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stevelau1911

When to start fertilization for garlic plants

stevelau1911
9 years ago

I have some ironite and 10-10-10 fertilizer that I intend to put on the garlic. When would be the best time to fertilize them for the best results?

There are around 6 inches tall, and growing pretty noticeable on warmer days now so is it about time?

I am in upstate NY where we are supposed to drop back into the teens tonight, but it should warm back up afterwards. Here's a picture of them as of yesterday.

Comments (9)

  • geosankie
    9 years ago

    Have you had a soil test done ? Why the Ironite ? Has it been recommended by the pro testing facility due to severe iron deficiency ?
    A little 10-10-10 would be fine after this snow storm dries up and we get a little warmer weather. Don't get it on the leaves of the garlic though.
    Lots of info on these forums about ironite , and mostly not good.

  • seysonn
    9 years ago

    Garlic is a LEAFY vegetable and can benefit more from Nitrogen than "P" and "K". For this reason a fertilizer RICH in "N" is better ; The 1-1-1 ratio fertilizers are ok but the ones with 3-1-2 is better, IMO.

  • kristincarol
    9 years ago

    I use blood meal.

  • stevelau1911
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I just got what I could buy for $15 per 50lb bag which was the 10-10-10 which sounds pretty decent. They are up to around 8 inches now so I might as well start giving them a feeding when they get to a foot tall.

    Hopefully it can get them to form bigger bulbs, and bulbs should form in about 2 months so I guess I can start feeding in another week or so eh?

  • stevelau1911
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Some of my garlics are naturally pretty big so I expect that giving them a boost of more fertilizer should give them quite an edge in growth.

  • kristincarol
    9 years ago

    Too late where I live to be fertilizing. Scapes are showing on the early varieties and soon the hardnecks will scape, as well. Just hope we don't have a lot of rain until after harvest.

  • planatus
    9 years ago

    Commercial growers give garlic N in the spring, but I put down a balanced organic fertilizer mixed with compost as a band, spread in the bottom of deep planting trenches in the fall. The plants grow beautifully with no further feeding.

  • OldDutch (Zone 4 MN)
    9 years ago

    I fertilize both spring and fall. In the fall when preparing the planting bed with organic matter, dolomite, Milorganite and composted manure. Then I side dress in the spring twice with more Milorganite, first as early as the ground has thawed and my garlic has sprouted, and second later after it has warmed up enough and the plants are mulched.

    I like Milorganite, because it is pretty hard to burn your plants with it; so you can broadcast over the bed and not have to be so careful as you would with hotter commercial fertilizers.

  • stevelau1911
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I just added a 50lb bag of 10-10-10 today to the 3000 garlics and watered it in thoroughly.

    My guess is that they should darken up and pick up their growth rate within the next few days. They are already around the 8 inch height range so when they get close to producing bulbs in another month, I could use another bag on them all.

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