Garlic 2015/2016

[Durgan]

Garlic 2015/2016
Posted on March 12, 2016 by Durgan
http://durgan.org/2016/March%202016/12%20March%202016%20Garlic/HTML/ 12 March 2016 Garlic
Garlic is growing. There is still no sign of the row of bulbils, but the first year round are all up.

http://www.durgan.org/2015/October%202015/19%20October%202015%20Planting%20Garlic/HTML/ 19 October 2015 Planting Garlic
Garlic was planted to be harvested in July 2016. A row of bulbils was planted at about 2 inch spacing, a row of rounds planted at 4 inch spacing and five rows (80 cloves) was planted at 6 inch spacing.The garlic is from the 2015 harvest. The 8 foot square bed was prepared about a month ago and heavily mulched to retain moisture. Boards were placed to mark the rows. Garlic has no difficulty pushing through the mulch in the Spring.The bulbils will produce rounds in 2016 and the rounds now planted will produce about three normal sized cloves in 2016.Planting the bulbils and rounds will eventually become the cloves for normal planting. This allows more bulbs for use, since none will be used for seed.

 

[headfullofbees]

Does the sequestration of nitrogen by the woodchips in contact with the soil, as they decompose, not present a problem?

 

[Durgan]

When the mulch wood chips are rototilled into the soil I sprinkle a bit of urea (N) on top. I have never noticed any nitrogen depletion on any of the plants. Mind you I do put a layer of city compost and also work that into the soil every year. The wood chips are convenient since they are cheap, and stay in place until they decompose in about 8 months or less, also they readily allow the passage of air and water.