[rosconey]

for those interested my garlic is ready-3-4 weeks early, i just pulled it out-very small this year, i think all the rain had a effect on the soil tightness-ground was very hard and tight so it constricted growth causing a early finish.

still very hard heads and heavy paper cover, so it might be small but potent  

[lonewolfny42]

Is that all you planted...just garlic ?

[rosconey]

yup only garlic this year

[JohnR]

Mmmm garlic... (just made pesto)

[gonefishin]

We have a medium sized garden at work (15'x20')...I'm not sure if it's also because of the large amount of rains we had this year, but all the plants are really kinda stumpy.  Still healthy but extremely short.  I wonder if it's because th root growth didn't need to grow that large to get water.  Any way...it doesn't look like it's going to be a very good year for our garden  

   That being said...the corn around here was nearly head high by the fourth of July.  

   enjoy the garlic!

[Andrikos]

Too much rain = little growth?????
I'm stumped! (pun intended)

If that's true then, in AZ we should have garlic about 20' tall!
No, I haven't planted garlic this year but I did plant 200+ other plants (trees, ground covers, herbs, vines, hedges, etc. etc. etc. etc.)

Enjoy the ajo (spanish), skordo (Greek)

[gonefishin]

Hi Andrikos,

  if the reason for stumpy plants is the reason???  I for one am not sure.  My thumb can be considered to be yellow or brown...definalty not green.

  I noticed you mentioned that you grow herbs (ok...now now   )  I've tried several times before to grow herbs indoors.  Every time the plants ended up dying off.  This last time the plants are doing much better...but I did move them outdoors when they were still fairly small.

   My question...do you have any advice or tips on growing and pruning certain herbs?  Right now I've got Sweet Basil, Greek Oregano, Italian Parsley, Curly Parsley and Cilantro.

   Is there anything that needs to be noted when picking (pruning) these herbs?  My Basil had gone to flower on one stem that I pruned off about two weeks earlier.  I know you can control certain aspects of growth with pruning on shrubs and such...but am lost with my tasty herbs.

   any advice appreciated...

  thanks,
    dan

[Andrikos]

Hey Dan,
As for herbs, right now I'm growing: (under the BRUTAL AZ sun)
1) Basil - sweet and lemon
2) Thyme - English and Creeping
3) Mint - Pepper and spear
4) Italian parsley - curly p. sucks!
5) Sage
6) Cilantro
7) Chives

As for parsley and cilantro (as well as various hot chili pepper plants)
they didn't do well at all. The warmer the weather became, the smaller the plants got. They seemed to be melting under the intesne sun.
Next year I'll be growing my herbs and tropical plants under shade cloth.

The chives are doing fine.
The mint which is basically a weed will soon take over (which is the purpose I planted them anyway)
The Basil is just LOVING the sun. It seeds like a mother. If you keep on chopping off the seed head growth, the leafier it gets. It's a defence mechanism of the basil. Bear in mind that once the seeding dominates on the plant, the leaves become bitter.

I'm by no means a green thumb, I'm slowly learning to cope under the AZ sun. At least my 13 citrus trees are just loving it!

[rosconey]

back 20 years ago or so we used to grow herbs when a bunch of us lived in the" house of viking" -lots of fun to trim also .
now i just stick with garlic ,dont have the time for anything that needs attention, and last 2 years peppers and tomatos didnt do squat. just plant garlic in the fall and pull when the bottom 4 or 5 leefs die.no work
besides you cant buy fresh garlic anymore its all shipped in from china but i can still go to a local farm and get veggies.

[TheChairGuy]

This place, Garlic Lovers that don't like tilling soil, is a great place to visit if you're in the Bay area....about 60 minutes due south of the city.

http://www.gilroy.org/

[lonewolfny42]

This place, Garlic Lovers that don't like tilling soil, is a great place to visit if you're in the Bay area....about 60 minutes due south of the city.

http://www.gilroy.org/

Isn't that the place where they have a big garlic festival....saw it once on tv. Ever go ??

[TheChairGuy]

Nope, never been to the Garlic Festival...only lived here in NorCal 20 months now.  Someday, perhaps.

I've been thru the town a few times...it's on the way to larger towns on the coast around here.

Lots of farms and farm stands...all selling garlic.  If you buy the little minced garlic glass jars in the supermarket, it's invariably packed in Gilroy, CA.

No werewolves in Gilroy...but LoneWolf's are allowed  

[lonewolfny42]

Nope, never been to the Garlic Festival...only lived here in NorCal 20 months now.  Someday, perhaps.

The time is now...festival starts July 23....take a look >>

http://www.gilroygarlicfestival.com/   [/list:u]

[gonefishin]

Andrikos, thanks for the help!

[Andrikos]

Andrikos, thanks for the help!

No problemo!

[R_burke]

GARLIC FROM CHINA???????

As a Northern Californian I get my garlic local and regularly attend the garlic festival.  

Food is great, Beer is plentiful and they even have music to listen to, what more could a person ask for?  Oh yeah, it's usually hot as hell there, so lots of scantily clad women.

[rosconey]

i know a few of you caint wait till i anounce its garlic pickin time so-
its almost time-picked a few runts last week,crop looks very good this year-
also just noticed i have 3 ripe portuguise hot peppers already-and about 2 dozen green tomatos a little bigger than a golfballits    almost   garlic    time-the good stuff- not from china or california but syracuse-hard winters make great garlic