BBC Gardeners' World

Comments

• StaceyF

  24 January 2008, 03.54PM

  Hi there, this will be my first year planting Garlic. I've bought some bulbs but I'm a little confused as to whether they are planted whole or in single cloves. Would be great if you could shed some light.

• bauchigirl

  24 January 2008, 05.21PM

  Is it too late to plant garlic cloves now? I have very heavy clay soil as well. Thanks

• Pippa Greenwood

  25 January 2008, 12.40PM

  It is not too late to plant garlic - you tend to get a heavier crop from autumn plantings but I usually plant more cloves in the spring, I intend to buy some more this weekend... if I get time!

  As for what to plant, just last year I gave a couple of bulbs of garlic to a dear, dear friend of mine, omitting to tell her more than that it wanted a good, sunny spot... then in the summer I was summoned round to look at two green crested outbursts in the border... they do need to be separated in to cloves, not planted as whole bulbs!! It is an easy enough mistake, especially when your friends are not even sensible enough to tell you!!

• Frances M

  25 January 2008, 05.33PM

  Plant garlic bulbs in single cloves for good results. I grow mine in an old bread tray every year and have had great success, although I am worried about the effect the rainfall will have this year.

• Frances M

  25 January 2008, 05.38PM

  Forgot to mention. You can plant garlic up until February although the earlier the better as going through a cold snap is actually good for it. Hope this is of some help to first time garlic growers.

• Josstick

  26 January 2008, 06.37PM

  Hi staceyF, Garlic is planted in single cloves, with the pointy bit at the top. Hope that helps.

• Tim.M

  27 January 2008, 12.45PM

  A Quick word about garlic, It's best to break up the bulb into smaller cloves,it can be planted late Autumn or early Spring, I normally go for early Spring though.

• Dils

  27 January 2008, 05.41PM

  StaceyF - you plant each clove separately, & each clove should become a whole head when you harvest them in the summer. Bauchigirl - you can plant them in spring, no worries, though the crop may be a little smaller/later than if you'd done so in autumn.

• GranniMaggi

  28 January 2008, 07.57PM

  I too have very heavy clay and have had varying results with garlic. I have found spring sowing in my area (Notts) very poor, but I may try a second planting soon (if I get time!). I will certainly try Pippa's ridge method next autumn although the new crop has suddenly sprouted beautifully and seems to be looking good with not a trace of yellow as yet. Your blog was very helpful thank you Pippa - I didn't know about yellow being a sign of waterlogging and its good to hear how others cope with the dreaded clay.

• banffer aberdeen

  29 January 2008, 08.46PM

  i had garlic in my fridge now it has started growing so i put them into a tray to grow in the greenhouse then put into my allotment

• Pippa Greenwood

  01 February 2008, 02.54PM

  It's certainly worth a try, the only potential problem is that there will be an increased risk of virus infection from supermarket/greengrocer garlic... but why not give it a go!

• lifelinda

  06 February 2008, 07.19PM

  I've just got some elephant garlic bulbs any tips on planting them

• puschkins

  07 February 2008, 07.02PM

  I have started my garlic off in little jiffy pots and placed half in the coldframe and the remainder in a cold greenhouse. I am hoping this will give them a boost as I also garden with clay soil - the thick grey clay.

• Phlizz

  21 February 2008, 10.33PM

  If you have too much garlic, you can also plant the whole bulbs and then just use the green shoots as you would garlic chives. Otherise, as everyone has alread said, you do have to separate the bulb into cloves. I hope that makes sense!

• Pippa

  26 February 2008, 01.03PM

  Elephant garlic - actually more of a leek than a true garlic - is wierd, yes, not one of my favourites, but it can be raised from cloves just like you would proper garlic......yes, I don't really like it - suppose it is the flavour and warmth and excitement of proper garlic I like, and elephant garlic just doesn't hit any of the right buttons!

• Ria - Dorset

  28 February 2008, 09.26PM

  I have tried garlic but for some reason I only seem to get one 'bulb' ie small onion, as in one clove not a whole head of garlic - i have tried one lot autumn planted which was slightly larger and one lot spring but only small one. Garden is clay but i have raised beds with good draining soil. I plant individual cloves not the whole head. Anyone got any ideas why this could be?

• kaycurtis20002000

  15 March 2008, 08.29PM

  I'm going to grow garlic for the first time this year and your tip will be very helpful, do squirrels and mice like garlic.

• Charlie

  03 April 2008, 11.16PM

  I've planted garlic for the first time this year, although I did get it in a bit late (January). I'm growing it in a large pot and they were looking fine, but over the last few days I have noticed yellowing (which I put down to water-logging from the heavy rain?) but they seem to be going from yellow to a more crispy brown! is it too much water? I'm using a multi-purpose compost mixed with a small amount of sand to aid drainage.

• Lel

  13 April 2008, 11.42AM

  I planted Garlic in November, first time I have done it so followed an ancient gardening book's instructions. Some were planted in soil (chalky) and some in compost in a tub. I've noticed that some of the stems are turning brown, about one stem on each plant. Is that a sign they are ready or some other problem and if they aren't ready when will they be, how do I tell the book doesn't tell me that.

• Lorraine

  13 April 2008, 04.18PM

  Hi,I have decided to grow my Garlic with the ridge, my soil is clay. So far they are doing really well

• Margaret

  13 April 2008, 07.22PM

  I have a walnut tree, about 20ft tall grown from a walnut my friend gave me from her tree, it gives loads of nuts but last year I noticed the leaves have reddish blisters, is this fatal the nuts were fine any ideas what to do or shall I leave it?.

• plumbob

  15 April 2008, 01.21PM

  I planted my first attempt with garlic last autumn and all seems well,but I would like to know how best to feed them and what with.

• 20 April 2008, 11.40AM

  my coriander seeds in my conservatory are in 3 inch peat pots and are now 3 inches tall and looking leggy and spindly-are they ok? also each seed has 2 stems-is this right?

• Sandgrounder

  22 April 2008, 05.20PM

  Does the garlic have to be planted in full sun? Down the side of my house would be an ideal patch if the garlic would tolerate some shade.

• Moe

  05 May 2008, 04.28PM

  This is my first time with garlic can you give any tips. I have purchased a plant with what looks like 2 garlic bulbs in.

• Gail

  17 May 2008, 02.35PM

  This garlic blog has been a great help to me I planted a small group in the flower boarder last May or June after reading someones article saying you could,it was just cloves which had started to grow in the kitchen,anyway after planting the rains came,my garden has very heavy clay soil and the garden was under water for days on end some plants drown I lost clematis,old established shrubs and cottage garden plants and it looked like the garlic too until earlier this week after cutting the grass and weeding the borders I spotted a loan garlic, I didn't think about planting one year for cropping the following I was so pleased I will have a go this year with a bulb from a garden shop.

• Jose

  18 June 2008, 07.31PM

  Why do I get a white fungi/coating on the garlic bulbs when they're in the ground. I've had this problem for three years, before this I grew garlic with no problem.

• Mark, Kansas, US

  29 June 2008, 09.08AM

  RE: Ria - Dorset If you’re using cloves you need to freeze them. They need to experience a frost before they divide into cloves.