Common Garlic Planting Mistakes (To Avoid)

Garlic is easy to grow but getting planting right leads to growing success. There are some common garlic planting mistakes and Gardener Scott offers 10 examples and how to avoid and how to correct them. (Video #304)
00:40 Planting the wrong variety
01:30 Planting at wrong time
03:25 Not preparing soil
04:10 Too much fertilizer
04:50 Planting small cloves
05:40 Planting upside down
06:34 Planting too close
07:16 Planting at wrong depth
08:23 Not mulching
09:27 Wrong location
10:10 Vernalization
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[@jasona6222]

My garlic was planted once…about 10 years ago in a raised bed. We harvest every year the entire raised bed and it reseeds itself…not from the scapes but from below. Ours is on autopilot..we don’t mulch, add soil or fertilizer. We also let our scapes develop somewhat…we enjoy them as much as the garlic cloves.

[@shineyrocks390]

My first frost was last Thursday. I had already amended the soil and added plenty of biomass and rabbit manure, two weeks prior to my frost. Garlic is in the ground and a good healthy amount of straw over top. 🤞

[@adampetherick6266]

Good luck

[@dogslobbergardens6606]

Take note that Scott said to put the garlic in the ground four weeks before the ground freezes - that's NOT always the same time compared to first frost. Here in my area we may get frosts from mid-October on, but the ground often doesn't actually freeze until into December or even January. I've gotten that timing wrong in the past, and I ended up with early growth and little stunted bulbs like he described in the beginning of the video.

[@mudpiemudpie785]

Perfect timing. I was just getting ready to plant mine.

[@courtneyrenegar4329]

Garlic growing season is my favorite season!!!! Ssshhhh.....don't tell the tomatoes. I'm in Seattle zone 8b, and it's like the magic garlic growing area. I can beautifully grow both hard and soft necks, it's the best!! Thanks for a great video.

[@Jeff-rd6hb]

I'm about 100 miles north, also 8b, and just got my garlic in. Looking forward to a great harvest next Summer. 😊

[@Ealves0525]

Thank you so much for this because this is going to help me avoid a lot of mistakes I was about to make on my first year growing garlic😆I’m in zone 7 so I’m going to start with putting the bulbs I just received on the mail in the refrigerator. I thought I was late putting them in the ground 😂 thank you as always Scott!!

[@KeyAnah]

i'm gonna try the refrigerator thing to, i'm in grow zone 8b so it's a bit tricky when or if the frost will be here. Great video Gardener Scot, thx for the tip, i feel lucky this year. 😎🤞

[@groussac]

Thanks Gardner Scott. And thanks to all of you who post comments to his videos. I learn a lot from both him and you. Nice to know there are others who have fun with gardening, which is really what it's all about.

[@laurieanne9712]

So helpful! Last year was a total fail--now I know I planted too early. Thanks for all these tips! Much needed!

[@theresawillett9780]

Zone 8b here. I've grown hard and soft neck, and any varieties I want for years, with great success. No need to refrigerate. Basically I just pop them in the ground and forget them until June.

[@margobrannan1966]

Great video & Info - As always !!

[@CLMaxey67]

You really are the "Bob Ross" of gardening! :)

[@Angie-ci1lp]

Thank you!

[@eliandkate]

Good, handy advice Scott Garlic growing seems to be more and more popular these days so really handy advice for the new growers.

[@takeitslowhomestead5218]

Thank you for the great information!

[@circuscats67]

Thank you for this video.

