> > Hello all! > A simple question from a relative beginner about garlic > planting. I'm in the UK so its aimed at anyone else here or at similar > latitudes ;-) > > I bought some garlic bulbs for planting this November but due to one > thing or another didn't get round to it. Is it too late? Should i > store them until Spring? If so what is the best way to store them? > > My plot was heavily frosted the morning & the top inch or so was > frozen. I felt uncomfortable about trying to put them in under such > conditions. > > Thanks for any advice! > Cheers! > Barry. > -- > > Barry Patterson > > barry@coventry.demon.co.uk > > Dzogchen Community U.K. > http://www.coventry.demon.co.uk/dzcc/dzc1.html > > >
Hi there -
I'm in Wales which is mostly cold and very wet. I think you will get
away with planting garlic between now and spring under most conditions.
Winter sown garlic gets harvested sometime around the summer solstice and
should have plenty of time to get established even though November has
passed - I planted some bulbs in Jan last year and they were
indistinguishable from the Nov sown bulbs.
Try to avoid putting bulbs in cold, wet & soggy soil as this encourages
them to rot before they have a chance to start growing. Listen to the
weather men and see if you can spot a point at which it has not rained for
a couple of days and is not going to rain for the next couple - or buy a
crystal ball. Frost does not seem to be a problem - again, unless the
soil is water logged.
Garlic is a totally brilliant crop - growing when little else does and
coming out in time to leave space for salad crops or late sowings of peas
and beans. Plant some more in the spring and eat the June crop before
August.