Elephant Garlic - when to plant the cloves please and soil conditions

suehowlittle


Joined: 31/10/2010
Posts: 1202

Message Posted:
29/09/2011 13:02

I have brought back 5 cloves of a huge garlic bulb known commonly as elephant garlic.



I want to grow my own because I am a bit fed up of the tiny, dried up stuff we have been buying for the past 8 years.



I wondered whether anyone might know when to put the cloves into the ground, whether the soil needs to be enriched or not - any growing tips would be much appreciated. We did not even grow this in the UK so no idea at all.

suehowlittle


Joined: 31/10/2010
Posts: 1202

Message Posted:
29/09/2011 13:36

Are there any 'budding' gardeners out there. The cloves were £1 each plus postage so I want to get this right

paddywack


Joined: 04/05/2009
Posts: 959

Message Posted:
29/09/2011 14:09

Ask Tanner the TC on the way to the Sunset Club, he grows garlic.

janjin



Joined: 10/04/2008
Posts: 488

Message Posted:
29/09/2011 14:22

From an English season perspective you would put them in Autumn or Spring. So it maybe a good time if you wait until the end of October when the heat is decreasing. This info is taken off our pack of garlic bulbs so the Cyprus weather will influence your growing year of course.



"Plant individual cloves. 3cm / 1" deep, 10cm / 4" apart.

Adding a general fertiliser will improve the yield.

Keep the soil moist during growing period."



Hope this helps and you get a Cyprus gardener's perspective.

JJ

janjin



Joined: 10/04/2008
Posts: 488

Message Posted:
29/09/2011 14:24

Just an addition, we found it really easy to grow in England.

martinD41


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 3001

Message Posted:
29/09/2011 14:29

hope this helps. http://gardening.about.com/od/herbsspecificplants1/f/Elephant-Garlic-How-To-Grow-Elephant-Garlic.htm.

martinD41


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 3001

Message Posted:
29/09/2011 14:32

By the way, Elephant Garlic is very mild,and in fact is not garlic it's a form of bulb forming leek...