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Old October 7, 2008   #1
ROB TWO-HAWKS
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Default GARLIC PLANTING TIP...

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...Early October so it's Garlic-Planting-Time here in N.E. Ohio & elsewhere.I've grown garlic for years...but am just now getting back to larger beds & more fascinating varieties. Anyhow...as I'm investing a bit more into it all again...I'm determined to get things off to the Best-Possible-Start.
Along with the garlic...I'm planting quite a bit of Shallots. I love shallots & consider them one of the most unappreciated of veggies.Wonderful,mild-subtle flavor; great-keeping-ability; and...great-yield for the amount planted. Anyhow...as I was prepping the shallots for tomorrow's planting...I noticed some mold/fungus on a few of the cloves.Those were quickly discarded...but it got me thinking about the ''quality'' of the rest.
Not wanting to pitch the rest(which seemed fine to the naked eye)..I did some quick-research. A ''Mother Earth News'' piece suggested: ** ...''TO GET THE CLOVES OFF TO A GOOD START & TO PROTECT THEM FROM FUNGAL DISEASES...SOAK(for a few hours) IN A SOLUTION OF 1 HEAPING TBL. OF BAKING SODA & 1 TBL. OF LIQUID SEAWEED TO A GALLON JAR OF H2O.'' **
Simple enough...so that's what I did(also...with my garlic). This may be old-hat to the Garlic-Pros out there...but I thought it was worth passing along as it's Garlic Plantin' Time. In addition...there's also something in all this for the ....Tomato-Fans. I've always had great germination with my mater seeds...so did'nt employ this until recently. Kelp/Seaweed solution is known to aid germination of seeds soaked in it...& is highly-recommended for ''older'' seed..or..seed with low-germ- rates.
So...you may want to try trial this as well. Meanwhile...it only further-confirms what the MEN article was implying by speaking of ..''getting the shallots off to a good start.'' Not sure what the benefit of the Baking Soda is...beyond its possible PH impact. Possibly someone else has some info there.
....GOOD-GARLIC(and SHALLOT)-GROWING!!!
Rob
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Old October 7, 2008   #2
neoguy
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Rob,

I have read much about a 24 hour pre-soak as well, have not done it personally. I'll possibly try it on a small portion of my bed this year.

I wanted to add, the people recommending the pre-soak also soak the cloves in rubbing alcohol for a minute or two prior to planting. Again, I've done none of the above, so I can't personally vouch for it.
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Old October 7, 2008   #3
ROB TWO-HAWKS
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NEOGUY......Good hearing from you again. Have'nt heard of the longer-soak...but after doing the 2 hour version today...I can say the cloves & bulbs definitely ''absorbed'' the soak solution. Also...I planted some ''unsoaked'' next to the others as a ''check''...so we'll see how-it-goes there.
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Old October 8, 2008   #4
neoguy
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Rob,

My mistake, not 24 hours, most suggest soaking overnight. Sorry.
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Old October 8, 2008   #5
ROB TWO-HAWKS
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NEOGUY ...No problem. I've probably learned more from ''mistakes'' in gardening than anywhere else. Still,as there's very-visible absorbtion after just 2 hours...I think I'll stick with that. With an overnite ..or.. 24 hour dose...they'd likely be swelled to the point of bursting. No point getting them off to an extreme pregnancy/start...for if fall rains are heavy....they may ''rot.''
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Old November 7, 2008   #6
neoguy
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I did the pre-soak on approximately half of my garlic prior to planting. I didn't have any liquid seaweed but I did have some dried kelp used for cooking. I placed a tablespoon of baking soda and handful of dried kelp in a gallon of water and soaked overnight. The next morning, prior to planting, I soaked the cloves in rubbing alcohol for about 5 minutes.

The results so far, the pre-soaked cloves have sprouted before the ones that weren't. By the way, I didn't peel off the wrappers as suggested below.

Copy and pasted from Gourmet Garlic Gardens:


Preparing the Garlic for Planting

Garlic is subject to fungal diseases and pest infestations that can be virtually undetectable until they strike. Prevention is the best way to deal with them. In our experience, garlic that is soaked in certain solutions and with the clove covers peeled off have a better chance of growing free of pathogen or pest.
When your soil is fully ready to be planted, take the bulbs you want to plant and break them apart into their individual cloves (Being sure to keep each variety separate from others. Soak each varieties' cloves in water containing one heaping tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and liquid seaweed to protect them from fungus as well as give them an energy boost. Leave the cloves in the soda water overnight or long enough for the clove covers to loosen so the liquid comes into contact with the surfaces of the cloves. Garlics clove covers can contain fungal spores, or conidia or the eggs of pests such as mites and are best discarded rather than planted since the first thing the cloves do is to shed them, anyway. The baking soda helps neutralize the fungi. Commercial growers don't have time to peel cloves bare but gardeners do. The cloves should then be soaked in rubbing alcohol or 140 proof vodka for three or four minutes and then planted immediately. The alcohol kills pests and pest eggs and any pathogens the first soaking missed. Every time I have done this, the treated garlic turned out better than the untreated control group. Alcohols are on the National Organic Program accepted list and baking soda is accepted under part 205.605.

http://www.gourmetgarlicgardens.com/growing.htm

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Old November 7, 2008   #7
ROB TWO-HAWKS
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DAN... Yep,my ''pre-soaked'' sprouted faster too...much faster. Will try the ''Rubbing Alcohol'' treatment next year.And thanks for including the fine piece!
Along with the Shallots & Elephant Garlic...I have 9 Garlic vars. Among those...the ''GERMAN EXTRA HARDY'' is off to the most-vigorous start(...last year too.) Still...there are so-many great-ones out there to try. I've been negligent in that department for awhile...but am catching-up fast. Some new ''Old Hippy Friends'' have a beautiful Organic Garlic Farm just down the road and grow many-many and appear to know-their-stuff. They also got me back into making ''Tapinade''..and I'd forgotten how-good that can be. They also make very-fine Garlic Wines,Garlic Vinegars,etc. so I plan on exploring that more-in-depth next year.
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