[@nachig4754]

Great video Gardener Scott, Thank you

[@YoutubeHandlesSuckBalls]

One thing to do if you want to adapt your garlic to your particular environment, is to let the flowers develop into a pod at the end of the stalk, which will be filled with what looks like tiny garlic bulbs. These are garlic 'seeds' and will have a slightly different genetic makeup from the parent bulb. Plant these along with your regular garlic crop and by the end of the next summer, they will have produced a single round clove that is unsplit. If you wish, you can leave this in the ground to become a full bulb by the end of the next year that has many cloves, or pull it up and replant it like any other bulb/clove if you want your garlics in a different bed. Over the course of a few seasons, natural selection will mean you have garlics that are more suited to your particular soil and climate. If you ever wondered how people make varieties of garlics, this is how they do it. If you are selective over which bulbs get replanted, then you can select for taste, hardiness, or any other quality you prefer.

[@maggiemanzke7926]

Very timely, Scott, thank you very much!

[@dflor50]

Good tips. Thank you.

[@Junzar56]

I hope this year is successful!

[@suegendron2260]

Thanks for this comprehensive tutorial on garlic. Very informative!

[@ZeroCarbDaddy]

Great tips as always. Reminds me why we used cellars or root cellars in the past. It wasn’t just to store but promoted propagation that may have been taken for granted or not considered. Something’s like the old ways can’t be beat. Thank you sir.

[@aruproychoudhury2847]

Great video Gardener Scott, and an awesome bonus tip too. Thanks for your advice as always! Best wishes, Roy from London, UK 🇬🇧

[@nancysala7769]

Awesome tip about refrigeration of the bulbs.

[@lynnelliot7256]

Thanks for all the wise advice u give us, much appreciated From New Zealand🙋🌼

[@hollysharvest]

Thanks for your video! I think garlic does better in warmer winter climates than many people realize. 50% of the garlic in the U.S. is grown in Gilroy, CA, which is in zone 9a/b. Of course, they use softneck garlic there, but it does very well. I have really good success with softneck garlic in zone 10a in Southern CA as well, and without putting it in the fridge.

[@RVBadlands2015]

Where do you purchase your garlic to plant. Can you use grocery store garlic. I am in Marysville Ca. Zone 9B.

[@petera1117]

San Diego seed company. They will have them in stock around late August. Got mine last year and they are beasts. Can’t wait to harvest everything in a month or two

[@sylviaprudhomme5417]

Very good video❤❤❤❤❤😊😊😊

[@evieporter2500]

great tip about refrigerating bulbs I’m zone 8, and never knew why my garlic did poorly! Thank you

[@19YVO]

awesome video !! =) just what I needed cuz im planning on growing garlic in a big pot on my balcony and im in zone 8 so thanks for al this info im still gonna give it a try will be planting the gloves in about a month will keep you updated next year if there is any harvest =D ciao

[@NewMindGarden]

Very nice

[@adampetherick6266]

I don't get why other Garden channels don't adopt your method of explaining how to do stuff som channels I watch your video which is full of knowledge on the same exact topic explaining I come to find out most Garden channels talk about gardening but have knowledge about gardening but thay donot have the knowledge about explaining the history USA number 1 channel gardening knowledge explaining history lesson plus you have fun doing it besides you take us along on road trips to other Gardens

[@gwendyrose8905]

I LOVED the recommendation video you did with your family. Based on that (among a few other personal reasons), I planted Music garlic last fall. It was my first year growing garlic & I ended up with a GREAT harvest! I saved some back for this fall & I can't WAIT to get these planted! I almost planted them too early (because patience isn't one of my "virtues"!), but you reminded me why I still need to wait a bit yet. Thanks again for great advice! 😊🌱👍

[@lesliewatts2878]

What an excellent video. You have not left out a single important aspect of growing big "G". I'm in a zone 4. I've grown "G" > 10 yr. Your method is the same as mine. It really works. Thanks for all the confirmation. It is reassuring. Keep well.

[@heidiclark6612]

Thank You for the heads up on garlic planting mistakes. You always put out such timely video topics. Because of this video, I am rethinking where my garlic will be planted this year and I will be putting my garlic in the refrigerator right now.

[@kjrchannel1480]

My big problem is most stores only offer Garlic bulbs in the spring. When they should be out with Tulips and Daffodils.

