any garlic experts here?

tjg911 · April 2, 2007

I planted garlic last fall and once the ground froze I mulched it with 6" of shredded leaves. I know the garlic will grow up thru the mulch but is it going to retain too much moisture and cause rotting or disease?
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I grew garlic just 2 seasons about 10 years ago. Not sure if I mulched in the 1st season and results were ok. The 2nd season I did mulch but not sure if it was grass clippings or leaves. I left the mulch in place to retain moisture and suppress weeds. I don't remember but it may have been rainy a lot, the point is by june the plants were not looking healthy, leaves were not a healthy blue green but were a little yellowish and paler than normal, perhaps they had spots, not sure. I think the mulch held too much moisture around the plants and they developed a problem. Yields were poor and I gave up on garlic.
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This past fall I planted a 4' X 12' bed 6" on center so I don't think it will be easy to remove it later in say june but I could. Worse yet would be to remove it from the base of the plant leaving the mulch in place to retain moisture and suppress weeds. That would be a royal pain!
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I would never mulch onions, tho they are alliums too, and I have good results growing onions always but most of the onion is above the soil unlike garlic which is completely below the soil.
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I have read to leave the mulch in place - what do you do if you mulch the bed????
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Tom

April 2, 2007	#1
tjg911 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: zone 5b northwest connecticut Posts: 2,570	any garlic experts here? I planted garlic last fall and once the ground froze I mulched it with 6" of shredded leaves. I know the garlic will grow up thru the mulch but is it going to retain too much moisture and cause rotting or disease? . I grew garlic just 2 seasons about 10 years ago. Not sure if I mulched in the 1st season and results were ok. The 2nd season I did mulch but not sure if it was grass clippings or leaves. I left the mulch in place to retain moisture and suppress weeds. I don't remember but it may have been rainy a lot, the point is by june the plants were not looking healthy, leaves were not a healthy blue green but were a little yellowish and paler than normal, perhaps they had spots, not sure. I think the mulch held too much moisture around the plants and they developed a problem. Yields were poor and I gave up on garlic. . This past fall I planted a 4' X 12' bed 6" on center so I don't think it will be easy to remove it later in say june but I could. Worse yet would be to remove it from the base of the plant leaving the mulch in place to retain moisture and suppress weeds. That would be a royal pain! . I would never mulch onions, tho they are alliums too, and I have good results growing onions always but most of the onion is above the soil unlike garlic which is completely below the soil. . I have read to leave the mulch in place - what do you do if you mulch the bed???? . Tom