Beth, How much garlic are you planning to plant? If it's not a lot (a couple of square feet or so), then why not put the bags of garden soil in those few squares and fill the rest of the bed lasagna style?

I'd think you wouldn't want to plant garlic in the lasagna layers because the layers will get really hot while they are breaking down and would (I think) destroy the garlic bulbs/seeds/roots.

In my 4x8 bed, I have two small areas separated with wood from the rest of the bed. Mine are at either end and, according to my hubby, were necessary for strength of the box itself. (I don't argue with him about building; I just smile and thank him for building things for me.)

Anyway, I use those two areas to plant things I want to keep separate from the rest of my garden. I think that might be a solution for your garlic planting. Put some kind of divider in the bed, use the garden soil in the small area and plant your garlic there.

As the dirt settles in the small area, you could add some of the composted soil from the rest of the bed. Planting the garlic in a small area would also allow you to put a warming cover over the small area in case it gets really cold/snowy/icy where you are.

I'm adding a picture of my bed from early in the summer which will hopefully give you a better idea of my setup.

You can't see the whole bed in that photo, but the divided section is visible. I'm taking update pics this afternoon and I'll be sure to get you a better picture of that section. :)

I don't think the settling would mess up the garlic, but yes, it WILL settle. I built my raised beds in May. They are about 15" deep and filled w/ aged/composted horse manure, leaves, pine needles, coffee grounds etc. I let it sit for a couple weeks, then planted the garden. The garden grew fine, but now I need to top off the beds. They shrank by 5 or 6 inches I'd say. I can see, for example, on my bush beans, how the bed sort of shrank away from the plants, so there is less soil covering the roots than there probably should be, but it doesn't seem to have harmed them.

I also planted onions and garlic (a grocery store bulb that was sprouting in the kitchen) and the make-up of the bed didn't seem to harm them. The fact that I planted them too close to other things that took over the garden (the tomato, cuke & zuchs) didn't do them any favors... next time they go in an open, sunny spot, far from the sprawlers...

I don't think the concern with the lasagna garden is the settling, rather lisso is pointing out that while your layers compost, they will get literally hot. My compost bin was literally steaming in the late snow we got this year. That can't be good for anything growing in it. I have, however, heard of folks growing stuff in their compost piles, I'm just thinking a root vegetable would be a bad crop to even consider in that.

Lissa - that's a BRILLIANT idea! I actually don't think it will be all that difficult for me to separate a space out... I'll just do that. I have a pound of garlic that I ordered and I don't know how many cloves that is just yet but I think that solves my dilemma. The only other thing I'd thought to do is to build another 2.5' square box just for them but I wanted to save the wood I have left for my potato boxes.

Here's a picture of my garden, took it earlier today after I finished laying out all the cardboard. it's supposed to be super rainy all week so that'll get it all good and wet before I start layering. You can also see my "helper" who is going after the brick I used to weigh down the paper so she can carry it around :)

Here is a link that might be useful:

WOW! I'm jealous! You are going to have some gorgeous garden beds!

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

Ditto granny's statement! And your garden helper is ADORABLE!

That is quite a set-up you have. Can't wait to see it full of veggies!

Thanks everyone! Yeah I got a great deal - $75 for the wood, they were old cedar bookshelves that someone had taken apart. I still have enough to build a couple more beds but I'm going to save it for sides for my potato boxes.

With that said, I'm going to try something... I'll plant the garlic in a cardboard box and set it right into the lasagne bed on the south end. That's an easy way to section it off!

I'll layer that bed carefully so there's more browns than greens next to the garlic so it won't heat up quite as much as I build up the layers. I actually have enough garlic that I could fully plant one of the 2.5' square beds but I think I want to keep all of them for my potatoes. I already built 2 of them and I am considering building another one... can't have too many potatoes!

Betho, I LOVE your set-up! I'm glad that my tiny bit of knowledge helps you out. :)

Great setup and how cute!

Wow, a pound of garlic. I planted three heads and got 40 pants out of it. I bet there is 5 to 10 times that in a pound, hehe.

