Elephant Garlic

[jjat8cvParticipant]

My elephant garlic did not split into individual cloves last year. Has any one else had this problem? What would happen if I replanted the whole bulbs or should I buy new stock?

[bluebellParticipant]

You can replant these.
I think it is caused when they don’t get cold enough over winter.

[lizzyParticipant]

Some of my ‘ordinary’ garlic just grow into one big clove. Tastes ok.

[bigronParticipant]

Monty had this problem as well that I saw on GW a few weeks ago. If I remember correctly he said the same thing. Didn’t get cold enough.

[StringfellowParticipant]

I’m not so sure about this regards the reasoning; I grew elephant garlic in my greenhouse this last season, over the winter, and they grew huge well separated bulbs. Based in North of England so colder than Long Meadow but could it be something else?

[charlesModerator]

jjat8cv is on the south coast where frosts are light, perhaps it was a lack of cold for her. I have always found that garlic planted before Christmas has enough cold to differentiate bulbs. I wonder when Monty planted his.
It would be interesting to plant a one-clove bulb and I think it should grow normal cloves if there is a normal winter!

[jjat8cvParticipant]

I have planted a couple of my one-clove bulbs just to see what happens and will let you know what the result is next summer. By the way I am in Taunton and not the south coast but we didn’t have much frost here last year and only one hard frost so far this year which cut down my yacon.

[StringfellowParticipant]

Of course, planting date is not clear for any of these; I had presumed that October/ November was when they had gone in, but this may not be the case. This last winter was fairly mild oop here in the north, but even then, my October planted elephant garlic grew separate cloves when grown under cover. The weather is rarely quite right, is it!

[ivyroseParticipant]

I think it is better if you replant it.This can happen when the plant does not get enough cold needed for its growth.

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