[@CoastalGardensNW]

Great video 👍 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@deecooper1567]

Ugghh, the last week & the coming week temps ranging from mid to low 20s here in Winnemucca 🥴. My garden is toast. 😔. I realize a few mistakes from this year tho so there’s always next year 😍 Have a great weekend 👵🏻👩‍🌾❣️

[@p.desroches2291]

I live in zone 5b and grow both soft neck and hard neck garlic planted in Sept or early October with great success while changing beds every year. Bonus crop of garlic scapes from the hard neck varieties . Mulch is key as mentioned. I plant the biggest cloves from previous years harvest. Works a treat! Never have to buy after first purchase.

[@LorienGreen]

Thanks so much for this timely information! It's my second year growing, and I think I put it in the ground too early last time, so I've been dragging my feet. But now I know I need to get going and at least amend the bed to get it ready. I'll probably wait till the following weekend to plant the garlic. Oct. 1 is our average first frost date, but with things getting warmer each year, that was too soon last year.

[@diannerassie6332]

Hi there. Very interested to see this, especially the bonus tip. I live in Auckland New Zealand, zone 10b I think, and more specifically, in an area that is frost free. I was unsuccesful last year, my first time. Keen to try the fridge idea. Early May here, officially winter starts beginnjng of June. Many thanks for any advice.

[@bwayne40004]

Thank you! Always can use more info on garlic. The tip for setting cloves after frost but before freeze was a great guideline. I believe I've set mine a little too early the last two years. Beds prepped, waiting on that 6b weather.

[@paulgentry4172]

Great timing. I’m starting to prepare my garlic bed today. My crop wasn’t very good this year because I planted the wrong type for my zone.

[@isabelladavis1363]

lol I was going to ask about cold stratification and that was the tip you offered at the end...here is hoping all of the information I come across is put to good use...thanks again

[@Gkrissy]

Thanks Gardener Scott for the tip of putting the garlic in the fridge for a month for those in zone 7. I noticed my garlic last year didn’t develop much so I am using containers and a more sunny location this season. Great video!

[@drewsenthused6079]

I got my first (and only) seed garlic in this last weekend. Chinese garlic from a seed swap, so someone had success growing it out here in Phoenix.

[@juliaarmato3984]

Thank you sooo much. I planted garlic for the first time last fall. I now know the mistakes I made. I didn't plant them deep enough and didn't have enough mulch on the top, and they heaved. Live and learn.

[@stevefromthegarden1135]

Good tip using the refrigerator for people in warmer climates. Freezing temps are no problem here in NE Illinois. We are having warmer than normal weather so I will probably need to wait until the end of Oct instead of mid Oct this year before I put the garlic in.

[@chelseadukes9875]

Thank you so much for this. I tried growing garlic last year with predictably poor results. I had no clue what I was doing. I did nearly everything you just said not to do. Good to know my mistakes are fixable!

[@Rainman97x]

My seed garlic purchase just shipped, 3 varieties you recommended. One is music, of course. I also have some very large soft neck (probably California) bulbs from last year's planting to replant and some kind of purple skinned garlic from the store this year. 5 varieties planted is going to take up some space, but sometime next summer, I'll know just what I'm looking for.

[@robsallotmentchannel9942]

Hi Gardener Scott. My biggest problem when I grow garlic and leeks is Rust. But I still try year after year. Take care. 👍👍👍👍👍

[@curiouscat3384]

I'm in NC zone 7B becoming 8 I think. For years I've only been able to grow puny cloves. Now I know I've been planting too early. Very tricky here because we can have a frost mid-Oct and then random summer temps off and on thru November. This year I will wait until 2 weeks AFTER that first frost and will report back here next summer after harvest :)

[@nspctor7729]

Solid advise Also, don't forget to ROTATE your crop each year. I plant my garlic when the soil drops down to a steady 10C measured around noon. Cheers,

[@lastchancemonicam3948]

I put the clove in correctly. Then my gaze of raccoons reached in through the grate, reached past the layer of mulch, dug up my clove, couldn't get the roots out, and left it to grow sideways. I saw the tracks and handprints. I then tried to put the clove facing the right direction and re cover it with dirt and mulch. The next day, it was back having all the dirt and mulch brushed aside, the clove exposed, and the roots still in the soil. I figure enough energy has been expended. If it's beating the raccoons by facing sideways- so be it.

