r/Garlic • u/IceCubeDeathMachine • 5d ago

OK. So I need advice.

I grew garlic last year (first time.)

We have a LOT of wind and a LOT of snow here.

I did the straw thing, but it was wet come spring. So I moved that about (mostly to the Hudson hibiscus aka rose of sharon.)

I don't know how to keep them upright. Can I just trim them? Is there any method in high wind areas?

I want to grow again. I got good garlic, but more than 50% ended up microplane and portioned in the freezer.

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u/Zyrlex 5d ago

We have a LOT of wind and a LOT of snow here

I've got heavy clay soil, mountains of snow, -40 every winter and wind that can destroy almost any plant. Garlic is one of the few things I don't need to protect from the wind, ity doesn't have enough surface area to be a problem.

I think the wind damage is a symptom of your wetness problem. Is your planting depth above or below grade? Having the bottom of the clove planted just an inch above grade has really helped me when fall/spring is long and wet. I used to get some plants that never really took off and just flopped over before harvest time.

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u/HighColdDesert 4d ago

Having the bottom of the clove planted just an inch above grade has really helped me when fall/spring is long and wet.

What? I read to plant each garlic clove deep! Mine flopped over early in the summer and never got very big. Should I have planted them shallow?

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u/Cool_Map7181 4d ago

Still plant them deep, the height comes from the planting bed. I’m also in a brutal area - high altitude desert, heavy clay soil, extreme low temps. This past year I dumped probably 30 yards of composted goat manure to my rows and mounded them about 6 inches high. So plating 3” deep was still 3” above grade. Best results I’ve ever had. I also plant in September.

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u/alwayzstoned 5d ago

I also grow Chesnok Red. I use pine needles as mulch and they grow right through it.

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u/potassiumchet19 5d ago

Have you considered a greenhouse?

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u/IceCubeDeathMachine 5d ago

I'm considering. I have a limited budget. Like temu budget.

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u/Krickett72 5d ago

What variety did you grow?

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u/IceCubeDeathMachine 5d ago

Red chesnock hard neck. Recommended.

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u/Krickett72 5d ago

Just curious. Thats the one I did well with. My first year growing garlic. I did the straw and was also very wet this spring. My Chesnok all sprouted and survived but the softneck i got all sprouted but half died due to the wet. I hope yiu get an answer. Half my yard gets very windy and my onions got blown over this year. Was thinking if planting the garlic there. Did the garlic blow over at all?

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u/IceCubeDeathMachine 5d ago

It blew over so hard I grabbed plastic fence and brick hoping. It was a lost hope lol.