Garlic

It is recommended to plant garlic 2-3 weeks before the ground freezes.  So today I am planting the rest of our local garlic that I had saved for seed cloves. November 15, 2015.

Fall planted garlic sometimes shows green shoots before winter.  It is not uncommon for garlic to sprout prematurely a little before winter.  The tops will die back off with the winter and grow again in the spring.  Garlic is extremely hardy in our climate on Gabriola and can handle this cycle.

To help protect the young sprouts I have decided to cover them with 5-6" of composted organic matter.  A combination of leaves, straw and grass clippings works good for this.  In the spring the shoots will continue to grow right up through this blanket of organic material.

November 20, 2015  I have added a layer of rug underlay over my raised garlic bed as we have been have so much rain and colder weather.  The garlic had started to sprout but I was afraid it would drown and rot in all the moisture.

Garlic is suppose to "easily withstand the winter temperatures in BC Coastal areas".  You supposedly don't need to worry about frost as garlic tolerates the cold.

In the early spring spray the garlic foliage with diluted liquid fish emulsion.

Garlic does not like lots of water.  Mulching is a way of maintaining moisture.  Not enough moisture and the garlic will not develop a full size bulb.  Over-watering results in burst skins, mold, and poor keeping qualities.  Stop watering a few weeks prior to harvesting.

Hard-neck garlic produces a central stalk that goes straight up and then usually makes one or two loops.  If you want the plants energy to go into producing a large bulb, cut the scape off after it has made 2 loops.