Growing garlic

One winter project this year is growing garlic. I have have attempted this several times before, but always at the wrong time of year. Garlic likes to be planted in October to November, or April-May. Its said that Autum planted Garlic is best as a spell at sub-zero gives you the best favour. I planted mine in November and early December so time will tell if that works out.

In the front border, after the summer clear out I dug in manure and chicken muck and turned it all over. Left for a month I dug it up again and it was ready for planting, when planting Garlic break the bulb up into cloves and plant each clove so its tip is just below the soil. As I planted I first pushed the clove in, removed the clove, added a small amount of some fish\bone\blood and readded the clove. Make sure you space them apart, each clove will become a bulb in time and will space to develop and grow.

Make sure you plant the cloves early enough for them to develop some roots and shoots before the real cold weather sets in. Garlic planted at this time is said to be ready around July time, it may flower and the foilage needs to die down before you earth them up. Garlic does not really suffer with Garden nasties, nothing likes the taste (including so its said, slugs). I have however noticed leaf damage to some of mine, I suspect the french snails.