What is the best way to grow garlic?!
What is the best way to grow garlic?
Soil types, time of year to grow or sow, from a shop garlic, seed or agricultral supplier? does it need feeding, does a hard winter help with the bulb development, when is best to harvest?
Answers:
Living in the UK, I plant garlic cloves in late September/beginning October. Some people don't plant until Feb/March. I find the longer they are in the ground in the colder months the better. Apparently they need a month of temperature below 10 centigrade to fatten up. They cease to increase in size after the longest as they are extremely light sensitive.
I harvest in June or when the stalks start to yellow. If they start to make seed heads, they need picking off and these heads can be eaten....some varieties always make seed heads.
I have sown with ones from the supermarket, from markets in France and from seed merchants. All have given superb results...however I find mine tend to show signs of rust towards the end of the season, so need lifting in June, whereas some people will wait until July/August if planted later.
Fish blood and bone is a good organic fertiliser to rake into the soil before planting. They prefer a firm soil that doesn't get waterlogged. Giving a liquid feed in late spring is beneficial...I use an organic one made from rotting comfrey leaves.
Good gardening to you!