Should I cover my garlic tonight?

DrTrish · April 2, 2016

We are expecting a hard freeze both tonight and Monday night (mid 20s), and my garlic tops are up about 6-7 inches. I know garlic is cold hardy, but is it that cold hardy? Should I cover them tonight?

Zeedman · April 2, 2016

I wouldn't worry about it. Garlic, like onions, is pretty cold hardy. .. especially if it is mulched. My garlic is under several inches of snow as I write this, with more still on the way (and a blizzard at the moment). Plenty of freezing weather due for the next 10 days or so, but nothing cold enough to cause serious damage.

PhilaGardener · April 2, 2016

Should be fine, but it looks like a lot of us are in for some cold temperatures!

Worth1 · April 2, 2016

I dont have to look at a map to know when you guys are in for a cold one because I get it before folks east of me do.
It was cold yesterday and the wind was howling out of the north until just about sundown and then it started to clear up.\
As people said the garlic should be fine.

Worth

ContainerTed · April 2, 2016

The way I look at it is always cover. If you cover, then the outcome is assured. If you don't cover, then the bad outcome becomes possible.

Worth1 · April 2, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by ContainerTed

The way I look at it is always cover. If you cover, then the outcome is assured. If you don't cover, then the bad outcome becomes possible.

That is true snow is an insulator and can protect some plants from freezing.
If a person is stuck out in the snow and has to spend the night and it is deep enough one of the best things to do is dig a snow cave and get in it.

We did this with water bottles in minus 20 degree weather the bottle out in the open froze faster than the ones we stuck in the snow.

Worth

henry · April 2, 2016

No need to cover, 20 F is not a problem our garlic has to put up with 15 f to 20 F for two to three weeks every spring.

greenthumbomaha · April 2, 2016

I've had no problems when we had the same low temps after weeks in the 70's. What I read on the internet did have me concerned. I saved 30 bucks in row cover by just waiting it out.

- Lisa

oakley · April 2, 2016

If you have some snow cover your are fine. We have had a few weeks of 70-80, then cold wet 30, then 70, now a big dip into 20 for the next few days.... Our roller-coaster could be dismal but i have to accept that ride....

I'll have a garden no mater the swings and take what is given. Every year dishes out a new challenge that i find interesting though i hate missing a fruit season....

Always something excels be it winter squash or melons...peas and beans.

The only harvest that is impervious to all weather is rhubarb, garlic, chives, leeks, asparagus, tarragon, grapes, ...if i was half bright i would have a farm of all listed.
I have 50ft of rhubarb and it is 8$ a lb at my grocery. I just can't market grow with my work load...

I just put a bucket over my deck tenders...chives and herbs and the peas will get some cover tomorrow night as they look super and up but young...so anything you have put in the past few weeks need cover...

so if your garlic is young and showing signs of green...i would cover.

AlittleSalt · April 2, 2016

Ice/freezing rain would be more of a worry to me, but I see there's no chance of that there.

I think they'll be okay out in the cold. My onions and garlic had several nights of temperatures around 24F and they look wonderful now.

peppero · April 2, 2016

I leave most of my garlic in the ground year round with temperatures sometimes getting below 10 degrees with no known losses detected. I feel safe in saying that I have two to three hundred plants.

Jon

Father'sDaughter · April 2, 2016

I've been wondering the same thing. I read somewhere that garlic, once the green tops start growing, can survive one killing freeze but not a second. Mine didn't really put out any pre-winter top growth, but most of it is up now and we have sub-freezing night-time temps over the coming week and snow predicted for the next two days.

Worth1 · April 2, 2016

It would be crazy to worry about garlic where I live but if you live farther north maybe so.
I know I have seen onions get bit back here because we do get in the teens sometimes and two years in a row it got down to 10 degrees.
10 degrees F is frigging cold where I live and as many of you know I have worked and lived where it gets to 40 degrees F below.
Worth

April 2, 2016	#1
DrTrish Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: northcentral IN Posts: 29	Should I cover my garlic tonight? We are expecting a hard freeze both tonight and Monday night (mid 20s), and my garlic tops are up about 6-7 inches. I know garlic is cold hardy, but is it that cold hardy? Should I cover them tonight?

April 2, 2016	#5
ContainerTed Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: 6a - NE Tennessee Posts: 4,538	The way I look at it is always cover. If you cover, then the outcome is assured. If you don't cover, then the bad outcome becomes possible. __________________ Ted ________________________ Owner & Sole Operator Of The Muddy Bucket Farm and Tomato Ranch

April 2, 2016	#7
henry Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Midway B.C. Canada Posts: 311	No need to cover, 20 F is not a problem our garlic has to put up with 15 f to 20 F for two to three weeks every spring. __________________ Henry

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April 2, 2016	#2
Zeedman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 313	I wouldn't worry about it. Garlic, like onions, is pretty cold hardy. .. especially if it is mulched. My garlic is under several inches of snow as I write this, with more still on the way (and a blizzard at the moment). Plenty of freezing weather due for the next 10 days or so, but nothing cold enough to cause serious damage.

April 2, 2016	#3
PhilaGardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Near Philadelphia, PA Posts: 1,940	Should be fine, but it looks like a lot of us are in for some cold temperatures!

April 2, 2016	#4
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I dont have to look at a map to know when you guys are in for a cold one because I get it before folks east of me do. It was cold yesterday and the wind was howling out of the north until just about sundown and then it started to clear up.\ As people said the garlic should be fine. Worth

April 2, 2016	#8
greenthumbomaha Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Omaha Zone 5 Posts: 2,514	I've had no problems when we had the same low temps after weeks in the 70's. What I read on the internet did have me concerned. I saved 30 bucks in row cover by just waiting it out. - Lisa

April 2, 2016	#9
oakley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: NewYork 5a Posts: 2,303	If you have some snow cover your are fine. We have had a few weeks of 70-80, then cold wet 30, then 70, now a big dip into 20 for the next few days.... Our roller-coaster could be dismal but i have to accept that ride.... I'll have a garden no mater the swings and take what is given. Every year dishes out a new challenge that i find interesting though i hate missing a fruit season.... Always something excels be it winter squash or melons...peas and beans. The only harvest that is impervious to all weather is rhubarb, garlic, chives, leeks, asparagus, tarragon, grapes, ...if i was half bright i would have a farm of all listed. I have 50ft of rhubarb and it is 8$ a lb at my grocery. I just can't market grow with my work load... I just put a bucket over my deck tenders...chives and herbs and the peas will get some cover tomorrow night as they look super and up but young...so anything you have put in the past few weeks need cover... so if your garlic is young and showing signs of green...i would cover.

April 2, 2016	#10
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	Ice/freezing rain would be more of a worry to me, but I see there's no chance of that there. I think they'll be okay out in the cold. My onions and garlic had several nights of temperatures around 24F and they look wonderful now.

April 2, 2016	#11
peppero Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: selmer, tn Posts: 2,944	I leave most of my garlic in the ground year round with temperatures sometimes getting below 10 degrees with no known losses detected. I feel safe in saying that I have two to three hundred plants. Jon

April 2, 2016	#12
Father'sDaughter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: MA/NH Border Posts: 4,917	I've been wondering the same thing. I read somewhere that garlic, once the green tops start growing, can survive one killing freeze but not a second. Mine didn't really put out any pre-winter top growth, but most of it is up now and we have sub-freezing night-time temps over the coming week and snow predicted for the next two days.