Just pulled out a dozen garlic bulbs (out of 90) which had rot around the bulbs. What are the causes ? any idea what to do about the soil? how to avoid repeating problems next year? I have been growing garlic for 15 years, rotating each year, and never had any problem. I replant my own cloves from the biggest harvested ones. last year, I had 3 bulbs with rot which I discarded.
This might be onion white rot, which has appeared in most garlic growing areas over the past few years. A google search will turn up lots of info about this scourge. Definitely dispose of all infected plants in the garbage, and consider using seed garlic from elsewhere in future. One strategy mentioned would be to sow an onion crop on the infected land, and pull up the newly infected young plants and dispose, thereby triggering the spores into germinating and removing them from the soil. Otherwise, the "sclerotia" or dormant spores can last longer than our patience in any crop rotations. (I would look for the cheapest open pollinated onion seed for this strategy, buying in bulk might not be so bad, but will take work of course...)
Try looking at JYRMSA AgCon. www.jyrmsa.com (broken link). It's "green", organic and being tried in Gilroy, CA for similar problem.
Thank you, Growest I have followed your stategy and planted the last bag of white onions i found in a local nursery. How long should I leave the onions in? It was quite wet when I planted them, and dried out since, Do you suggest I keep them watered during the coming warm weather, or let them dry? Thank you!
