General information and discussion about cultivating onions, garlic, shallots and leeks.
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May 25, 2012 | #16 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Virginia Bch, VA (7b)
Posts: 1,337
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I'll leave the rest alone. Last year my softnecks were ready in June. I have
other varieties but they are all still green. |
May 25, 2012 | #17 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2012
Location: SF Bay area Z9a
Posts: 821
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My garlic got an early start this year. We had a lot of rain followed by a couple of weeks of very hot weather, caused a lot of sunburn on the young leaves. It's gonna be difficult this year to tell when the leaves are 3/4 dry.
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May 25, 2012 | #18 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Floyd VA
Posts: 767
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The key is to have some green leaves as each leaf represents a wrapper layer on the bulb (the wrappers are below ground extensions of the leaves). When a leaf turns brown, a layer of wrapper also dies. Commercial growers like to leave 5-6 green leaves as they lose several wrappers during handling and shipping. Home growers can afford to harvest with only 2-3 wrapper layers around the bulb and therefore leave the plants in the ground a little longer.
In many cases some leaves are partially brown, yellow and green, so I look for at least three leaves to be mostly green. Nothing to be too concerned about, however, as I understand there is not much if any bulb growth between five green leaves and three. TomNJ |
May 25, 2012 | #19 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Midway B.C. Canada
Posts: 311
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Simplest check is to dig the soil away with your hand and check that the cloves are nice and fat they should feel nice and bumpy if you wait to late and conditions are wet the wrappers can become a problem. We grow garlic for a living and a week to ten days depending on variety seems to be the window for getting the garlic out of the ground in best condition.
Happy garlic growing and check often when you think they are getting close. Henry
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May 25, 2012 | #20 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: cincinnatus, new york
Posts: 341
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that is a great piece of garlic roper .. mine seems to be doing real well but i see no signs of scapes yet i know im growing music and german red id say about 50 to 60 heads
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May 25, 2012 | #21 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Virginia Bch, VA (7b)
Posts: 1,337
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Thanks, I can't wait to taste it, but I think you have to cure it
for 3 weeks first. This spanish roja grew so much faster than the other varieties. Garlic seems to mature quickly here in my zone 8. I am hoping to find a variety that stores well, so I can replant in fall. |
May 25, 2012 | #22 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: MA/NH Border
Posts: 4,917
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The scapes just started growing on mine two days ago, so you should be seeing them soon.
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June 2, 2012 | #23 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: MA
Posts: 4,959
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It was Scapes Alfredo for dinner, a few days ago.
I'm with Tom, 3 green leaves left, and it's time to harvest. About the 4th of July, or a little later, for me. Tormato |
June 2, 2012 | #24 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: zone 5b northwest connecticut
Posts: 2,570
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Quote:
tom
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June 2, 2012 | #25 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Virginia Bch, VA (7b)
Posts: 1,337
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Quote:
into the cloves. I would like to save some for fall planting, but don't know if this variety will last that long. |
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June 2, 2012 | #26 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: NY z5
Posts: 1,205
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If it's your Spanish Roja that you're wondering about, it should last well past fall planting time. Mine from last summer's harvest was still in good shape this spring. I finally planted most of the leftover cloves in early May to grow into rounds (single bulbs that won't divide into cloves) over the summer and be replanted this fall. I never tried that before, we'll see how it goes. The Music and German White didn't store as well, the tops of the cloves started to shrivel over the winter. I don't know if I will keep growing them as they aren't as productive as the Spanish Roja either.
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June 2, 2012 | #27 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Virginia Bch, VA (7b)
Posts: 1,337
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Thanks for the info. I will save the two largest bulbs for fall planting.
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June 3, 2012 | #28 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: zone 5b northwest connecticut
Posts: 2,570
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Quote:
spanish roja is a rocambole and rocamboles don't store as long as porcelains which is what music and german red are. i'm not saying you are wrong just that i'm surprised by your storage. my music and german red store much longer than any rocamboles i grow. i never grew spanish roja. what other rocamboles have you grown that store as long as porcelains? i wish my rocamboles would store longer than the porcelains because rocamboles are much better tasting than porcelains, probably the best of all garlic types. tom tom
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June 3, 2012 | #29 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: NY z5
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Quote:
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June 4, 2012 | #30 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: zone 5b northwest connecticut
Posts: 2,570
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oops! yes i meant german white (porcelain) not german red (rocambole).
german red is my favorite rocambole. i grow german white also, it isn't as good tasting but stores much longer. same for music, often quite hot. i've tried many different varieties over the years and favored porcelains for longer storage but this fall i plan on going heavy on rocamboles for their flavor and freezing a lot of it. it can't taste any worse than my porcelains in march when they are shriveling and starting to dry out. actually they'll taste just about or as good as when fresh just will be off color and a bit mushy when defrosted. trying some rocamboles this season to see how they are plus an artichoke. come late summer i'll decide what to do when i go to saugerities garlic festival. tom
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I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the end of the night He’s gotta be strong And he’s gotta be fast And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the morning light He’s gotta be sure And it’s gotta be soon And he’s gotta be larger than life |
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