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  • From: "Shoemaker, William H" <wshoemak AT illinois.edu>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Garlic
  • Date: Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:20:08 +0000

An interesting feature of members of the plant family allium (leeks, onions, garlic, etc.) is that they have the ability to make positive growth progress at cooler temperatures than other plants, down to 32F. So the difference in plant progress between Georgia and New York (and Illinois) through the winter months is probably very significant. The leafy material above ground in Georgia is probably conducting positive photosynthesis much of the Winter, feeding the bulbs and supporting root growth. Up here in frozen wasteland there may be some root growth in early December but they probably don't do much beyond that time until March. But then, once they get growing vigorously in April they have long days to support the growth. So its not too surprising that the same gralic would perform very differently. Its fascinating how plants respond to their environments and adjust when shifted to new sites with different influences.

 

Bill

William H. Shoemaker

University of Illinois, Crop Sciences

St Charles Horticulture Research Center

535 Randall Road, St Charles, IL  60174

630-584-7254, wshoemak AT illinois.edu


From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org [market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] on behalf of Road's End Farm [organic87 AT frontiernet.net]
Sent: Monday, November 28, 2011 8:04 AM
To: Market Farming
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Garlic


On Nov 28, 2011, at 8:00 AM, Todd Lister wrote:

Things work differently for different people in different places. Here in Georgia I have grown garlic for about 10 years and I always plant in early October and harvest in May. Usually up in two weeks. One year I didn't get it in until early December. Even that year it came up in the winter sun in about a month. I've never had it not over winter with greens up. 


The different locations could indeed explain the discrepancy. This far north, growth that makes it above ground before winter is probably going to freeze back -- we get occasional temperatures below 0 F. The plant has to start all over; while it can do that, it's lost energy, so the crop is likely to be smaller.

Harvest here is in July. The extra two months before harvest is probably making up for your ability to produce some of the top growth through the winter; which would explain why we also get good crops.


-- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 5 mostly
Fresh-market organic produce, small scale




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