Growing garlic.

Newsgroup: alt.folklore.herbs
From: Al Bridgers <abridger.ix.netcom.com>
Date: 08 Feb 1996 03:55:58 GMT
Subject: Re: how to grow garlic at home ?

> My Grandma wants to grow garlic . Can anyone tell her how?

Buy a garlic bulb at a garden store - not a grocery store. Prepare a plot for planting on Columbus Day or thereabouts - in late fall. Plant cloves with pointed end up about 4 inches apart. Fertilize in early spring and keep grass free. Fertilize again in a month or 6 weeks. When tops start turning brown push remaining green tops down and wait until they are all brown. Harvest and dry in shade before storing. Al in Tennessee.

From: an479064.anon.penet.fi (The Magic Mushroom Man)

>My Grandma wants to grow garlic . Can anyone tell her how?

Its really very simble. Just plant a clove of garlic about an inch deep and water it. Its best to use garlic with a green part (I don't know what its called) sticking out of the pointed end. Its much the same as growing a potatoe or carot.

From: Skydancer <#azurite.ix.netcom.com>

> Its really very simble. Just plant a clove of garlic about an inch deep and water it.

I have tried that, but all that happens is that it grows a long green stemlike thing,, when cut up called garlic chives... but the bulb in the pot doesn't multiply and grow. if anything, it just goes mushy. perhaps it is too humid here. i am in FL.

From: Dave Palmer <djp0778.is.nyu.edu>

Be sure to mulch your garlic bed well. Garlic can't tollerate weeds or other plants growing around it. I used cedar chips and tree leaves (we have plenty of leaves in the fall up here). You can also use hay etc...

From: Timothy_E._Adams.snac.mv.com (Timothy E. Adams)

> Buy a garlic bulb at a garden store - not a grocery store. Prepare a plot for planting on Columbus Day or thereabouts - in late fall. Plant cloves with pointed end up about 4 inches apart. Fertilize in early spring and keep grass free. Fertilize again in a month or 6 weeks. When tops start turning brown push remaining green tops down and wait until they are all brown. Harvest and dry in shade before storing. Al in Tennessee.

Why not use the bulb from the grocery store? I have seen the bulbs in the garden store for Approximately $2.50 for 2 (which includes a bit of mulch) or less than $.25 in the grocery store for 2.

The store bought ones are growing fine on my window sill here in New Hampshire.

Is it a variety difference? Or just what?

From: mgoswitz.ix.netcom.com (Victoria)

>The store bought ones are growing fine on my window sill here in New Hampshire.
>Is it a variety difference? Or just what?

It is a variety difference. Bulbs at the grocery store will grow fine. If people are not getting bulbs to develop, they will need another season to develop in the ground. The tender growth of a clove is delicious though. Garlic Chives are not the same thing as a green shoot from a garlic clove. Garlic cloves develop garlic greens. If you look in some of the organic catalogs, there is usually fall planted and spring planted varieties. In the south, the soil can be too wet and the cloves can get mushy. Garlic likes well drained soil, not soggy wet clays.

From: iss.ripco.com (R.M.K.)

>Why not use the bulb from the grocery store? I have seen the bulbs in the garden store for Approximately $2.50 for 2 (which includes a bit of mulch) or less than $.25 in the grocery store for 2.

window sill is ok for greens, but won't produce a quality bulb.

over 90% of grocery garlic comes from S.California... won't do well in a more temperate environ... there are HUNDREDS of garlic varieties... experiment a little... you'll be surprised..!!.

From: "Edward A. Spaans" <spaans.asc-tech.com>

>When tops start turning brown push remaining green tops down and wait until they are all brown. Harvest and dry in shade before storing.

You really should start to harvest them before half the leaves have turned brown. If you wait longer than that, the bulb will start to separate into the individual cloves. This kills storability and allows disease organisms to passs through the skins and infect the cloves.

Ed. - Stinking Rose Farm
(I grow close to 50 varieties)

From: bill.cuneo.wdn.com (BILL CUNEO)

> over 90% of grocery garlic comes from S.California...

Nitpick.. Not So Cal, but middle Ca, Gilroy, south of SF on the way to Monterey I think.

I've had lousy luck growing it in my compost heap (old heap). (Maryland, No of DC).

From: KDL.prodigy.com (R Brooks)

In southern New England, best time to plant is Oct-Nov in full sunlight in a well drained soil with high organic content or added compost. Cover bed in December with straw or other potection remove by mid March. In spring, fertilize with a balanced fertizer and weed as required. Pull when plants die back inlate July. I have had excellent luck with both regular and elephant garlic bought at local supermarkets with their size equal with the parent stock.