2 days in 60,s and snow melted...I plant nov.15th last few decades..This gives me optimal root growth with little top growth...Slightly raised hill with 60-40 mix garden soil and my compost with a trench of fertilizer banded 3 inches below roots...

Covered dec.1st with straw to prevent heaving from freezes...



http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/tt85/69alex/garlic001.jpg

60 foot double row.Cloves are 6x6 inches apart...60% soft neck and 40% hardneck with 5 feet of shallots...


Not great pics...Sun is high and bright this time year...




http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/tt85/69alex/garlic002.jpg



http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/tt85/69alex/garlic008.jpg


http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/tt85/69alex/garlic009.jpg



http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/tt85/69alex/garlic003.jpg



http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/tt85/69alex/garlic004.jpg


Still some snow at high end of field



http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/tt85/69alex/garlic005.jpg


Honeybees are really active now


http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/tt85/69alex/garlic006.jpg


At least one Queen will try to bolt every year and i will get some pics of the insuing swarm...


http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/tt85/69alex/garlic007.jpg




http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/tt85/69alex/curling.jpg

Pretty friggin awesome
Nicely done.
You'll have to keep us in the loop at harvest and Honey time.
SKOL
V

nice setup dude............

CURLING............

looked for a club here in iowa, no such luck

Cheryl, from the Candian curling team.........i am IN love !

All looks great for a good year in the garden Bud. All the best...:thumb:

Man you get after it! Mr. Green Thumb :thumb:

Looking forward to seeing that beautiful garden again this year.

Spring is springin' down there. We gotta bit of a wait yet...sigh...

Ya never fail to amaze Alex. Ya got me looking forward to trying again this year and really working at some (more) home grown greens / maters / peppers. It will be a start, but Mrs. Engineer had great success with a small garden last year...I loved it and can't wait to build on that this year. I won't post any pics, because you would flat out laugh, however. Your garden is legendary. :thumb:

Looks good, Alex.
I also keep a couple rows of garlic going - never thought about covering them up for the winter... may have to do that next year.

By the comments below, I can't wait to see your garden this year.

So when do they then get ready for harvest?.... All the best bud :thumb:

Depending on the heat....Late june to mid-july buddy....You can tell by the lower leaves/shoots browning and i dig down and check me nuts errr bulbs...I then hang them to cure the skins for 2-3 weeks depending on weather...I have me own for 9 months a year normally...Eat alot of garlic and make me own powders/salts etc...



So when do they then get ready for harvest?.... All the best bud :thumb:

That's Awesome!.... Your gardening skills kick ass bud! :thumb:

Damit ALX you keep reminding me of my neglegence of planting my garlic last fall. We just had such a wet year and the weeds just took hold plus my lazyness just never got er done. When I did plant it in the previous years it was the best. Looks like a hell of a start.

Awesome Alex!
I can't wait to see the garden explode! Thank you for sharing! Please continue the updates.

Awesome! Good to see the snow melted, for the most part. I do believe garlic is good with EVERYTHING:thumb:

I do believe garlic is good with EVERYTHING:thumb:

Well..with some things...you BOTH have to eat it...but other than that... :lol:

:lol: Alx, I see you have added a garlic smasher to your inventory.:lol::lol: how cool is that. (bottom pic for the folks in La.)
and the garlic is lookin good. I love that stuff.
and it makes me want to break away from the traditional stuff I have been Quing with.
some kinda garlic based rub / sauce for PP, ribs and every thing else. just never seems to be enough of the stuff in it for me and my love taste for garlic.

Alex, Why do you uncover it? Here in Ks. we keep it mulched right up to harvest time. Just curious... Keeping it mulched protects it from the harsh summer conditions that we have here right up to early July when I dig it up.

I always wait till after the first hard freeze to plant mine so as not to establish too much top growth. Unfortunately the first hard freeze never went away this year. To date the ground is still frozen a few inches down and Im still waiting to plant mine. The harvest will be smaller but I can still keep my favorite varieties alive and save next years seed stock.

