Any N. Louisiana Creole garlic growers here?

18 years ago

On May 11 I found the my Xian was ready to dig, and today I dug my Chinese Pink, Shantung Purple, and Lorz Italian. This will probably be the last year for the Lorz Italian but the others I've dug produced decent bulbs overall.

I have Music - 6 hills, Siberian - 7 hills, Mother of Pearl - 45 hills, Creole Red - 33 hills, Ajo Rojo Creole - 40 hills, Spanish Morado Creole - 34 hills, Burgundy Creole - 60 hills that aren't ready.

The Music, Siberian, and Mother of Pearl are green and appear to still be growing, although I have had a few scapes.

Judging from the foliage I would think my creole varieties were ready, but all bulbs are very small... 1" or so on those I've checked. The leaves and stems are browned up like grass that had been sprayed with roundup four or five days. I was under the impression that the creoles thrived in the deep south, but maybe I'm not deep enough? Are there any special things that creole varieties require? All of these varieties were set out at the same time in the same raised bed last November.

Comments (6)

nanelle_gw (usda 9/Sunset 14)
18 years ago
I'm in N. California, not N. Louisiana, but growing several creoles; I won't respond, but I'm watching eagerly.
glenn9643
Original Author
18 years ago
Nanelle,
It may just be you and me... How is yours coming along? Mine looks terrible. I've read that it will "adapt" and produce better sometimes after a year or two but I don't think my bulbs are even large enough to have separate cloves yet and they're browned up like they're through. I'm going to leave it a while. No point in digging if there's nothing to harvest seems to me. It might fool me and develop a bulb or two.
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garliclady
18 years ago
Here in zone 7 we are in between the warm climate & cold climate garlics so we have done a lot of experimenting seeing what does well. We grew Burgundy for 4 years and gave up it just got small and stayed small.

We are now trying turbans and asiatics and they are growing great!

Glenn if the leaves are brown it is not going to grow pull it up you might get some eatting out of it if not next fall plant the whole bulb for green garlic that is what we do. Planting as much as we do we always have some that are small. If they are to small to peel we either plant them for green garlic or I make them into garlic earrings for a garlic festival or use them for decoration
nanelle_gw (usda 9/Sunset 14)
18 years ago
My Creoles are Ajo rojo, Cuban Purple, Burgundy, Creole Red, and Spanish Morado. I'm not sure they're still growing, but they certaily haven't died down, and they are among the best looking plants ( I also have turbans, artichokes, asiatics). This is my second year for Burgundy and Creole Red, but my records aren't good. I know I was pleased enough to grow them again, and I used some of my own stock; these plants are smaller than the ones I purchased from Filaree. I am trying to post pics in the gallery.
wingover
13 years ago
I am just learning to grow garlic myself and would love to try some of the creoles. Do you or do you know of anyone who might be interested in selling some of their seed this season? I am particularly interested in the Cuban Purple and the Pescadero Red, although any would do.
thanks
Julie
glenn9643
Original Author
13 years ago
Sorry I can't help with seed as I've lost all mine.