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Forcing Garlic Will it work

Gardening Reference » Gardening in 2006
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by drbl4 on March 31, 2006 03:23 AM
Has any one ever tried forcing garlic, did it work Thanks for your replies!!!!
by peppereater on March 31, 2006 04:53 AM
In the same way as bulbs are forced indoors? I'm sure it would work, but I'm wondering what for? So you can use the greens?

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Dave
Even my growlights are getting restless!
by drbl4 on April 02, 2006 08:25 AM
What I had in mind was to do more plantings and be able to plant in the spring instead of in the fall!!!
How long do you think garlic would need to be cooled?
by peppereater on April 04, 2006 10:01 AM
Hmmm...I hope someone else will come along, 'cause I have limited experience with garlic, but while I hear it's best planted in the fall, it can be planted in spring, as well. It's often sold in the spring. Any garlic will sprout and grow, even grocery store garlic, when planted in the spring.

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Dave
Even my growlights are getting restless!
by obywan59 on April 04, 2006 10:22 AM
I used to plant garlic in the spring, before I learned that fall was better. It will work, you'll just get smaller bulbs and cloves. I don't think it's the cooling that's the reason for planting in the fall, they're not like a flowering bulb that needs the cool temps in order to flower, it's for all the extra root growth you get between planting in fall and when growth starts in spring. I remember planting garlic in spring straight out of the grocery store.

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Terry

May the force be with you
by PAR_Gardener on April 04, 2006 12:09 PM
Two or three years ago, I didn't get around to planting my garlic in the fall. The ground froze over, and I thought "That's it, I'll have to go a year without garlic and buy new cloves next year."

Well, come February, the cloves were still hard. Being stubborn, I thought I'd give it a try. I had some deep trays from native plants. I used potting soil to fill the cells, and I planted my garlic in the cells about half way down.

I put the trays outside while it was still below freezing, and come April they started to sprout. Since they started outside, there was no hardening off period. I planted them in early to mid-April. It wasn't the best year for garlic, but it worked.

I figure the cloves need 30-45 days of below freezing to develop good roots. I don't know if you can force garlic like you can bulbs. I think they need to be in soil, but I haven't tried it the other way.

I don't know what the temps are like in BC, but it may be too late to force your garlic outside. Good luck, and keep us posted on your results

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Composting is more than good for your garden. It's a way of life.

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