Well, thanks for messages but I have just remembered why my garlic was not up to my usual. Anyway it turns out that I dug chicken manure into that patch of soil, maybe too strong a brew or ? . The Lebanese cucumber and pepper I planted in the same area are not doing so well so I am pretty sure I've worked it all out. Soooo some home work now for that patch and I'm good.
quiz3,
Dec 26, 7:00pm
Around Mid May I planted around 50 garlic bulbs. As is the norm I usually get a great harvest. Been looking forward to hatvesting this lot for ages and today was that day. Well I couldn't believe it, small, puny oh such a failure, the whole lot hardly grown from when I planted the cloves. Unbelievable! . So I realise that's that but has anyone got any good reason why such a failure. This planting was in a different part of the garden than last years crop. Does weather play a big part, moisture, too hot (definitely hasn't been) too cold, too many frosts , oh the questions and queries ! We are in the Horowhenua. Thanks for any replies.
We used Chinese garlic which sprouted in the cupboard, but the plants took 18 months to be ready to harvest and then were still puny. But we have enough to use for about a year.
firefly001,
Dec 27, 7:30pm
Well I hate to skite but one of mine was fabulous. . complete fluke though. I had lots last year that didn't go through the vernalisation ? process so no cloves just one bulb. Better luck next year. .
wasgonna,
Dec 27, 7:40pm
Were your bulbs from supermarket or proper garden centre, etc, ones.
tweake,
Dec 27, 7:56pm
bigger the cloves are the bigger the bulbs you will get. so save the biggest for planting. also feed is highly important. they love good compost.
miffycat1,
Dec 27, 11:28pm
Chinese garlic should not be used for planting, it has been bleached / treated, hence why it is very white, I will not use it. Has not the same taste as NZ grown garlic. Only use Garlic from Garden centres for planting.
hazelnut2,
Dec 27, 11:36pm
The bulbs we got from the cloves were also VERY white once the outer skin was peeled off. We ain't done NO bleaching and no treating!
peteyboo1,
Dec 27, 11:41pm
I pulled a row of mine yesterday about 10 bulbs, 2 of them I would call decent garlic. the rest are on the smaller side. the taste is fantastic the size not. im in Hawkes Bay, I would say the late southerlies with frosts following would have something to do with the size.
samanya,
Dec 28, 12:57am
This. I grew puny garlic a couple of years ago . very disappointing, so I fed & watered & got a reasonable sized crop last year, but it is a bit manky now, even though it was hung in a shady airy place. This year, I'm determined to get larger garlic, pig poo, fertiliser & water & so much TLC . so fingers crossed.
quiz3,
Dec 28, 2:05am
The garlic cloves I used were from the previous years harvest and I used decent sized cloves. As for chinese garlic I would never buy it or use it for seed. Thanks for replies everyone, perhaps better luck next season.
Yep, mulching makes a huge difference as they hate the competition from weeds.
meoldchina,
Dec 28, 8:53pm
You make me feel inadequate! What an impressive crop. Well done.
deboo,
Jan 1, 12:06am
Garlic just pulled out is more like spring onions,think in Auckland will have to plant earlier perhaps first cold snap.
skin1235,
Jan 1, 12:33am
very impressive crop indeed
now the chaser, they are too green, if you had left them until the tops were drying, they would have bulked up even more
but still an impressive crop
tub4,
Mar 30, 4:15pm
I always understood it's planted on the shortest day and pulled on the longest day.
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