I was planning on planting the garlic at the plots this fall. But, since the Community Garden is moving (more on that later, I am on the garden moving committee), it is being planted at the home garden. I usually plant some of my own garlic. However, since I really don't think that we have quite enough for the year and the bulbs were smaller then usual, I ordered some new seed garlic. Since I decided upon this a bit late and we didn't go to the Garlic Festival this year, it was a little difficult to find some organic seed garlic. I finally found a grower in Oregon, Whistling Duck Farm, that had two good storage varieties available. I purchased 8 oz each of Silverskin (softneck) and Music (hardneck). Both are supposed to be really good keepers. I have to say that I forgot how much seed garlic cost.
When I was finished dismantling the tomato supports, the mail had arrived and my garlic was here. Boy, what nice heads of garlic! I think this is the nicest seed garlic that I have ever purchased! After separating the heads, I ended up with 81 really nice cloves.
I totally forgot to take pics of the heads of garlic before I started planting. These are a couple of cloves of the Music variety which have yet to be planted.
Here is my Garlic Fortress.
I planted the Silverskin and a few of the Music is this small bed. Since the squirrels are totally out of control right now, I covered the top with some plastic fencing that was at the plots when we got them. I usually have tomatoes in this bed. Next year I will only have 4 tomato plants at the home garden, so I decided to put some of the garlic in one of the smaller beds.
The plastic squirrel protectant is held on by these little plastic clips I had. This will make it easy to remove when I cover the garlic with straw for the winter.
The balance of the garlic will be planted at the one end of the former Garlic Bed. I still have to add compost to this bed before I plant the rest of the garlic.
So, what Fall gardening have you been up to??
I see you've been doing a lot of work. Your beds look great. We're waiting for our garlic to arrive. We ordered from Filaree in Washington State. I didn't even think of squirrels? We'll have to make sure we plant in the fenced main garden. Not that it will stop them.
ReplyDeleteJody, I usually buy garlic from PA or Maine. But, since I waited so long there wasn't any available. I hope that your garlic is as nice as mine.
ReplyDeleteThe squirrels usually don't bother the garlic bed. But they have just been awful lately....so, I wasn't taking any chances on them digging it up!
Being here in NC I guess it's a bit warmer longer..I've already put down some Garlic (not as much as I had planned to) and they are already about 5 inches tall..by next week I'll get some straw before it gets cold here..Cecil doesn't like using straw..I do! guess who wins :o) (it's my garden, my garlic :o)
ReplyDeleteGinny, I often plant my garlic in September. But I didn't get to it this year. Too bad for Cecil, the garlic needs a nice warm bed for the winter!!
ReplyDeleteHi, I'm a new follower! You've inspired me to plant garlic! Thanks, Cindy
ReplyDeleteHi Cindy, Thanks for stopping by and following my blog! Planting garlic is very easy. Just stick a single clove 2" in the ground (pointed side up)and cover with dirt. I am so happy that I have inspired you to plant some. If you can't get seed garlic, a lot of people plant garlic from the store. I'm not sure when you plant garlic in Georgia, so you will have to look that up. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteGreat minds and all that....I just separated my garlic heads this morning, and will head out to the garden to get them planted sometime today. I have absolutely no idea where they will go yet, I'll just wing it once I get out there :-)
ReplyDeletelooks like we all have garlic fever! Glad to hear that your weather got nice enough to let you into the garden!
ReplyDeleteI just put mine in too. It just seems wrong to plant garlic when it's 80 degrees out. Strange year for sure.
ReplyDeleteGranny, Oh great minds indeed!! I'm sure that you will find the right spot once you get out there!
ReplyDeleteMrs.P, Our weather has just been wonderful! Hopefully your weather will turn around and you can get your gardening done!
Jane, The weather has been so nice this week! We got down to 39 last night though. It has definitely been a strange year weather wise.
I have never had much luck with garlic. But my dad's father brought garlic from Italy that he planted in Ohio and from what I hear my cousins are still harvesting it!
ReplyDeletePatricia, I have always had pretty good garlic harvests. Boy, that's great that your family has kept that garlic growing for all these years!
