14 July 2016 Garlic

[Durgan]

http://durgan.org/2016/July%202016/14%20July%202016%20Garlic/HTML/ 14 July 2016 Garlic

The garlic was serviced to produce Bulbils, and Rounds for planting in October 2016. The row of bulbils planted in 2015 produced 40 rounds, which will planted to produce first year garlic which is always slightly smaller than the product from a mature clove, and usually fewer cloves.

The bulbil row has died off and finding the small rounds takes a bit of sifting soil. One bulb produced from a round was pulled and photographed. The cloves of this bulb will be planted in October 2016 and will produce a normal sized bulb, a clone of the original. Needing seed, a few of the seed or bulbil pods were wrapped in gauze until maturity to prevent seed dispersal as they dry.

To clarify: A clove is planted in October, Zone 5, and this produces a normal sized clone of the original bulb. It is usually harvested in July of the following year. This is the usual method of growing garlic.

My garlic also produces scapes, most hard neck garlic does, which are the long finger which produces the seed pod at the end. Scapes are often cut and utilized, but if left on and allowed to mature the pod at the end produces a pod with many seeds called bulbils. The bulbils can be planted and will produce a single small bulb called a round. The round planted the succeeding year will produce a slightly smaller bulb than the original. The cloves of this bulb when planted will produce a normal sized bulb exactly a clone of the original

No new garlic is ever produced. The plants are asexual.

 

[Durgan]

http://durgan.org/2016/July%202016/23%20July%202016%20First%20year%20Rounds/HTML/ 23 July 2016 First year Rounds (Garlic)
My row (25 plants) of the end of growth of first year rounds of garlic were harvested. Each bulb has about five cloves.I have found that the size of the clove for planting has no direct bearing on the size of the bulb produced. The bulbs are robust but small. The cloves will be planted in October for making the crop of garlic for 2016/2017. The bulbs all produced scapes seed tentacles which will be matured in water and stored and a few will be planted to affirm viability. The main bulbs were placed in the shed to thoroughly cure which means drying about ten days.

 

[Durgan]

http://durgan.org/2016/July%202016/23%20July%202016%20Garlic%20Bulb/HTML/ 23 July 2016 Garlic Bulb
One garlic bulb was harvested to ascertain if it meets my criteria for harvesting the bed. Criteria is the bulb sheath should be open such that most of the cloves are visible. This is contrary to convention where the bulbs are pulled when the tops die down about one third and the sheath is closed. The theory being that the bulbs store better. I have found the bulbs are substantially larger if allowed to split the sheath and storage time is essentially same with a closed or open sheath. The bulb weighed 151 grams and each clove was 39,31,37,25,32, and 43 grams. The was the undried or not cured weight. Quality hard neck garlic does not vary much in size. My bed will remain as is for about another two weeks before commencing harvest.

 

[Durgan]

http://durgan.org/2016/July%202016/27%20July%202016%20Garlic/HTML/ 27 July 2016 Garlic
Most of the vegetation has turned brown on my hard neck garlic. I pulled about a third to evaluate the condition by leaving it so long in the ground. Surprising the bulbs did not split the sheath. This may be due to very dry conditions. I left about 50 still in the ground until the bulbils in the pods are mature. Several pods are partially mature. The bulbs have from 5 to 8 cloves, and are large and top quality. The weight partially dry in grams; 152,115,186,142,160,137,156,96,153,102,166,124,123,112,124,148,112,133,114,96,196,
132,154,128,137,150,146,140,129. The average weight of the bulbs is 132 grams. This is typical of quality garlic. Three to four bulbs to a pound.

 

[Durgan]

http://durgan.org/2016/August%202016/3%20August%202016%20Garlic/HTML/ 3 August 2016 Garlic
Last of the 2015/2016 garlic crop harvested. At total of about 25 pounds was obtained. I allowed it to cure in the ground, which was possible since there has been little rain for about two months. The garlic is good quality.

 

[Durgan]

http://durgan.org/2016/August%202016/7%20August%202016%20Garlic/7%20August%202016%20Garlic/HTML/ 7 August 2016 Garlic
Garlic prepared for planting in October 2016. About 900 grams of bulbils were collected, forty rounds, and about 100 cloves (23 bulbs). This means none of the garlic grown in 2016 will be used for the 2016/2017 crop. Commercially this would be a large saving since the complete main crop could be sold.

 

[Beth_B]

Wow. I for one am riveted by the per-bulb gram weights of each of your garlic bulbs. Fascinating!