Garlic and what to do next....

Hi everyone I've started growing my garlic in pots indoors and they're about 6 inches tall and the roots are through the bottom of the pots so time to move them on me thinks...is it okay to plant outside and leave unprotected or should I cover with gardeners fleece? Also should I plant in a large pot or the veg plot? (First time I've grown garlic) I'm digging over the veg plot each week at the moment and adding all the usual to break up the soil as its clay and chalk where I live (nestled in the South Downs) and its sooooo wet:/ done it for the last couple of years but every winter it seems to revert to the same cloggy plot..any suggestions folks gratefully received 

Firstly these are completely hardy and should have been outside weeks ago-in fact they need a spell of cold to grow properly

They have now got soft growth that will suffer if they go straight in the bed-get them in a cold frame as a half way house to harden off for a few weeks then plant them out but with no protection

You may not get as good a result if they had been planted outside as is the usual practise in November-so perhaps next year??

As regards the plot-why are you digging it over each week-that must mean you are standing on the soil??

Ah okay:/ next year I'll do them properly so if I put them in the unheated greenhouse they may toughen up a bit before going into the veg bed? We're due some harsh frosts according to the forecast:/ my veg plot has paths between the soil areas; hubby has made it as easy as possible for me so I don't tread on the soil I've dug over, I thought you had to keep turning the soil over during the Winter (still trying to kill off the slugs)   its just so heavy:/ I've dug leaf compost and some sand into the beds ( or rather hubby has dug it into the soil lol) to try and break up the clay etc., Thanks for your advice

Yes in the greenhouse if you haven't got a cold frame -next best thing-but not for too long say about 10 days

You dont have to keep digging-add some more bulky organic matter like manure early in the winter leave it exposed for the frosts,weather and the worms do the hard work

The slugs are asleep at the moment

I have heavy soil. I try to stand on it as little as possible, it is a work in progress. I put down compost anything really but don't dig it in - worms seem to be doing a fne job

Garlic needs to be frosted so should have been put in garden, as Geoff says you will have to introduce it to the cooller temps slowly. I think the bulbs need the frost to make them split into cloves. read it somehwere.

I also have heard that they need a frost to split into cloves, but like everything else about gardening, that does not always work. If any one knows what makes a garlic bulb split into cloves, I would love to know. I planted new garlic from a seed company in October; that is now 5" high and my own stock of garlic (including elephant) in October; that is just coming through. I love to pickle it in white balsamic vinegar for myself and friends.

I re-read the packaging from the garlic and yep Geoff I got it totally wrong:/ I still have a bulb left to plant...shall I bother sticking it straight into the veg bed? Will it just take a bit longer for harvesting? or should I save it for Spring planting? I got it for two reasons, we eat lots of garlic and also it said it's a great pest deterrent When I've dug the veg beds there are plenty of worms so I'm assuming this is a really good thing and will stop the digging, really pleased about that, thanks for letting me know  ....as for those slugs.....grrrr! I found several asleep....not for long; they're in green heaven Where hubby just laid slabs round the veg beds we unknowingly gave them a lovely hiding place, just lying there...waiting for a big feast on my crops  now that I've found it...................

I would plant it now-your soil sounds very fertile

Keep us updated on slug wars

Love it lol...very good

Geoff, is this the right thread for a garlic topic? He'll know what I am talking about.

Like you, Manic,mine went into pots in my freezingly cold kitchen (as I missed the boat in the autumn) and are now a good 5" tall but I have also read not to put them out yet but keep them in a darkish spot still in freezing kitchen!

S.

You can put the bulbs in frige for a couple of weeks then plant straight from the chill. Don't leave it too late otherwise you won't get garlic, just leaves - voice of xperience

Sasha-they need to got outside-you freezing kitchen may not be freezing enough

Dont get the dark bit

okay so I've put them in the greenhouse and will keep them there for approx ten days then plant in the ground, I'm sure we'll get plenty of frosts here:/ we usually do - my bones are telling me the cold has no intention of going away yet I've just cleaned the greenhouse out, washed it all etc., now I feel shattered...brain willing, the body kicks off..oh to live in a warm climate thank you for all the advice everyone)

Geoff, you don't know how cold my kitchen is! But I shall follow your advice when it has stopped blowing a gale force wind, raining, sleeting and snowing and get them into the ground soonest.

Manic, where are you in the UK? Cambridge here and rotten weather but I am sure it will eventually improve .

S.

Tucked in a little village called Findon I'm between Cissbury Ring and Chanctonbury Ring; about 10 miles west of Brighton....bitterly cold wind again today. I live in a cottage with so many draughts its like sitting outside some days....brrrr!

Found an article about garlic

Garlic needs to go through a 'vernalisation' process where it spends at least 30 days below 10C. It initiates bulb formation and if you don't give the garlic a cold chill you get one fat bulb rather than cloves. Plant autumn garlic in spring and you may not get a decent head. Spring planted garlic can be planted now as there are still plenty of days and nights below 10C. Lautrc White is a variety that can be autumn or spring planted

Hope this is a help if not for this year then for the future 

Rosa, thank you for doing that research.

Thank you the variety I've got is Cristo and it says Autumn or Spring planting.....

Your welcome

Off you go then, get muddy

Will do ...wellies all dried and ready for the next mission