From: songbird@anthive.com   
      
   fos@sdf.org wrote:   
   > songbird wrote:   
      
   ...   
   > two years in a row purchased romanian red seed garlic from Burpee.   
   > unless someone says holy crap don't do that, i'm doing it again this   
   > year. i want to eat my large garlic, not stick it back in the ground.   
      
     well, as it goes each year if you are planting garlic from   
   another grower you are defeating the benefits of acclimation.   
      
     also any time you bring in any plant in any form from another   
   location you are risking introducing diseases and pests.   
      
     there is a good chance that some of your largest cloves   
   will be larger than most or all of your seed garlic you are   
   planting.  that is a major factor in having a larger bulb   
   the next season.  try a few of your largest cloves this fall   
   and see how they do.   
      
      
   ...   
   >>   since i don't know your growing conditions i can't really   
   >> say too much other than if it is being indicated by results   
   >> that mulch isn't helping then reduce it.  also not knowing   
   >> your soil conditions for organic matter or the soil structure   
   >> itself i'm not sure if you have too much organic matter or   
   >> what is going on.   
   >   
   > thank you. thank you very much for asking these questions. you're making   
   > me think.   
      
     that's the intent.  :)   
      
      
   > i have no idea how much organic material is in the soil and i now see   
   > it's extremely relevant. there are some soil guides provided with the   
   > LaMotte testing kit i purchased sitting on my nightstand, obviously   
   > unfortunatly unread.   
   >   
   > today i pulled soil samples to dry for nutrient testing. this week some   
   > of it is headed to cornell university for further analysis. again,   
   > thanks.   
      
     you're welcome.   
      
      
   >>> watering. i didn't pay close enough attention to keeping the soil moist.   
   >>> in the fall i planted the cloves, covered with mulch, and left them   
   >>> alone. this fall, over winter, and next spring, i'll be diligent about   
   >>> maintaining moist soil.   
   >   
   >>   it's really up to rainfall or snow cover (depending upon where   
   >> you are at) as to how much moisture you've got so you do have to   
   >> at least keep an eye on things.  it is rare here that we don't   
   >> get enough soil moisture but we've had some dry spells the past   
   >> few years that mean i've had to do a lot more watering than what   
   >> i would consider normal.  gladly the past few days have finally   
   >> given us a bit of rain.   
   >   
   > here in WNY fall is usually wet and there's plenty of snow cover. but how   
   > much moisture is there is when the weather is cool never crossed my   
   > mind. i see is something i must pay attention to.   
      
     yes, winter soil if there hasn't been enough snow can dry out   
   too much.  if you get a temporary thaw and a dry enough spell to   
   affect the roots then that can make a difference in size.  mulching   
   through the winter can help even out soil moisture and protect   
   from drying out completely, but as far as growing for the next   
   spring you want to pull it off if it is down heavy as then the   
   soil will warm up faster and the garlic will be able to grow   
   easier not having to push up through all the mulch.  i've not   
   mulched the garlic i grow here.  it's a hard-neck garlic that   
   would grow even if i left it sitting out on the surface of the   
   garden soil.  i have about the same climate as you (or perhaps   
   even a bit colder).   
      
      
   >>> last is fertilization. judging by the color of the plants which were   
   >>> lighter green this year than last and despite much better results this   
   >>> year, i'm confident i was too light with nitrogen. a soil test will   
   >>> determine that next week. will be using less purchased amendments and   
   >>> more compost, too.   
   >   
   >>   if you've been regularly adding organic matter or if this   
   >> was a one time thing and the soil community has caught up with   
   >> the N and C digesting makes a difference in how things can   
   >> work out.   
   >   
   >>   generally i aim for replacing what i'm removing and then   
   >> amend as best i can.  i'm seeing an improvement in gardens as   
   >> i can get the worm populations restored but without being able   
   >> to grow cover crops and use mulches it is much slower than it   
   >> would be doing otherwise.  still with the mostly clay soils we   
   >> have when i can get things added the clay does help hold the   
   >> nutrients.   
   >   
   >>   rains and wind can also bring some extra nutrients along.   
   >   
   >>> thanks for the insight. excelsior.   
      
      
     y.w.  :)  keep on learning.  :)   
      
     based upon the bulb i pulled last week i may have another   
   week or even two yet before harvesting the garlic here.  this   
   is later than normal.  i'll pull another bulb this coming   
   weekend and see how it looks.  don't want to wait too long   
   but also don't want to pull it too early.   
      
      
     songbird   
      
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