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kristincarol

Manure time in the garlic garden

kristincarol
15 years ago

This time of year I mulch my soft neck garlic with a deep layer of potting soil and composted chicken manure (the bagged kind.) They seem to appreciate it as they begin looking peeked as we near the end of Winter and they green up nicely after their meal.

The hard neck I grow is still only about 8" tall as it waits to come up until the worst part of the Winter (between Christmas and New Year's) and looking very healthy with beautiful soft sage green foliage. I will wait until it begins to look hungry before I apply the manure. That could be fairly soon as the return of light rains and warmer weather has really speeded up their growth and development.

Comments (6)

  • bloosquall
    15 years ago

    I agree with you, Now is a perfect time to spread the poo over the plant and let the rains wash it in. I have a mountain of horse poo that's going to be used pretty soon.
    I'm not sure why you would buy potting soil though ??? getting it for free ?

  • kristincarol
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I grow most things in containers or raised beds lined with hardware cloth because the gophers here are so numerous. One year I planted out over 200 garlic and did not harvest a single one. The gophers worked their way down the rows until there were none left.

    Also, if you saw the size and quality of my garlic you would not question the expenditure. Apparently, the garlic loves the soft, extremely friable soil.

  • bloosquall
    15 years ago

    Good answer Kris,

    I'm always looking for some good bulbs to plant..I have a few in the ground this year but not nearly enough. Maybe you can educate me on growing big bulbs and sell me a pound or two this fall if you have extra. Extra fancy big bulbs are tough to come by. Give me an idea of what you have growing this year.

    Travis

  • kristincarol
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I planted three kinds this year. The usual Italian Purple, another softneck from the grocery store that was locally grown and nice sized, but of unknown type (am hoping it is a late variety) and my usual hardneck which I think is the CA Early or something like that.

    I am not obsessed with named varieties as I am not marketing them to the professional grower per se, just local people who want to grow some good stuff and I am not particularly interested in shipping, but I guess I could do it on a limited basis. I had a lot more inquiries than I had garlic to go around this year by using Craig's List.

    Probably only have 350 or so planted out this year. Plan to increase the amount by two beds (which is 75-100 bulbs) every year until I cannot manage anymore!

  • bloosquall
    15 years ago

    Hi Kris,

    Thank you for the reply, I believe I have an Italian purple of some kind So I can pass on that one and I'm not much into the Cali brands either, but thanks for letting me know.

    Craigs list huh, you get some business on there ? I've never thought about that.

  • kristincarol
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    At least in Humboldt County, Craig's List is hot stuff. But we are a small area (or at least, cut off from other larger areas) and don't have the choice as our retail outlets are few and getting fewer all the time.

    Plus, something something about being a permanently economically depressed area. . . .

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