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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #169952
Title: SPRING PLANTING OF GARLIC

Author
item ROTINDO, KATE - ARS-NATIONAL CENTER
item Volk, Gayle
item LYONS, WALTER - THEGARLICSTORE.COM

Submitted to: Trade Journal Publication
Publication Type: Trade Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/1/2003
Publication Date: 1/1/2004
Citation: Cross K, G. Volk and W. Lyons. 2004. Spring planting of garlic. The Garlic Press 43:17.

Interpretive Summary: N/A

Technical Abstract: In the northern U.S., garlic is normally planted in the fall and harvested in the late summer months. Although this is the traditional agricultural practice for garlic, there are certain drawbacks to fall planting in some areas. This project's objective was to compare spring planted garlic to the same varieties planted in the same field the prior fall. Cured garlic bulbs were kept at room temperature after the 2001 harvest until being placed into NCGRP's cold storage units at 0ºC or -3ºC on 20 September 2001. The bulbs were stored in closed cardboard boxes packed lightly with crumbled newspaper until the following spring. The yields were compared to determine whether 0ºC or -3ºC storage temperatures were preferable. The bulbs stored at -3ºC had larger circumferences and weights. When compared to fall planted bulbs, spring planted bulbs were smaller in size. On the whole the spring plantings exhibited excellent bulb firmness, wrapper quality and overall appearance. These results confirm that varietal garlic stored at cold temperatures of -3ºC and 0ºC and spring-planted under Colorado Front Range growing conditions can be successfully harvested. Although the weights and circumferences may be slightly lower than traditionally fall-planted garlic, this study demonstrated spring planting of garlic might prove to be a workable alternative to the sometimes difficult conventional fall planting.