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Old November 19, 2016   #8
TomNJ
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: Floyd VA
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Leaves work but be sure to chop them as finely as possible. If left whole they form a mat as Keith noted and the sprouting garlic can't penetrate, so they grow horizontally under the mat. If you can't chop them well, then remove the mulch in late February or early March just before the shoots break ground.

I find grass clippings to be the perfect mulch for garlic and onions. I begin collecting my clippings a few weeks before planting and spread them out in the garden about 2" thick to dry. Don't pile grass clippings too high or they will decompose instead of dry and turn slimy and stinky.

As for timing, I usually plant garlic out in the first half of November (my climate here in the mountains at 2,600 feet is quite similar to yours) and immediately mulch. This keeps the top growth to a minimum and usually does not break the mulch. I once planted out on December 13th in NJ and the garlic were bigger than another bed planted on November 1st. Go figure.

TomNJ/VA
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