What is happening to my garlic?

[ninnymary]

I planted my garlic in October. It is doing great and the stalks are about an inch thick. For the last 2 weeks, the leaves appear to be looking kind of dry. I thought this was normal since here garlic is supposed to be ready to harvest in late June, early July.

I have noticed that a couple of the plants appear to be getting alot of leaves from the middle of where the leaves are. What does this mean? Is it getting ready to flower? If so, what do I do? cut the flower stems off?

I sure hope I get good garlic.

Mary

 

[vfem]

Sounds like the scraps are coming up (flowers) which you clip when they're all curly and you can eat them! YUM!

Mine are doing the same right now, its been a MILD winter so I'm seeing rapid growth and they is a chance they can be ready as early as May now. Wouldn't that be nice.

No worries!!!

 

[ninnymary]

If the flowers are coming up, does this mean my garlic won't store well?

When my onions flowered they did not store well. I had to give alot of them away.

I suppose it's too early to harvest the garlic?

Mary

 

[lesa]

No, scapes always occur with garlic. You can just snip them off- they are delicious and can be used in a variety of ways in cooking. Then your garlic will continue to grow, until harvest time. No worries! It does not affect storage- I still have plenty in my basement from last fall...

 

[ninnymary]

Thanks Vfem and Lesa. I panicked alittle.

Lesa, do you mean you never buy garlic to plant? You have enough to use and to save some for planting? It keeps that long?

Mary

 

[lesa]

I bought organic garlic to plant the first time, since then, I have used my own harvested garlic to plant.... I harvest in fall and replant in fall. Not sure when you would plant, but you know your schedule.

 

[vfem]

I bought organic garlic to plant the first time, since then, I have used my own harvested garlic to plant.... I harvest in fall and replant in fall. Not sure when you would plant, but you know your schedule.

I do the same thing. I bough organic garlic 3 seasons ago and now I just plant what I have left over. My organic elephant garlic didn't store well (it doesn't store long) so I'd have to rebuy those to plant in the future.

 

[ninnymary]

Well, I'm going to have to try that, save some to replant in the fall. I was just afraid that it would start sprouting before I could plant it. Sometimes the store bought starts sprouting before I can use it all. That's why I didn't think the garlic would keep that long. That's an entire year.

Mary

 

[lesa]

I harvest my garlic in late July, and I replant in the fall- around October. So, they just have to keep for a few months. Never had any go bad in that period of time.

 

[ninnymary]

Lesa, I don't think I made myself clear. If you harvest in late July, do you have fresh garlic to use in cooking till the following July when you harvest again? That's what I meant by it lasting an entire year?

Mary