Quote:
Originally Posted by Shrinkrap
Made it through customs! Planning to soak before planting, since the peels are already off, and I've had a problem with rot.
I found this on the earthboxes forum, which I value, since I grow in earth boxes. I have had a problem with rot, which I assumed was becuase the boxes are too wet in the winter. More recently someone warned me about "white rot".
http://www.gourmetgarlicgardens.com/...he-garlic.html
"Preparing the Garlic for Planting
**Garlic is subject to fungal diseases and pest infestations that can be virtually undetectable until they strike. Prevention is the best way to deal with them. In our experience, garlic that is soaked in certain solutions and with the clove covers peeled off have a better chance of growing free of pathogen or pest.
**When your soil is fully ready to be planted, take the bulbs you want to plant and break them apart into their individual cloves (Being sure to keep each variety separate from others. Soak each varieties' cloves in water containing one heaping tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and liquid seaweed to protect them from fungus as well as give them an energy boost. Leave the cloves in the soda water overnight or long enough for the clove covers to loosen so the liquid comes into contact with the surfaces of the cloves. Garlics clove covers can contain fungal spores, or conidia or the eggs of pests such as mites and are best discarded rather than planted since the first thing the cloves do is to shed them, anyway. The baking soda helps neutralize the fungi. Commercial growers don't have time to peel cloves bare but gardeners do.
**The cloves should then be soaked in rubbing alcohol or 140 proof vodka for three or four minutes and then planted immediately. The alcohol kills pests and pest eggs and any pathogens the first soaking missed. Every time I have done this, the treated garlic turned out better than the untreated control group. Alcohols are on the National Organic Program accepted list and baking soda is accepted..."
The original source
http://www.gourmetgarlicgardens.com/...he-garlic.html |
Hi
I tried garlic at my last house in an earthbox and lost all of it due to rot, those things in my opinion hold onto too much water for overwintering, only time I didn't grow garlic in the ground. A large plain jane pot may do better.
The first time I grew garlic I also did the complete peeling and dunking of cloves. All my garlic survived and came up except for 2 cloves I think. I don't peel and soak anymore though, just that first year and *except for the earthbox's, I haven't had any problems.
Good find on that garlic.