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ireilly · January 18, 2011

So sorry about your mom. Cancer took my dad a few years back as well. They have come a ways with treatment but are just not there for many kinds yet. It gets to the point that the folks just get tired of fighting and you wish them peace of whatever kind they can get. Very hard to watch them suffer.

I'm not a garlic expert but I did get a bunch planted in December here. I got my from Bloosquallfarms.com. Travis is a great guy who incidentally is also fighting tumors in his head and no one knows a lot lately about his treatments. He told me in an email I could put it in the fridge for awhile to simulate winter. The only thing I don't understand about that is this. I read that the reason you want garlic to go through a cold spell is to stop growing above ground and instead begin bulbing below. Many recommend that you plant in fall to allow for bigger bulb and root structure development.

Yet I know that some people manage to start in spring and still produce bulbs, albeit smaller. Or so I understand.

So, I have no definite answer because I am just going through this myself for the first time. I have lots of plants too but wonder what will come up in the spring when it dies back. I have also read that each year is variable like other crops, and so there's just no way to know unless you try it.

I would say that the garlic will not last a full year. Softnecks tend to last longer in storage, but eventually all will either mildew and spoil, or dry out, or starting growing again (cold from the fridge will make them do that too I think). if I were you I would go ahead and plant it as soon as possible (this is from someone who doesn't have to get an excavator to remove the snow from the garden).

People from your zone and area may be a better source, and may have more experience.

I know Suze here in TX grows garlic and I know Tom (I think in VT or CT) also grows it. Other here do as well but I am drawing a blank now. Maybe they will chime in.

HTH, Walter.

January 18, 2011	#2
ireilly Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2010 Location: Dallas Posts: 344	So sorry about your mom. Cancer took my dad a few years back as well. They have come a ways with treatment but are just not there for many kinds yet. It gets to the point that the folks just get tired of fighting and you wish them peace of whatever kind they can get. Very hard to watch them suffer. I'm not a garlic expert but I did get a bunch planted in December here. I got my from Bloosquallfarms.com. Travis is a great guy who incidentally is also fighting tumors in his head and no one knows a lot lately about his treatments. He told me in an email I could put it in the fridge for awhile to simulate winter. The only thing I don't understand about that is this. I read that the reason you want garlic to go through a cold spell is to stop growing above ground and instead begin bulbing below. Many recommend that you plant in fall to allow for bigger bulb and root structure development. Yet I know that some people manage to start in spring and still produce bulbs, albeit smaller. Or so I understand. So, I have no definite answer because I am just going through this myself for the first time. I have lots of plants too but wonder what will come up in the spring when it dies back. I have also read that each year is variable like other crops, and so there's just no way to know unless you try it. I would say that the garlic will not last a full year. Softnecks tend to last longer in storage, but eventually all will either mildew and spoil, or dry out, or starting growing again (cold from the fridge will make them do that too I think). if I were you I would go ahead and plant it as soon as possible (this is from someone who doesn't have to get an excavator to remove the snow from the garden). People from your zone and area may be a better source, and may have more experience. I know Suze here in TX grows garlic and I know Tom (I think in VT or CT) also grows it. Other here do as well but I am drawing a blank now. Maybe they will chime in. HTH, Walter.