Took a huge step backwards in my success with garlic.

sprtsguy76 · June 3, 2012

I'm really scratching my head on this one. The varieties I grew this year were Lorz IR and California Early. They were stock saved from last years harvest which was purchased from Gourmet Garlic and it was great. I grew them in the same place as last year but the tops started to die off really fast the last 6 weeks or so. And I mean more than half the tops were brown/dead (about 70 percent) I pulled some up today and they were half the size of last years. I can admitt that I did not two things I did last year and maybe someone can tell me if this is the difference. One is that I did not perform the recommended soak that the original stock came with which was a peroxide soak and then a liquid seeweed soak or visa versa I cant remember. And two the bed they were grown in is good soil but didn't get much as far as additions of compost or amendments. Dont get me wrong there are not sick looking but just really under sized. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Damon

**mdvpc** · June 3, 2012

Damon

Same exact thing happened to me this year. I will be interested in the replies. And I did not do the soaks either.

henry · June 3, 2012

Hard to do in a small garden but there should be a three to five year rotation away from allium crops before using the bed again for garlic. Garlic likes it's nutrients feeding it well pays you back.

Henry

fortyonenorth · June 3, 2012

I have some varieties that simply won't size-up for me. However, the one's that do perform well, do so consistently. If the bulbs and/or cloves you harvested last year are smaller than the bulbs/cloves you purchased, than I would expect this year's harvest to be somewhat smaller.

Fertility is the other key. Nitrogen is the most critical nutrient for garlic and it has to come from somewhere: either organic matter or fertilizer. Even if you have excellent soil, garlic will benefit from some added N. If you have marginal soil, supplementing nitrogen is a "must" in order to achieve a good harvest. If you can't rotate crops - and I can't here - pull a soil sample and amend according to the lab's recommendations. This won't help with any potential pest problems, but you won't suffer from any nutrient depletion issues.

sprtsguy76 · June 4, 2012

41N- At this point I'm thinking a lack of N might have been the case. No shoratge in clove size here, I specifically saved some of my largest bulbs from last year. I think I will also do the recommended soaking of peroxide n liquid seaweed just for good measure. Even though I have only been growing garlic in this bed for 2 years I might consider swaping locations. Its tough to do though in such a small urban garden like mine.

Damon

**mdvpc** · June 4, 2012

I grew mine in containers, so my problem wasnt that I didnt swap locations.

sprtsguy76 · June 4, 2012

Michael what size and shape containers are you using for your garlic? Got any pictures? I'm interested!

Damon

tjg911 · June 4, 2012

1st question - no

2nd question - absolutely

also as mentioned crop rotation, i would never plant anything of the same family much less the same thing in the same place the following year.

tom

**mdvpc** · June 4, 2012

Damon-they were 5 gallon roots bags. No photos, sorry.

sprtsguy76 · June 4, 2012

Michael- how many cloves did you do per bag? Just curious, thanks.

Damon

**mdvpc** · June 4, 2012

Damon-3 cloves per 5 gallon bag.

austinnhanasmom · June 4, 2012

I added amendments (composted manure in late summer as always) to the same bed and so far have seen smaller sized bulbs. These smaller bulbs came from HUGE cloves saved from my previous harvest.

I am wondering what the deal is as well.

I even fed them this year - first time for me.

I was thinking that my winter was too mild.

June 3, 2012	#1
sprtsguy76 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Santa Clara CA Posts: 1,125	Took a huge step backwards in my success with garlic. I'm really scratching my head on this one. The varieties I grew this year were Lorz IR and California Early. They were stock saved from last years harvest which was purchased from Gourmet Garlic and it was great. I grew them in the same place as last year but the tops started to die off really fast the last 6 weeks or so. And I mean more than half the tops were brown/dead (about 70 percent) I pulled some up today and they were half the size of last years. I can admitt that I did not two things I did last year and maybe someone can tell me if this is the difference. One is that I did not perform the recommended soak that the original stock came with which was a peroxide soak and then a liquid seeweed soak or visa versa I cant remember. And two the bed they were grown in is good soil but didn't get much as far as additions of compost or amendments. Dont get me wrong there are not sick looking but just really under sized. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Damon

June 3, 2012	#2
mdvpc Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 4,386	Damon Same exact thing happened to me this year. I will be interested in the replies. And I did not do the soaks either. __________________ Michael

June 3, 2012	#3
henry Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Midway B.C. Canada Posts: 311	Hard to do in a small garden but there should be a three to five year rotation away from allium crops before using the bed again for garlic. Garlic likes it's nutrients feeding it well pays you back. Henry __________________ Henry

June 4, 2012	#6
mdvpc Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 4,386	I grew mine in containers, so my problem wasnt that I didnt swap locations. __________________ Michael

June 4, 2012	#8
tjg911 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: zone 5b northwest connecticut Posts: 2,570	1st question - no 2nd question - absolutely also as mentioned crop rotation, i would never plant anything of the same family much less the same thing in the same place the following year. tom __________________ I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the end of the night He’s gotta be strong And he’s gotta be fast And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the morning light He’s gotta be sure And it’s gotta be soon And he’s gotta be larger than life

June 3, 2012	#4
fortyonenorth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 1,150	I have some varieties that simply won't size-up for me. However, the one's that do perform well, do so consistently. If the bulbs and/or cloves you harvested last year are smaller than the bulbs/cloves you purchased, than I would expect this year's harvest to be somewhat smaller. Fertility is the other key. Nitrogen is the most critical nutrient for garlic and it has to come from somewhere: either organic matter or fertilizer. Even if you have excellent soil, garlic will benefit from some added N. If you have marginal soil, supplementing nitrogen is a "must" in order to achieve a good harvest. If you can't rotate crops - and I can't here - pull a soil sample and amend according to the lab's recommendations. This won't help with any potential pest problems, but you won't suffer from any nutrient depletion issues.

June 4, 2012	#11
mdvpc Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 4,386	Damon-3 cloves per 5 gallon bag. __________________ Michael

June 4, 2012	#12
austinnhanasmom Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Z5, CO near Denver Posts: 225	I added amendments (composted manure in late summer as always) to the same bed and so far have seen smaller sized bulbs. These smaller bulbs came from HUGE cloves saved from my previous harvest. I am wondering what the deal is as well. I even fed them this year - first time for me. I was thinking that my winter was too mild.