First Garlc Planted---What About Watering

Noreaster · October 20, 2015

Can't seem to find a clear answer on Google.

In zone 7a, just finished planting several varieties of garlic cloves. After they
were in, watered the prepared soil evenly and covered with straw.

QUESTIONS:

a) Do I water one inch a week now ? Sounds like way too much. Maybe the straw does away with reason to water ?

b) Once the ground begins to freeze in December, keep watering ? Sounds
kinda crazy to me.

c) Keep reading need to water during "growing season"......do they mean
the whole darned 9 months ?

Thanks !

KC.Sun · October 20, 2015

I may be wrong on this...but, I've read that garlic needs to be planted about 6-8 weeks before frost. Fertilize so it keeps growing, then when winter actually comes about and the ground freezes, that is when the bulbs will separate into cloves. I don't recall watering during the winter, but when spring comes about, fertilize and water. I've read some types are ready to harvest when spring comes about and some takes a little longer so harvest is about May to July time period.

I'm growing garlic for the first time in Fall. Spring didn't really count for me. Didn't work too well.

I read somewhere to fertilize a bit more when first in ground. Keep the soil moist, but let it dry out by nightfall.

bower · October 20, 2015

Noreaster, do you get snow in 7a?

We don't water at all after planting in fall, and not until the plants are through the ground and it's starting to be warm enough to dry the soil. Our May is still cool so it's June for me (but I'm a bit slack in the watering department anyway).

TightenUp · October 20, 2015

I will be planting next weekend here in NJ. After planting I dont water until spring. I mulch immediately with straw

Noreaster · October 20, 2015

OK, thanks all, that's great news !

Yes it does snow here, usually not a ton, but last year was quite a bit
from time to time . Rainfall is average.

Will start watering in early spring ! Looking forward to first garlic.

Worth1 · October 20, 2015

Answer to question C even though you have your answer.
It says c) Keep reading need to water during "growing season"......do they mean
the whole darned 9 months ?
The winter is the dormant season when it warms up is the growing season like a tree.
This doesn't mean it still cant grow roots.

Worth

Ricky Shaw · October 20, 2015

Same story here. I plant them in moist soil, last week of October, and don't water again till Spring.

Farmette · October 20, 2015

I never water after planting garlic...just plant, cover with several inches of fall leaves, cover that with chicken wire (to prevent the wind from blowing the leaves off) and I am done. I don't water then until May or June, after I have uncovered the garlic.

I planted mine today. It had warmed up so it was a beautiful 70 degree fall day. Tonight we just had some rain showers, so I think that should be good.

Father'sDaughter · October 20, 2015

I typically don't purposely water but if I plant before the lawn irrigation systems is shut down for the season, it may get watered a few times. As for covering, I've read that you should wait until the first hard freeze to cover them with mulch. Since I never have my mulch ready when it's planting time, there's always a few weeks before I get them covered.

drew51 · October 21, 2015

I water mine when I plant them. I want them to grow some this fall. They don't have to break the surface, but you want roots to grow. If it does break the surface cover it once winter is here. This is to prevent it from freezing and thawing. It's ok to freeze, but like strawberries you want the leaves covered so they remain frozen and do not thaw on sunny days.

Noreaster · October 21, 2015

Appreciate all the input, folks.

It sure feels exciting having started something NEW for a change ! Hopefully
some of them come up. Tasted some of the smaller cloves, and OMG they
are sooooooooooo much better than the standard store bought garlic
that I thought was all that existed.

drew51 · October 21, 2015

We have some Italian stores around here that sell very good garlic, but I still like growing my own. I grow both hard neck and softneck. I like to braid the softnecks.

Farmette · October 21, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Father'sDaughter

I typically don't purposely water but if I plant before the lawn irrigation systems is shut down for the season, it may get watered a few times. As for covering, I've read that you should wait until the first hard freeze to cover them with mulch. Since I never have my mulch ready when it's planting time, there's always a few weeks before I get them covered.

