tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post3273620922715486675..comments2024-03-24T11:10:13.186-04:00Comments on The Gardening Me: End of Season Review - Garlic & ShallotsMargarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-22819250401588794112016-02-05T12:22:01.178-05:002016-02-05T12:22:01.178-05:00That is very helpful, Dave - I have both pelleted...That is very helpful, Dave - I have both pelleted chicken manure and fish/kelp meal fertilizer, so I think I'll follow your lead and try that out this spring. Thanks!<br /><br /><br />And it's definitely reassuring to hear that our garlic should be ok after it's early emergence. I haven't purchased garlic since we started growing our own - even when the harvests were not the best, I would prefer to use less in order to stretch it out rather than go back to purchasing it from the grocery store.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-82748549584385513842016-02-05T12:14:35.965-05:002016-02-05T12:14:35.965-05:00I also find that shallots, specifically Golden sha...I also find that shallots, specifically Golden shallots, store very well - any that are left are still rock hard when I harvest my next batch the following season.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-22692775925421441422016-02-05T12:12:32.867-05:002016-02-05T12:12:32.867-05:00Garlic and onions have to be one of the most used,...Garlic and onions have to be one of the most used, most versatile veg we grow. I've devoted 3 beds to them and could easily fill up another one with garlic (as per my comment above!). I've not tried banana shallots - that preparation sounds delicious! You've piqued my interest...Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-9335365225008239162016-02-05T12:07:36.129-05:002016-02-05T12:07:36.129-05:00Depending on the variety of garlic, most should ke...Depending on the variety of garlic, most should keep for several months and be just fine. I hang mine in the garage for a few weeks to "cure" (or dry out) and then I trim them and put them in mesh bags which hang in the basement. So far, all of them have lasted for over 10 months that way. And roasted garlic is a favourite around here too - only thing is, if we made it too often, I'd need to add another bed!Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-56516253367635720562016-02-05T11:55:27.522-05:002016-02-05T11:55:27.522-05:00It's always interesting to read your observati...It's always interesting to read your observations about your crops, since you do such a detailed analysis! I think you are probably on track with your garlic needing more nutrients. I have been tweaking mine for several years now and the garlic harvests have been getting bigger, as well as the bulb sizes. I gave mine a top dressing of dried, pelleted chicken manure in April, and watered with fish emulsion/seaweed in early May. I will likely do that again this year.<br /><br />My garlic almost always shows green after planting and before the cold weather comes. This year we had a mild December and it shot up several inches. Some of the tips of the leaves got zapped by the snow and cold temps in January, but it always come through it all just fine.Dave @ HappyAcreshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03441364543023807886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-50354321181108190772016-02-05T04:22:06.708-05:002016-02-05T04:22:06.708-05:00Our garlic bulbs were small too. The shallots did ...Our garlic bulbs were small too. The shallots did well and have stored better than the onions.Sue Garretthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164518448098182276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-56377059263813052842016-02-05T02:16:49.191-05:002016-02-05T02:16:49.191-05:00I would like to be able to devote space to growing...I would like to be able to devote space to growing more Alliums, but the trouble is we use LOADS of them and I would never be able to produce a big enough quantity to satisfy our needs. Since Garlic and Onions are cheap in the shops here I don't usually grow any. I have had Shallots once or twice, but the results were mediocre. We like the long-shaped Shallots, the ones sometimes called "Banana shallots". Nice baked in their skins with some butter and Thyme placed in a slit cut into the flesh!Mark Willishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04558305122821209520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-12296600129207642862016-02-04T21:35:48.813-05:002016-02-04T21:35:48.813-05:00Though you say the bulbs were smaller, it's st...Though you say the bulbs were smaller, it's still a pretty impressive harvest! Do you dry the garlic in the bulbs to use them later or do you chop them and put them in jars? We have quite a few bulbs that have dried, and I'm thinking some of them might be too dry now to use. We love garlic, too! One of my favorite ways to eat it is to roast the entire bulb, drizzled in olive oil, and then spread the cloves on bread like butter. Yum!Beth at PlantPostingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10473637655960119672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-70722024151345557722016-02-04T20:58:24.289-05:002016-02-04T20:58:24.289-05:00I use a garlic press occasionally, but most of the...I use a garlic press occasionally, but most of the time, I just chop it by hand. It's not that finicky if you use a medium or large knife, cut it up into a few pieces and then go back and forth over those pieces with the knife. Here's a step-by-step video that's pretty good:<br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOTVQIBQDOI<br />All told, peeling and chopping a clove of garlic should only take you about 15 seconds or so and you have total control over how finely you want to chop it up.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-44692403117713252002016-02-04T15:49:34.069-05:002016-02-04T15:49:34.069-05:00Your records are impressive! I use garlic out of ...Your records are impressive! I use garlic out of the jar but wondered how you mince the fresh. I had one of those hand mincers but it seemed most of it got stuck in the holes. Is there an easier way. Maybe I should grow some if there is! Never had scapes or shallots. NancyCozy Thyme Cottagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03933769393226611441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-7526662953537019042016-02-04T15:31:39.791-05:002016-02-04T15:31:39.791-05:00Scapes are so yummy! I use them to make scape pes...Scapes are so yummy! I use them to make scape pesto (used like basil pesto) as well as scape dressing for salads. The great thing is that the scapes can be frozen as is, and I usually freeze some in a bag and am able to make "fresh" dressing or pesto during the winter.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-85056386478310207212016-02-04T15:29:20.853-05:002016-02-04T15:29:20.853-05:00Ha ha....not often we make an effort to STOP thing...Ha ha....not often we make an effort to STOP things from growing! The same thing happened here where I had shoots a few inches tall and got into a bit of a panic. One of the Daves indicated that this had happened to him in the past and the garlic was fine the following year. But even if it does pull through I'm also worried that the bulbs may not store well afterwards. I haven't purchased garlic in a couple of years and the thought of having to do that does not sit well...much like your onion fiasco.<br /><br />Have a great weekend too, Sue!Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-33957397499496162772016-02-04T11:54:42.001-05:002016-02-04T11:54:42.001-05:00I think I've only grown garlic once, it's ...I think I've only grown garlic once, it's not something we use very much of. I've never had scapes, how do you use them?Johttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17436932004631816039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-36015584352064036752016-02-04T11:00:35.977-05:002016-02-04T11:00:35.977-05:00I often wondered if size of clove related to outco...I often wondered if size of clove related to outcomes....good thing you keep such terrific notes. I always learn something!<br /><br />I'm hoping my garlic will turn out this year. I planted normal time, but we were warm all the way through December and ALL my garlic was growing robustly, topping 6 inches tall. That's not good. You should of seen me out there constantly stuffing more straw on it , trying to get it to quit growing. Well, I guess we'll see. These strange weather patterns really can throw stuff outta whack.<br />Have a good weekendSuehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10122524042294993949noreply@blogger.com