[@adampetherick6266]

Raccoons have sensitive paws

[@brandywright1092]

This doesn’t seem easy now that I’ve listened to the whole video! 🥺

[@franksinatra1070]

Thanks for the tips. Where it gets tricky is figuring when the ground will freeze and how cold the winter will be from year to year. I'm NW suburbs of Philly in borderline zone 7A or 6B. I'm thinking of planting around Halloween. Last year I planted a soft neck variety in late November and they never came up in Spring. This year it will be all hard neck.

[@GardenerScott]

A rule of thumb is to plant between Halloween and Thanksgiving, and then start keeping track over the years to see which week is best.

[@franksinatra1070]

@@GardenerScott Good idea but what I was getting at is back in 2016 we had trees blooming at Christmas with that el nino while last year it snowed in the middle of Dec. Winters vary so much around here but I'll give Halloween a try this year since I have my bulbs ready to go.

[@sandrarichardson2713]

This was a no-nonsense presentation of growing garlic. Great tips on mistakes to avoid. Grew some for the first time last year on the wing and it was ok. But I would like to improve as each successive year comes and goes. Thanks for your help. I was wondering about amount of water when watering and fertilizing from start to finish. But I'll read through the other comments to pick up on some of that. Maybe it's already been addressed. Jesus bless.

[@GardenerScott]

Because I amend my soil and promote healthy soil life I don't use fertilizers. I try to keep the bed evenly moist and that includes watering on warm winter days.

[@amyt7570]

Hello Gardener Scott. Enjoy your videos. You climate seems very similar to the conditions we face in northern Arizona. I’ve learned so much. What do you think of pine needles as mulch? We have so many but don’t want to use them if straw is better. Thank you.

[@GardenerScott]

Thanks. I like pine needles and use them as a mulch around my strawberries and other fruit bushes. Because they take a long time to break down I don't use them in my vegetable garden.

[@selinanguyentv5125]

khu vườn đẹp quá

[@TomMass]

Hi Scott, love your videos! I just started my first two raised beds for vegetables! I am in New Jersey zone 7b, and I ordered garlic before I saw your videos. It seems it's too late to plant them. What should I do with it (one head) ? Save it for fall? Or can I plant it now and leave it in the ground growing until next year? Thanks again for all of your great videos!

[@GardenerScott]

You might want to plant them now. They probably won't store well enough for fall planting. If you put them into the refrigerator for a month or so, you will probably still get bulb development or you can plant them and use them like green onions. Without the cold exposure they may not develop into big bulbs but will still taste like garlic.

[@mowerds33]

Hi Scott, thanks for the videos, I enjoy them. I just got my garlic bulbs in the mail, I'm in zone 5 and probably have a couple weeks until I can plant my bulbs, should I store them in the fridge? It's still like a low of 50 and high of 80 this week. Thank you.

[@GardenerScott]

It gets cold enough in winter in zone 5 that you don't need to store them in the fridge.

[@ralph601]

Thanks for all the tips. I am getting softnecks for here in south texas. We usually do not see cold weather till early to mid-Nov. I will do the refrigerator method and see how that works. My question is how often and how much water? Thanks have a great day.

[@GardenerScott]

You want to soil to remain moist and not wet, so it depends on your soil. More for sandy soil, less for clay.

[@ralph601]

@@GardenerScott, I have a no-dig bed with mixed compost and raised bed soil. Thanks, I could not find anything about watering garlic or sweet and regular potatoes. Thanks.