Enjoy.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sinfonian's garden adventure

Actually like a nerd I separated them all out yesterday :) I have 36 cloves of Inchelium Red and 24 cloves of Music Pink. it was a total of 7 heads. So I should have somewhere around 60 plants :)

Picture below is one I took for my blog before I separated them out yesterday.

Betho, care to share a link to your blog? I can never have enough gardening blogs to read ;-)

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

Sure :) I just started it last weekend, more as a journal for myself that I can put pictures on it but it's been fun for long-distance friends and family to keep track of us with, too :) I'll be posting another entry in a little bit when my daughter goes down for her nap.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bethany's blog

Betho! I am SO excited for you. My hubby's family is from South America, so we never stop eating garlic. I probably use a 24 oz jar of minced garlic monthly.
I got two kinds of garlic to plant locally. The local nursery sold me one package of California red garlic that comes in a plastic bag. The other kind is elephant garlic, she said this old man comes in twice a week with a basket and just drops it off for them to sell. Which do you figure will do better, cause it seems obvious to me that the little old man's crop will kick on the mass producing California mail out, but more on that next year.

I bet you are right - if the old man is already growing locally it'll probably do pretty well... but then again, there's so many different things that matter that who really knows?

Yeah we go through a lot here... my husband loves garlic. The other day (to illustrate it) he made a "burrito" with about a tablespoon & half of raw minced garlic, broccoli and cheese. He ate like 3 of them... he was breathing fire later that day lol

betho, your blog is awesome! Would you mind if I add it to my list of favorites on my blog? I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants to follow the construction and planting of your garden!

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

I just noticed you're from Spokane! I'm not too far away, in Pasco. I used to live in Spokane (about a hundred years ago, LOL!)

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

Granny - go right ahead (and anybody else who is interested)! It'll be nice to know someone is reading it ;) Years from now I hope it'll be something that my then-customers can read to keep track... mainly I have such huge plans and I think it'll be cool to see it all develop from the beginning. I know I'll enjoy going back and reading it!

How cool you are from Pasco! I have a friend from college who loves there. Eventually I'll be up north in Addy (by Colville) but for the next few years or so I'll be here in the Valley.

Carolyn, maybe you know this already, but elephant garlic isn't actually garlic and won't give you that strong flavor. For awesome flavor try Inchelium Red, Georgian Fire, Lorz Italian, Chesnok Red, and Tochliavri. I'll be harvesting over 250 heads next summer, soft and hardneck, and homegrown garlic is out of this world!

Wow Reba! I did not know that! I was trying really hard not to buy any more long distance, but I may have to try and find some of those. I've heard of soft and hardneck, but I'm not certain we would be able to tell the differences. Would we? Also, do you know how to can minced garlic by any chance? Or make those cool garlic wreaths? More dumb questions to follow, lol: Why make those wreaths? Does it preserve them? Meaning, do you just pick the bulbs off the wreath? Or is it just decorative (with the added benefit of bugging vampires)?

Ok I figured I should post here just in case anyone wants a followup :) I ended up planting the garlic in cardboard boxes set inside the raised bed - here's a blog post with pictures and whatnot. It'll be an interesting experiment!

Here is a link that might be useful: Bethany's blog

Very cool Bethany!

Looks great!
Reading through this thread inspired me to put a new update on my own blog to go into detail about the different types of garlic I just planted.

Here is a link that might be useful: Gumshoe Gardener

Beth,

I believe that will work. you were correct in not putting them in the lasagna bed...way to hot for the cloves. Most garlic grows well up north. be sure to water them in deep and cover with some straw or leaves 5- 6 inches thick. if you can get some Horse poo throw some of that on top and water in it.

Bloosqualls garlic farm
Waitsburg Wa

OT, but waving "HI!" to Bloosquall, from the Tri-Cities. Pasco to be exact, formerly from Walla Walla.

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

Beth, The only things I see wrong with what you did is planting too close and not having any insulaton around the boxes. please find something to keep the soil from freezing, it gets darn cold in spokane and you risk having that expensive garlic get too cold and freezing. put more leaves and whatever you can find to pack around the outside of the boxes.

Hello Anniesgranny, I saw you were close to me, that's why I added my location. I'm almost done planting for the year..have 11,400 in the ground now. I'm sure to hit 14,000 when I'm done later this week.