Comments on: SEEING AS GARLIC IS BEING DISCUSSED ON ‘MORNING IRELAND’, IT IS TIMELY TO SOW SOME CLOVES ALONGSIDE THE RECENTLY SOWN ONION SETS – FIRST WEEK IN NOVEMBER 2009

By: Trevor Sargent

Trevor Sargent — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 14:00:34 +0000

Hi Rozz,
Good to hear from you. There is a tradition that says plant garlic cloves on the shortest day and harvest them on the longest day. I tried this but the bulbs were still a bit small when I harvested. This year I planted the cloves (Valledo variety) in early November and hope they are now forming roots. I expect to see growth perhaps in February. Come June the growth should start to wither at the tips. This means the garlic underground is maturing. When leaves have fully turned brown, gently dig up to avoid damage. If sunny, lay harvest out in an airy warm place, ideally on a mesh surface. Then plait the brown leaves so the bulbs can hang in a cool shed or kitchen to dry further. The dryer they are, the longer they last in storage. I envy you if garlic is growing around you of its own accord.
Keep in touch,
Trevor

By: Rozz Lewis

Rozz Lewis — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 08:47:07 +0000

Hi Trevor
Enjoyed looking at your blog. Only realised you had one after reading about it in e Times Health section today. Re:garlic, we put some down last year and it seemed to die away but the last few months, it has been sprouting up everywhere! Does anyone know when we dig it up and what do you with it then!
Thanks

By: Trevor Sargent

Trevor Sargent — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:28:40 +0000

Sonya, a Chara,
Hope your garlic has survived the cold snap as mine has thankfully. good luck with the allotment now that Spring has sprung.
Le meas glas.
Trevor