General information and discussion about cultivating onions, garlic, shallots and leeks.
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#1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Augusta area, Georgia, 8a/7b
Posts: 1,685
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A quick garlic recap: The garlic plants have looked pretty ratty over the winter. Then they started sending up a lot of wispy leaves which last year turned out to be a sign of having been in the ground too long but a few test bulbs dug a month ago showed no clove division yet so I let them grow more.
Now the plants are starting to fall over so after discovering that the bulbs have indeed divided into cloves, I decided yesterday to dig up the garlic. ![]() Well, they're not much and mostly about 1.5" in diameter: ![]() There are 83 bulbs. The ground was prepped and they were cared for the same as I've done the past two years. One thing that just occurred to me as I write this is that I need to check the soil pH. They've been tied together in bundles of ten and hung under cover to cure for a few weeks. They're going to be a pain to peel for cooking because they're small and there will be no large cloves to plant come fall. I suppose I should just shut up and be grateful that I have garlic. ![]() And dream of these fat, beautiful 2.5" bulbs from last year: ![]() |
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#2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Newfoundland, Canada
Posts: 6,794
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I hope we see Henry here again, I bet he would have some idea of the cause.
![]() I have had smaller than expected bulbs in years that we were cooler than normal, also when I planted in beds that didn't get quite as much direct sun. I have read that garlic won't grow above a certain soil temperature, that might be a factor for you. |
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#3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2013
Location: 45S 168E
Posts: 52
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Did you have fluctuating temperatures or higher than normal rainfall this season? The wispy fine leaves look like witches brooming which is where every clove sends up its own shoot and can also be caused by over feeding.
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#4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Augusta area, Georgia, 8a/7b
Posts: 1,685
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The garlic has been in full sun. Overfertilizing is a possibility.
It was planted at the end of September. Temp swings over the winter were pretty much as they always are. Nothing out of the ordinary. But we had a wet October with 4" in a three day period when Hurricane Michael came close. November was wet, about 4" above normal and December was 3" above normal. |
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#5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: VA-7a
Posts: 121
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I will be interested to see what I get when I dig mine this year. I'm a fair bit further north, but we've had a lot of rain here as well, record setting actually. I'm seeing more yellowing of leaf tips than I normally see and I was quite shocked to see at least 2 of the 3 types of hardnecks I'm growing are already sending up scapes.
It was a milder winter, which may have contributed to my earlier scapes, but this is about a month earlier than previous years for the scapes. I've got my fingers crossed the bulbs are a reasonable size. Is your harvest earlier than previous years? |
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#6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hampton, Virginia
Posts: 1,432
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![]() ![]() I have just finished my research of the Farming Secrets Native Americans gave my people in 1800s. So I am going to try to help you: in my efforts of giving back to Miss Carolyn who is sick and Tomatoville. Did you have any Alliums or Onions growing in that area last year? If so, that could be the Problem, Amen! Although Onions are in the Allium Family Tree of Vegetables as to "WHy" I keep a map of my farmed areas and Vegetables grown in that location.. It is really important to wait a year in between Garlic and Onions. So crop rotation is a must. I use only organic soil. But, if you have to use Fertilizer, you can only use a slow releasing fertilizer around Garlic, Onions and any Member of the Allium Family of Vegetables. ![]()
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May God Bless you and my Garden, Amen https://www.angelfieldfarms.com MrsJustice as Farmer Joyce Beggs ![]() Last edited by MrsJustice; May 15, 2019 at 06:17 PM. |
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#7 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: VA-7a
Posts: 121
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Really, until I dig them and see the size I won't know what's up, but the main thing I see now is that they are sending up scapes significantly earlier than previous years. I'm curious if the earliness is connected to the excess rain the OP and many of us on the east/southeast have been experiencing. Last edited by zendog; May 15, 2019 at 06:52 PM. |
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#8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Eldon, Iowa
Posts: 48
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I lost about half of my garlic this winter. I am blaming the extreme cold we had along with excessive snowfalls. They were all planted alike and covered in straw. The ones that survived look wonderful. Never had this happen in past years.
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#9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Augusta area, Georgia, 8a/7b
Posts: 1,685
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Zendog, the garlic was harvested the same time as last year.
MrsJ, I keep a map of my garden too which is easy as it's all raised beds. And I try for a three year crop rotation among veg families on all of them. Sometimes getting that planned out is like doing a jigsaw puzzle because I also plant stuff in the fall too. Last year that bed had peas, in '17 it was cukes, in '16 there were turnips followed by mustard and in '15 there were beans. |
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#10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Newfoundland, Canada
Posts: 6,794
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It sounds like the high rainfall is the best explanation. They really don't like excess rain, and it doesn't sound like you had much chance to dry out, for months.
I never knew overfertilizing could be an issue, except for after scapes form and they are bulbing up. I will definitely keep that in mind (and will stop feeling bad that I never remember to feed them in the spring!) ![]() |
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#11 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Augusta area, Georgia, 8a/7b
Posts: 1,685
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#12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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I was on my phone and saw the third pictuer without reading and thought what on earth is there to complain about.
![]() All I got was two heads of volunteer garlic this year and they were just about starting to divide when I pulled them. |
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#13 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Vaasa, Finland, latitude N 63°
Posts: 838
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Sari
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"I only want to live in peace, plant potatoes and dream." - Moomin-troll by Tove Jansson |
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