I agree, really nice set up there alex, from the garlic to the honey bees. thats just awesome.

I will add some more compost to top for mulch....I do know alot of people who keep it mulched with the straw,but i gave up that fight with my elderly mom 30 years ago....She likes to do it this way and why fight if it works:noidea:

It works great though and where the garlic is planted in field it gets maximum sunlight untill late may and then the huge trees along edges shade the garlic by 3 p.m.....The garlic and soon to be onions,leeks etc get excellent light until heat of late afternoon.....



Alex, Why do you uncover it? Here in Ks. we keep it mulched right up to harvest time. Just curious... Keeping it mulched protects it from the harsh summer conditions that we have here right up to early July when I dig it up.

I always wait till after the first hard freeze to plant mine so as not to establish too much top growth. Unfortunately the first hard freeze never went away this year. To date the ground is still frozen a few inches down and Im still waiting to plant mine. The harvest will be smaller but I can still keep my favorite varieties alive and save next years seed stock.

Dude, you could grow grass on a bowling ball. I love these posts and look forward to seeing more!poi-nts

I mulch mine with leaves in the fall and keep it on until harvest. It keeps the ground cooler in the heat and reduces water demand. I am still not home and I am anxious to see my garden patch . My onions are started and i'm itching to get into the dirt.
You are not helping my stay calm with your great photos. :banana_smiley:

Dude, you could grow grass on a bowling ball.
that's good right there!

nice row of gold alex!

Glad I came across this Alex, I forgot to take the hay off top of my garlic, they are growing like mad though!

My bumber sticker now read"id rather be doing what he just said" I cant wait to get my hands in some dirt.

Glad I came across this Alex, I forgot to take the hay off top of my garlic, they are growing like mad though!

Jim....Most folk do leave the straw or hay or shredded leaves on garlic and let the garlic grow thru it...I just remove it cause my old mum wants it done this way-not arguing after 30 years of debate..:whistle:


I do add a few inches of my aged leaf compost to the top of beds and mix in...This provides a mulch in effect and keeps bulbs moist....Weeds are not an issue in my garden after many moons of proper soil management..

The softneck is 12 inches tall and looking great...the hardnecks are picking up steam....Shoulda snapped some pics...Shallots are 3 inches and growing quick...

Guess I'll just leave it on unless we get a few really warm days, supposed to go down to 26 tomorrow night...Brrrr......
Got spoiled by a few days up in the 70s.

Finally got mine planted about a week ago. Dont expect much of a harvest from it. Just keeping my seed stock alive will be a sucess this year.

I havent mulched at all this year as I want the sun to warm the soil, with the late start and all. Planting into cold soil isnt going to speed things up much. Well I guess I did mulch with an inch of screened compost. Will add leaves or hay if these things ever get going.

19 days since uncovering....My seed transplants will go to right for large storage onions and Leeks to left of garlic...


http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/tt85/69alex/garlic006-1.jpg


Softneck seems to always get going quickest


http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/tt85/69alex/garlic007-1.jpg

2 types hardneck


http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/tt85/69alex/garlic009-1.jpg


Garlic is all alone in field for now...



http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/tt85/69alex/garlic001-1.jpg


Grabbed a french leek for later...Gona start dehydrating a bunch soon..




http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/tt85/69alex/garlic002-1.jpg



http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/tt85/69alex/garlic008-1.jpg



Snow peas just breaking on either side of 50 foot fence


http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/tt85/69alex/garlic005-1.jpg


Will look like this in early may



http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/tt85/69alex/52509003.jpg


http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/tt85/69alex/gardemmay24002.jpg


No honeybee swarm yet....



http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/tt85/69alex/garlic004-1.jpg

Looks like it's going to be a great year for ya Bud...:thumb:

Ooooo...Man.....you up on it~! Me & louie diggin....gonna be goooood!

Wow! I just love gardens! Great job, Alex! :thumb::thumb: