Time to buy garlic bulbs

It has been a disappointing summer for many gardeners across most of the U.K. The lack of sunshine, cool nights and a persistent wind that seemed to blow day and night combined to create difficult growing conditions. Tales of runner beans not setting and tomatoes being very slow to ripen have two of the most common comments. But…

Garlic is a very popular crop to grow although it doesn’t like a cold wet soil or site. Choose a light and airy south facing area of the allotment to grow the garlic. If you garden on a heavy, water holding soil you can improve the drainage of the soil by creating 15/30cms (6”-12”) high raised beds to drain the water away. It is a little like digging the moat around a sand castle. The excavated soil is thrown up to form a plateau. It’s just like earthing up potatoes but on this occasion ridge has a flat top to it. Top dress with a general fertiliser before planting the cloves.

Don’t be tempted to use the bulbs offered for sale in shops and supermarkets. They may be carrying diseases or are not suitable for growing in the U.K. Don’t, either, be tempted to use your own self saved bulbs because they may also be carrying soil borne diseases. Always start off with clean, disease free bulbs that have been bought from the specialist growers and have been especially bred for early/autumn planting. Don’t split the bulbs into individual cloves until you are ready to use them. Plant the cloves 8cm/3” deep and 22cms/9” apart in the row. Mark both ends of the row with plant labels although you should see some foliage above the soil by the end of autumn. Growth should really take off during next February and the crop will be ready for harvesting by June/July.

Elephant garlic will appreciate being planted during September. It will produce 22cm/9” of growth in rapid time and then stand still. If it is planted too shallowly or too late it will produce an onion like bulb rather than the familiar divided garlic bulb. This can be used in just the same way as the individual cloves. Another bonus with elephant garlic is it always produces a flowering stalk known as a ‘scape’. This has to be removed anyway when it is about 60cms/2' high to encourage swelling of the bulb but it is tender enough to eat uncooked when it is chopped up and add to salads or cooked in a stir fry.

Click here for more tips on what to do on your plot in September.