So far I haven't ever read anything about waiting to mulch after the first hard freeze. We already had two nights of a hard freeze last week. One of the first years growing garlic, we did mulch, but did not anchor the mulch. The wind blew portions of it off the bed and we had our typical first freezes which were then followed by a few days in the 60's and 70's. We had a hard time keeping all of it mulched that year. I think this cycle of freeze then thaw is harmful to the garlic, causing the ground to heave. We had some garlic failure that year. So, since then we have mulched immediately after planting and our harvests have been great. I imagine when one mulches is dependent on one's climate.

Worth1 · October 21, 2015

It's about to come a frog drownder here and I am planting garlic today.
All I have is the store bought garlic but it is better than nothing.

I like to cut green tops in the winter for eating.

Worth

Farmette · October 21, 2015

Worth, that's great news...both that you're getting your garlic in and the big rain! Sounds like the rain will be much appreciated in your area.

October 20, 2015	#1
Noreaster Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northeast Posts: 260	First Garlc Planted---What About Watering Can't seem to find a clear answer on Google. In zone 7a, just finished planting several varieties of garlic cloves. After they were in, watered the prepared soil evenly and covered with straw. QUESTIONS: a) Do I water one inch a week now ? Sounds like way too much. Maybe the straw does away with reason to water ? b) Once the ground begins to freeze in December, keep watering ? Sounds kinda crazy to me. c) Keep reading need to water during "growing season"......do they mean the whole darned 9 months ? Thanks !

October 20, 2015	#4
TightenUp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Jersey Posts: 1,183	I will be planting next weekend here in NJ. After planting I dont water until spring. I mulch immediately with straw __________________

October 20, 2015	#2
KC.Sun Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: 6a Posts: 322	I may be wrong on this...but, I've read that garlic needs to be planted about 6-8 weeks before frost. Fertilize so it keeps growing, then when winter actually comes about and the ground freezes, that is when the bulbs will separate into cloves. I don't recall watering during the winter, but when spring comes about, fertilize and water. I've read some types are ready to harvest when spring comes about and some takes a little longer so harvest is about May to July time period. I'm growing garlic for the first time in Fall. Spring didn't really count for me. Didn't work too well. I read somewhere to fertilize a bit more when first in ground. Keep the soil moist, but let it dry out by nightfall.

October 20, 2015	#3
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,793	Noreaster, do you get snow in 7a? We don't water at all after planting in fall, and not until the plants are through the ground and it's starting to be warm enough to dry the soil. Our May is still cool so it's June for me (but I'm a bit slack in the watering department anyway).

October 20, 2015	#6
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Answer to question C even though you have your answer. It says c) Keep reading need to water during "growing season"......do they mean the whole darned 9 months ? The winter is the dormant season when it warms up is the growing season like a tree. This doesn't mean it still cant grow roots. Worth

October 20, 2015	#7
Ricky Shaw Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Zone 6a Denver North Metro Posts: 1,910	Same story here. I plant them in moist soil, last week of October, and don't water again till Spring.

October 20, 2015	#8
Farmette Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2009 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 985	I never water after planting garlic...just plant, cover with several inches of fall leaves, cover that with chicken wire (to prevent the wind from blowing the leaves off) and I am done. I don't water then until May or June, after I have uncovered the garlic. I planted mine today. It had warmed up so it was a beautiful 70 degree fall day. Tonight we just had some rain showers, so I think that should be good.

October 20, 2015	#9
Father'sDaughter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: MA/NH Border Posts: 4,917	I typically don't purposely water but if I plant before the lawn irrigation systems is shut down for the season, it may get watered a few times. As for covering, I've read that you should wait until the first hard freeze to cover them with mulch. Since I never have my mulch ready when it's planting time, there's always a few weeks before I get them covered.

October 21, 2015	#10
drew51 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Sterling Heights, MI Zone 6a/5b Posts: 1,302	I water mine when I plant them. I want them to grow some this fall. They don't have to break the surface, but you want roots to grow. If it does break the surface cover it once winter is here. This is to prevent it from freezing and thawing. It's ok to freeze, but like strawberries you want the leaves covered so they remain frozen and do not thaw on sunny days.