dry as it is... amazing! pod
Thanks again. I'm going to inspect them a bit more carefully at the grocery store today.
yes please! when do you plant the soft neck garlic. I have a few volunteer garlic plants that I am trying to coral into a patch. The neighbor had a patch, but she dug it up and destroyed it before I had a chance to say, please can I have some?
I understand this is good to repel mosquitos (I have rabbits and the mosquitos really bother them--so many around their nose they look like they have moustaches). I love the way the garlic blooms at the time of the first once blooming roses--they are supposed to keep bugs away from the roses also.
I am in Alabama, zone 8.
gloria, I'm planning on planting garlic this fall, when I get the rose bushes I ordered from Chamblee's nursery. I'm hoping they're as good a combination as I've read they are. I'm also putting in some ornamental alliums -- I read somewhere they do the same for the roses as the "real" garlic.
even if the garlic doesn't do anything for bugs, they look beautiful together in the flower bed, as well as in cut bouquets. Im trying to get the other alliums started also.
I grow alot of them==look at my first 10 or so plant entries under "my plants".
Hardnecks are not suitable for the South--Consult:
http://www.gourmetgarlicgardens.com/
Debbie
I grow both hardnecks and softnecks here in NC and do just fine w/both most years. I think you are in a good area, Mintbabe, to also have good results with many of the different varieties of both types.
I also know that you can grow them in containers as long as you give them what they want, i.e., nice loose "soil", coolish Winter (cross your fingers there, eh!?), not too much nitrogen but a judicial dose of phosphorus/potassium, and keep them well weeded.
And yes, I've grown "grocery store" garlic for many years and have had great success with it. I hope you will give it a try...ain't many things like fresh garlic! Love it!
Shoe.
Shoe,
I was thinking the same thing - nothing like fresh herbs. I started with basil, oregano, and thyme because I cook with them a lot. But we also use tons of garlic, so I figure why not give it a shot.
Thanks again everyone!