An early May update.
Things are moving along. No really big complaints other than that this year's plants are noticeably behind last years crop when I compare the pics in my files.
The extended and cold spring and cloudiness is too blame I presume.
I have fertigated twice this spring and will do my 3rd tomorrow. I am applying the equivalent of 4 pounds of actual N per acre via calcium nitrate through the drip tape. Last fall, I applied the equivalent of 75 lbs. of N via a chicken manure based granular organic fertilizer (4-1-8).
I seeded the walkways about 2 weeks ago with Kentucky Bluegrass and Dwarf White clover. None of it is up yet, which I am not surprised because Bluegrass can take 2 weeks to germinate. The weeds are not bad at all in the walkways or the holes in the fabric where the garlic stems are growing out of.
I probably have spent a grand total of 2 hours going back to last winter policing/pulling weeds that have come up in the holes with the plants. For me and my situation, I cant see doing garlic any other way. I just don't have the time to weed, and I wouldn't want to if I did. What a labor saver!
I think often of the Youtube video I saw a couple of years ago, where the lady was down on the ground with a trowel hand weeding her garlic beds (and she had at least a 1/4 acre). It was hard to watch. Apparently she just takes that as the way it is to grow garlic. I remember thinking how crazy she was. Sometimes we get locked into a way of thinking and trap ourselves. I use that video all the time to question what I "know" is the right way to produce something.
Anyway, here are a few pics from 5-1-18:
5-1-18 Garlic A.JPG
5-1-18 Garlic B.JPG
5-1-18 Garlic C.JPG