Garlic & Shallots Are in the Ground!

Father'sDaughter · October 20, 2012

I finally had enough dry weather and a day at home to finish getting the raised bed cleaned up and the garlic and shallots in the ground today. I ended up planting 42 each of German White and Music (my mainstays), 35 German Red, and 21 Spanish Roja.

Then I took all the cloves that didn't make the cut for planting and cooked up a pot of garlic confit to go on the sourdough bread I baked today. Mmmmmm.

This is my first year growing shallots and I sprung for some French Grey sets, so they went in today as well. Can't wait to see how it does!

I'll let them get situated while the weather isn't too cold, then I'll mulch them before the ground freezes.

This bed now has just enough room for my pole bean tower and the three types of onions that I'll grow from seeds. Given how time consuming tomatoes are to grow, I love having one of my two beds devoted to "stick 'em in the ground and leave them" crops!

Anyone else up north planting theirs yet?

halleone · October 21, 2012

Yes, mine went in a few days ago, too. For garlic, I put in Music, Inchelium Red, Chesnok Red, and Late German. For shallots, I put in a couple of rows of the old red variety we've grown for years (no idea what it's official variety name is), and a couple rows of the French Gray shallots, which are brand new for us. All of them will get a good mulching as soon as I get enough leaves collected.

How do you like the Spanish Roja? I'd thought of trying it a few years back, but couldn't find it when I really wanted it, and then forgot about it.

Sen831 · October 21, 2012

Got mine in to the little 4 x 12 raised bed that I rent in the Community Garden here. Music seems to be the consumer's choice here too: productive, tasty, good-keeping.

I also planted Georgian Crystal mostly to increase it to the point that I could give it a fair taste trial. Also Russian Red and Asian Tempest, two softnecks that did well this year. And a short row of Elephant garlic (from Wal-Mart). I grew German Red this year too, but found it did not store as well as the others.

Father'sDaughter · October 21, 2012

I've been growing Music and German White for several years now and they do very well and usually keep almost until the following year's harvest.

This is my second year with German Red and Spanish Roja. The seed stock I got last year was in horrible condition when I got it, but I managed to come up with 18 cloves of each that seemed viable. German Red did pretty well, so I ended up with a fair amount to re-plant. The Spanish Roja didn't do as well and the 18 I planted was all I had. I'll give it one more try to see if starting with healthier seed stock will help.

One major difference between them is that GW and Music are juicier and sticky when you try to peel them, but GR and SR are dryer and the peels practically slip right off.

Thanks for the info on the GR not storing as well, Sen831. I'll have to keep an eye on the few heads of GR I have left.

Farmette · October 21, 2012

Hi! I grew Asian Tempest these past two yrs and it has been a hardneck for me, not a softneck. I've really enjoyed it.

rxkeith · October 21, 2012

most of mine is planted too. we have had quite a bit of rain, which will soon be turning to snow.
planted are music, polish jenn, a russian variety, old homestead a three year project, two bulbs of german white, two bulbs from a farmers market from marysville, mi the guy said it was goliath, but found no listing for it. it might be a soft neck artichoke type. also in the mix is many cloves of a german hard neck i got from a sandusky, mi customer. these are from small bulbs that grew from bulbils i planted last year. there is some project garlic that were wheat size bulbils last year that formed small rounds this year that i rescued from our sandusky garden when my wife said it was time to move back to the farm.
tonight i planted a row of catawissa topsets, and am debating planting another row of them vs another row of garlic. all told, somewhere around 500 cloves planted. i am thinking i can sell some at the local farmers market or the keweenaw co-op next year.
might be fun.

keith

dustyrivergarden · October 21, 2012

dang it I am late.... its going to be a couple of weeks

Sen831 · October 21, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Farmette

Hi! I grew Asian Tempest these past two yrs and it has been a hardneck for me, not a softneck. I've really enjoyed it.

My bad

I'm a garlic novice. I do enjoy it: very stinky when peeled and minced but tasty tossed into a pan at the very last moment. I understand it is the garlic of choice for those raw garlic clove eating contests as it has a lot of fire.

Father'sDaughter · October 22, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by rxkeith

all told, somewhere around 500 cloves planted. i am thinking i can sell some at the local farmers market or the keweenaw co-op next year.
might be fun.

keith

And don't forget about the scapes from the hardnecks. There might be a very lucrative market for those if there are enough foodies shopping the market.

If I had enough land for that much garlic and still have room for the tomatoes and everything else, that would be my plan -- try to sell enough garlic and scapes to make the garden self sustaining, and maybe make a little extra play money.

halleone · October 22, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Father'sDaughter

If I had enough land for that much garlic and still have room for the tomatoes and everything else, that would be my plan -- try to sell enough garlic and scapes to make the garden self sustaining, and maybe make a little extra play money.

Bet that play money would be going towards more garden-oriented items...

rxkeith · October 22, 2012

yaah,

can't forget about the scapes.
with the working part time now, it helps to have multiple income streams.
chickens should start laying by the end of november. could be selling eggs too, although i would be lucky to break even on them.

from pharmacist to pharmer. whodda thunk

keith

Redbaron · October 22, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by rxkeith

from pharmacist to pharmer. whodda thunk

keith

I hear ya! Loud and clear. From marine engineer to truck farmer in Oklahoma!

