Your comments and tips

11 Nov 08, christine bryant (Australia - temperate climate)

I have been growing garlic in north east Victoria for 15years. I grow new Zealand purple and also Russian. I love the flavour of NZ purple and I love the size of the Russian for using in making tomato sauce as it is so big sometimes you only need one clove.So much easier to chop than the other. Nearly every year I get caught with November rain just when I am ready to harvest and lose three quarters of my crop but I think this year I've got it right. I used to grow huge quatities for years but noone ever wanted it so now I am down to just enough for the family.I jar a lot of it in good cold pressed olive oil to have lots for over winter. Any advice needed I'm more than happy to reply cheers chris.

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30 Dec 14, Alison Mahony (Australia - temperate climate)

Hi Chrisitne, My hubby Hugh and I live in Wangandary and are experimenting with raised garden beds with great success. However, we would like to branch out to larger scale crop of garlic. it would be great to chat with you if you dont mind. Alison

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14 Oct 12, Reg (Australia - arid climate)

Hi Cristine I`m a first time grower this season Could you enlighten me with what they mean when they refer to side shooting in garlic, do the shoots grow out the side of the bulb ?I have garlic that is sprouting shoots out the top around the flower stem , have you seen this before? Thanks Reg

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29 Oct 08, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)

Jesse, you should get one head (or bulb) of garlic from each plant. The bulb will contain a number of cloves. Some varieties produce more cloves than others.

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29 Oct 08, Jess Harvie (Australia - temperate climate)

I have planted some garlic but I have no idea what type it is, but how many heads of garlic should I expect to get off 1 plant?

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27 Oct 08, Chris (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

Jane, it's best to plant garlic at the coldest time of the year. Chill the bulbs in the fridge if you don't get really cold weather.

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27 Oct 08, Grahame (Australia - temperate climate)

Warren, I have had the same thing happen in some of my red garlics this year. I grow quite a lot and I have them in different beds and soil types this year. The ones that are shooting seem to be the ones in the richest soil and the ones that are getting a lot of water. I suspect too much water is causing the problem but I can't be sure. It's probably time to back off on the water anyway and let them concentrate on setting bulbs. Jane, I reckon late march is the best time to get your garlic in. If you want to grow lots or a few different types I suggest getting some seed garlic. But if your not too concerned about what type you want, find some you like in a good greengrocer - locally grown if you can. I'd steer clear of the imported stuff if I were you as it is treated with all sorts of nasty stuff! Good luck

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25 Oct 08, jane (Australia - temperate climate)

what time of the year can I plant garlic, on an island in a river (murray) by the sea (goolwa) and how do I get started?

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22 Oct 08, warren (Australia - temperate climate)

I have planted italian red garlic and is looking great but it has shoots coming up through the centre which are actually each clove shooting from the bulb .Is this normal? I have friends growing it on commercial scale and theirs are doing the same .( My russian garlic is not doing this and is now pushing up its seed head already.) If this is not normal what do you do to get the bulb to stop shooting?

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30 Dec 10, Dennis (Australia - temperate climate)

Too much nitrogen causes the wiskas growing between the leaf / stem in soft necked varieties. Once started it cannot be stopped, at best hope it is not to bad and then you can detach the "side shoot" (small bub consisting quite a few small cloves) that devalopes from the main bulb leaving it only a little deformed. When the nitrogen is realy excessive the whole bulb distorts and breaks up and is not only ugly but also difficult to find good seed cloves for next years planting. They say that if you have a very small amount of side shooting then your nitrogen application was very accurate

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