2 September 2016 Garlic bed (for 2016\2017 crop.)

Discussion in 'Fruit and Vegetable Gardening' started by Durgan, Sep 2, 2016.

  1. Durgan

    Durgan Contributor 10 Years

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    http://durgan.org/2016/September%202016/2%20September%202016%20Garlic%20bed/HTML/ 2 September 2016 Garlic bed (for 2016\2017 crop.)

    A garlic bed was prepared 8 feet by 10 feet for about 100 main crop plants seven rows, two rows for 30 rounds, and one row for 50 bulbils. The bed row is marked with a board and covered with wood chip mulch to retain moisture until planted about the middle of October. The row spacing is nine inches and the plants separated in the rows at six inches. The marker boards will be removed at planting and the bulbils, rounds and cloves mulch to a depth of about three inches. The stems of the plants have no difficulty pushing through the mulch in the Spring, and mulch limits fluctuations in temperature during the Winter.
    dsc_26982%20september%202016%20garlic%20bed_std.jpg
     
  2. Vanisle_BC

    Vanisle_BC New Member

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    Thanks for the information & photo, Durgan. Do you have wildlife that would eat growing garlic; will your bed be left unprotected? I have some disease issues with the 2016 crop from a bed in my fenced area. Now I want to start from scratch (new seed purchase) outside that fence; am apprehensive about leaving the new bed unprotected - mainly from deer, rabbits, cats. What do you - or others here - think?
     
  3. Durgan

    Durgan Contributor 10 Years

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    Nothing affects my garlic. I take no precautions with the bed. I have rabbits which cause me a bit of concern, but I fence with chicken wire if it becomes too unbearable, and my little dog hassles them.

    For seed I now use bulbils and get a new disease free plant every so many years. My garlic is always perfect. I always use my own stock. Also I pick a new area each year for growing. I only grow around 100 plants.
     
  4. Vanisle_BC

    Vanisle_BC New Member

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    I'd like to start using bulbils but it will be a year now before I could harvest any, another year to grow them to rounds, then 2(?) more to get full-size bulbs. Great system once established, but a 4-year lead time - at my age - is a but daunting. Still I think I'll pursue it. I usually grow 150-200 plants. I haven't seen you mention varieties (I'm new here). Do you grow several?
     
  5. Durgan

    Durgan Contributor 10 Years

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    First I have many bulbils and will gladly send you some. (E mail me.) The bulbils are viable for several years in my experience. I find it is three years to full size not four. Mind you I have only done it three times. I take variety with a grain of salt. Going to major garlic festivals I have found most shown is inferior to what I grow. I acquired mine over about 15 years by planting my best, which is subject to interpretation, and buying some if it appeared to have merit, which was seldom the case.

    My stock is hard neck, usually pure white maybe a touch of purple an large cloves.
    http://durgan.org/2016/August%202016/7%20August%202016%20Garlic/7%20August%202016%20Garlic/HTML/ 7 August 2016 Garlic
    Garlic prepared for planting in October 2016. About 900 grams of bulbils were collected, forty rounds, and about 100 cloves (23 bulbs). This means none of the garlic grown in 2016 will be used for the 2016/2017 crop. Commercially this would be a large saving since the complete main crop could be sold.
    This is a typical bulb. Garlic doesn't get better than this.
    dsc_101023%20july%202016%20garlic%20bulb_std.jpg
     
  6. Durgan

    Durgan Contributor 10 Years

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    13 September 2016 Wood chip mulch 13 September 2016 Wood chip mulch
    The mulch was not thick enough on the prepared garlic bed. I bought half a yard from a seller nearby and applied it to the bed. The marker boards were cleared of mulch and will be removed when the garlic is planted in about a month, October. The mulch is transported in my van in a half yard capacity box for $5.00 per load. It is moved to the garden area in a wheelbarrow. About 7 wheelbarrows is a yard of material.
    dsc_327213%20september%202016%20wood%20chip%20mulch_std.jpg
     

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