Farmette · October 23, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sen831

My bad

I'm a garlic novice. I do enjoy it: very stinky when peeled and minced but tasty tossed into a pan at the very last moment. I understand it is the garlic of choice for those raw garlic clove eating contests as it has a lot of fire.

You might be a novice now, but my guess is you will find yourself hooked and wanting to grow more and more varieties!

koshki · October 25, 2012

I've got to get going on my shallots and garlic. I had my first successful shallot harvest this summer. I planted in pots in early spring, and harvested in July. Previous years have been a bust.

I'm going to try French Gray in containers this fall, and a couple garlics. I've heard mixed results on growing them in pots, but what the heck...I'll give it a shot. I'm going to use the same medium and pot depth as I did this summer that seemed to make such a difference.

clkeiper · October 25, 2012

I just planted mine today. Two 60' rows so far and a few bulbs of elephant garlic left over so in it went too.

Me the girl who said I would NEVER marry a farmer...has turned into one

October 20, 2012	#1
Father'sDaughter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: MA/NH Border Posts: 4,917	Garlic & Shallots Are in the Ground! I finally had enough dry weather and a day at home to finish getting the raised bed cleaned up and the garlic and shallots in the ground today. I ended up planting 42 each of German White and Music (my mainstays), 35 German Red, and 21 Spanish Roja. Then I took all the cloves that didn't make the cut for planting and cooked up a pot of garlic confit to go on the sourdough bread I baked today. Mmmmmm. This is my first year growing shallots and I sprung for some French Grey sets, so they went in today as well. Can't wait to see how it does! I'll let them get situated while the weather isn't too cold, then I'll mulch them before the ground freezes. This bed now has just enough room for my pole bean tower and the three types of onions that I'll grow from seeds. Given how time consuming tomatoes are to grow, I love having one of my two beds devoted to "stick 'em in the ground and leave them" crops! Anyone else up north planting theirs yet?

October 21, 2012	#2
halleone Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Walla Walla, Washington Posts: 360	Yes, mine went in a few days ago, too. For garlic, I put in Music, Inchelium Red, Chesnok Red, and Late German. For shallots, I put in a couple of rows of the old red variety we've grown for years (no idea what it's official variety name is), and a couple rows of the French Gray shallots, which are brand new for us. All of them will get a good mulching as soon as I get enough leaves collected. How do you like the Spanish Roja? I'd thought of trying it a few years back, but couldn't find it when I really wanted it, and then forgot about it. Last edited by halleone; October 21, 2012 at 02:01 PM.

October 21, 2012	#7
dustyrivergarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Holbrook, Az zone 5 Posts: 157	dang it I am late.... its going to be a couple of weeks __________________ “The yield of a crop is LIMITED by the deficiency of any one element even though all of the other necessary elements are present in adequate amounts”. J. Von Liebig's law of the minimum.

October 25, 2012	#14
koshki Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Grosse Pointe Shores, MI Posts: 127	I've got to get going on my shallots and garlic. I had my first successful shallot harvest this summer. I planted in pots in early spring, and harvested in July. Previous years have been a bust. I'm going to try French Gray in containers this fall, and a couple garlics. I've heard mixed results on growing them in pots, but what the heck...I'll give it a shot. I'm going to use the same medium and pot depth as I did this summer that seemed to make such a difference. __________________ Katherine

October 25, 2012	#15
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	I just planted mine today. Two 60' rows so far and a few bulbs of elephant garlic left over so in it went too. Me the girl who said I would NEVER marry a farmer...has turned into one __________________ carolyn k

October 21, 2012	#3
Sen831 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Berlin, MD Posts: 16	Got mine in to the little 4 x 12 raised bed that I rent in the Community Garden here. Music seems to be the consumer's choice here too: productive, tasty, good-keeping. I also planted Georgian Crystal mostly to increase it to the point that I could give it a fair taste trial. Also Russian Red and Asian Tempest, two softnecks that did well this year. And a short row of Elephant garlic (from Wal-Mart). I grew German Red this year too, but found it did not store as well as the others.

October 21, 2012	#5
Farmette Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2009 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 985	Hi! I grew Asian Tempest these past two yrs and it has been a hardneck for me, not a softneck. I've really enjoyed it.

October 21, 2012	#6
rxkeith Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Back in da U.P. Posts: 1,845	most of mine is planted too. we have had quite a bit of rain, which will soon be turning to snow. planted are music, polish jenn, a russian variety, old homestead a three year project, two bulbs of german white, two bulbs from a farmers market from marysville, mi the guy said it was goliath, but found no listing for it. it might be a soft neck artichoke type. also in the mix is many cloves of a german hard neck i got from a sandusky, mi customer. these are from small bulbs that grew from bulbils i planted last year. there is some project garlic that were wheat size bulbils last year that formed small rounds this year that i rescued from our sandusky garden when my wife said it was time to move back to the farm. tonight i planted a row of catawissa topsets, and am debating planting another row of them vs another row of garlic. all told, somewhere around 500 cloves planted. i am thinking i can sell some at the local farmers market or the keweenaw co-op next year. might be fun. keith

October 22, 2012	#11
rxkeith Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Back in da U.P. Posts: 1,845	yaah, can't forget about the scapes. with the working part time now, it helps to have multiple income streams. chickens should start laying by the end of november. could be selling eggs too, although i would be lucky to break even on them. from pharmacist to pharmer. whodda thunk keith