Your comments and tips

11 Nov 08, christine bryant (Australia - temperate climate)

I have been growing garlic in north east Victoria for 15years. I grow new Zealand purple and also Russian. I love the flavour of NZ purple and I love the size of the Russian for using in making tomato sauce as it is so big sometimes you only need one clove.So much easier to chop than the other. Nearly every year I get caught with November rain just when I am ready to harvest and lose three quarters of my crop but I think this year I've got it right. I used to grow huge quatities for years but noone ever wanted it so now I am down to just enough for the family.I jar a lot of it in good cold pressed olive oil to have lots for over winter. Any advice needed I'm more than happy to reply cheers chris.

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14 Oct 12, Reg (Australia - arid climate)

Hi Cristine I`m a first time grower this season Could you enlighten me with what they mean when they refer to side shooting in garlic, do the shoots grow out the side of the bulb ?I have garlic that is sprouting shoots out the top around the flower stem , have you seen this before? Thanks Reg

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30 Dec 14, Alison Mahony (Australia - temperate climate)

Hi Chrisitne, My hubby Hugh and I live in Wangandary and are experimenting with raised garden beds with great success. However, we would like to branch out to larger scale crop of garlic. it would be great to chat with you if you dont mind. Alison

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11 Nov 08, Wayne (Australia - temperate climate)

I planted garlic in march this year and the tops have already statred to brown off. I am in Sydney is this normal??? secondly i pulled up one plant which was only one bulb, the same shape as an onion! where are all the small cloves to make up my bulb???

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14 Nov 08, Rosie (Australia - temperate climate)

So happy to have found this site!! I have planted garlic for the first time and it is just starting to flower- i remember reading somewhere that if I cut the flower off the energy which would have been used for the flower goes down into the bulb and makes the garlic stronger. Is this an old wives tale or true??

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16 Nov 08, Jodie (Australia - temperate climate)

Hi, could anyone tell me where I can find Australian garlic online?

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23 Nov 08, Susie (Australia - temperate climate)

I also have the same problem as Wayne ... single bulb like an onion and the tops have browned off. I purchased the plant at a local Nursery (Melbourne). I look forward to hearing from anyone on this. I am a first time garlic grower.

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03 Dec 08, Don Owen (Australia - temperate climate)

Christine, be aware that storing garlic in olive oil can produce dangerous toxins as it is too alkaline. Some acidifier such as vinegar must be added. There are many net references to this so I'd google this for more info. Don

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14 Dec 08, jason (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

hi we have been getting good rain at our farm in newry victoria , what happens if i plant some garlic now, as lm about to head away for 3 weeks over christmas and had some laying about my kitchen used, and its still cool weather?

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18 Dec 08, Wendy (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

I live in Ballarat I planted mine in March and when I pulled some up in October they were like spring onions..so I phoned a grower who told me "Don't pull them up.. they look like that for ages and then they "bolt" and you will get a nice bulb.. which is what has happened.. We have had a cold wet winter and a not much better spring and summer ..I just just pulled some up as the tops fell over.. and still I have 20 plants till going strong.. If you put the cloves in oil please keep it in the frig and/or only cook with it ..as it can produce the botulism toxin in an anaerobic environment and this toxin is destroyed by cooking .. I am wondering now when to plant my next crop so would like to hear from anyone in my area Wendy

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