ReplyDeleteThat's one of my next jobs - planting garlic but this year I shall plant some in tubs too
ReplyDeleteI love how planting your own garlic becomes a microcosm variety over the years...I bought some from a farmer's market years ago (figured if it grew for them, it would for me too) and since then mine has developed a different color and become bigger...it's so easy and rewarding.
ReplyDeleteI am going to wait a few weeks to plant my garlic. No chance of freezes here for quite some time yet so I tend to wait a while to get them in the ground.
ReplyDeleteYour garlic fortress is impressive!
I'm with Laura, that is an impressive defense system you have made! I am lucky that our City Squirrels don't bother the garden too much. I think they are happy with our neighbor's nut trees. Does the Italian have any good squirrel recipes? ;-)
ReplyDeleteI'll wait until later this month to plant our garlic. Music has done pretty well for me here. It usually makes large cloves, easy to use in the kitchen. I hate peeling a bunch of little bitty cloves of garlic!
The garlic bed is great! I let Miss Bok help me plant garlic...and gave found it everywhere! In my apples, in my almond...!
ReplyDeleteWe don't have a squirrel problem here, just possums. I usually think of squirrels as cute creatures forgetting that they can be a menace!
Sue, I have never thought about planting garlic in tubs. That's a good idea.
ReplyDeleteCitySis, I haven't bought seed garlic in years. Last year I didn't plant enough. So, I had to buy some this year.
Laura, So, you like the fortress?
Villager, The squirrels have been totally out of control the past couple of weeks. Last year I trapped about 20 in the spring and that kept things good. I guess that I should have trapped some this year too.
Mrs.Bok, I have to say that I really Hate Squirrels!! They are such a problem here!
Robin looks like you should have plenty of garlic next year. I don't have any better luck with garlic than I do onions. I am lucky if they get big around as cherry. Wish I could figure out how to get it bigger. Any suggestions?
ReplyDeleteWilderness, I have always had good luck with garlic. I really don't have any suggestions. You do have a short growing season though. Maybe you should do a little research on growing garlic in your zone. There may be a particular variety that does well in your zone.
ReplyDeleteNice job on the squirrel protection, I hope it works! I need to get my garlic in soon, I usually set a Nov 1st deadline for myself, but it really should be Oct if I was more on the ball LOL!
ReplyDeleteErin, So far, so good on the squireel protection. I put netting over the cold frame beds a couple of weeks ago and they are staying out! I am just waiting to find one tangled up in the netting!
ReplyDeleteDang it girl you just cost me to spend more time on the computer when I have a long to do list today.
ReplyDeleteJust found a great article on growing garlic and a lot of information on amending the soil. May just add that to my list of to dos and work on what is the onion box as I think it will help both out.
Those look like really nice, big cloves of seed garlic! I planted garlic this afternoon as well. We saved some good heads from last season but I was feeling like it may not be enough, so we picked up three really nice looking heads at the Farmer's Market yeasterday. Not certified disease free, like seed garlic is, but only $1.60.
ReplyDeleteTurns out I really didn't need more seed garlic. I ended up planting 1/2 of a box more than I had been planning AND put 2-1/2 heads of the saved seed into our eatin' bag. I guess the upside is that we'll have 4 varieities now instead of three :)
I sure do hope our squirrels don't develop a taste for garlic! Your fortress reminds me of our (unsuccessful) attempt to keep the racoons out of the corn box. We just don't grow corn anymore...
Wilderness, I hope that you found some good information to help you with your garlic.
ReplyDeletePerdita, The seed garlic was absolutely wonderful!
These darn city squirrels watch me in the garden and will dig up what I plant! They don't eat it...just toss it! Occasionally they will dig up plants and toss them too!
Hello Robin, you just made me realize I am late with my garlic planting this year, will try and get my act together next week and get the cloves in the ground. Hope next week is rain free, got to get going with outdoor chores before it gets too cold.
ReplyDeleteHi Norma, It has been raining here too. It looks like I will get the rest of the garlic in this weekend. Good luck with yours!
ReplyDeleteI got mine from the Whistling Duck Farm also! Those guys are great!
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