Talkback: How to grow garlic - Page 2

I grew garlic in 6" pots once and they were fantastic, but a pain because I had to water them so often. This year  I have set them in between my shallots and onions. A much better place to grow them. I hope to have large perfectly formed bulbs of garlic in September!

I planted a single row of garlic in a raised bed 3 or 4 years ago. The bulbs are self propogating and I now have a thick row of thin garlic stems very close together. Most of the bulbs are tiny. I use the stems like chives but with a garlicky taste rather than an oniony taste - quite good in stews. The larger stems yield large single clove bulbs about 1-1.5 cm diameter but never any bigger. The stems never go yellow, they remain green all year round. Should I thin them out - how thin - and does anyone else get this perennial self-progating effect? 

Vanessa Mooney wrote (see)

I planted my garlic in nov the plants are now 12 ins high and look verY healthy how do I know when to harvest Vm

They will not be ready until the summer.  You will know when to harvest them because the tops will fall over.  The first year I grew garlic I asked the man from the Garlic Farm and he told me that would happen.  I kept wondering because it was taking so long and then one day I went out and they had indeed all toppled over.  Lift them carefully (to avoid damaging the bulbs) and let them dry for three weeks before braiding them.  Braiding is much easier than you would think and they look good hanging up in the kitchen.

This link is to a short film which shows you how to braid garlic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EIzZ3hAn9s

Keep on top of weeds around the bulbs as they are only shallow rooting so weeds compete with them too easily.  I have kept garlic for 18 months after harvesting without any problems.  As Koalagirl mention braid them and hang them somewhere cool to dry fully

Last years cold winter didn't make all mine split. I used them as seeds this autumn and they have poped up in with quite long intervals (they are scattered all over the place in the vain hope they will scare the slugs too). Hopefully they will split this year.

So many methods of planting for garlic, itis difficult for the beginner to decide which to try. I too, was abeginner a few years ago, ( or seasons ) and I just jumped into the fray with my usual enthusiasm on a foundation of optimism and determination. The garlic more or less looked after itself from day one ! I use a different bed each time, about 5mX3m, well dug over, a bit of oh be joyful material thrown in for soil improvement properties, and weed occasionally with a hoe-hoe.(haha).They DO look after themselves, and in about August time, after 7 months, harvest , drying the bulbs out on a rack in the sun. Garlic in a pot, is best with a leg of lamb thrown in at the same time !!  Garlic is a hardy and well behaved plant. I LOVE it !