[@brock5925]

Hey Gardener Scott, I prepared my raised beds for the garlic a month ago. We had our first frost last night, I live in zone 7a. I plant my garlic now? Correct? Also, just wanted to say thank you for always responding having really informative helpful videos. My garden did great this year and my little boy learned so much and loved it. Thank you!

[@GardenerScott]

Yes, it sounds like it's time to plant your garlic. Thanks!

[@brock5925]

@@GardenerScott thank you!

[@Veronica-nq9kr]

Very informative! It helped me understand why my garlic was smaller than I thought it was going to be. Not enough sun! Do you water your garlic bed or any other beds during the winter months?

[@GardenerScott]

Yes I water occasionally in winter. My winters can be dry and when the temps rise above 40F it's a good idea to water if there hasn't been snow or rain.

[@Veronica-nq9kr]

@@GardenerScott yes, I'm your neighbor to the south. We're also very dry, and about 10 degrees than your area. I didn't water last year, so I will correct that. Thanks again!

[@conniedavidson1807]

Just in time for planting my elephant garlic.This is a first for me and I got the bulbs in the mail and I am impatient to put it in the ground. In zone 7 it is way too early to plant for almost another month. Thanks for keeping me from making 2 huge mistakes....planting too early and planting in a shadier spot I had picked.

[@RL-od7fz]

Thank you for the excellent video! Can you recommend a good source for seed garlic? It seems to be very expensive, and I'm temtped to use organic grocery store bulbs.

[@GardenerScott]

Check your local plant nursery. They usually carry varieties that will do well locally.

[@mikeedward3161]

Thank you for your helpful videos, I used some supermarket garlic so did not know what type it was that I planted almost springtime this year here in England/UK.However, our spring time here this year never really came about as we had some unfamiliar weather here in the south-east of England as we just seemed to plunge into summer. The end results were small, but I thought it was because it did not have the real cold weather the frost part, but what we actually did get was so very tasty and although small it was lovely, and the spacing was not too good because I used a window box sized container that was sheltered by the house. So all in all, not actually too bad but not good as would have hoped for, but will try again the proper way, however as I can't find any supplies in stock in local nurseries or online, will have another go at supermarket grocery suppliers can you tell us/me if you have ever tried obtaining yours from this type of source and others do same for ginger, have you? Regards, Maureen

[@GardenerScott]

Here in the U.S., bulbs in stores are often treated with chemicals to inhibit sprouting. It may be the same in the UK. Certified Organic bulbs are a better choice and may give better growth.

[@mikeedward3161]

@@GardenerScott Thanking you for your reply that I find helpful. Take care, Reagrds Maureen

[@justinburton7919]

Would the bulbs I buy from grocery stores be able to grow if I planted them soon? I'm going to try the refrigerator trick as well, thank you for your help!

[@GardenerScott]

Bulbs in stores are often treated with chemicals to inhibit sprouting. Certified Organic bulbs are a better choice and may give better growth.

[@ogreunderbridge5204]

That explains most of my topical ignorances. All I got from mine was a meager dental floss :D I also tried those chinese one cloves. All they gave was at best a 5mm green teaser. Any experience with them ?

[@GardenerScott]

I haven't grown those.

[@Grayald]

When should Creole garlics be planted in southern Louisiana?

[@GardenerScott]

Check with a local nursery for sure, but it should be in fall.

[@jennwatson74]

You are the first person I’ve heard mention anything about the ground freezing. All others have said to plant 4 weeks before first frost not before the ground freezes. But because I feel your opinion is superior could you please explain this further?

[@GardenerScott]

It is a recommended method by many Extension programs. Because many areas can have a month or more between first frost and freezing soil, if you plant a month before the frost you are likely to give the cloves enough time to sprout and grow leaves. It wastes clove energy, can increase desiccation when the leaves die, and may kill the plant in severe cold. By delaying, you give enough time for roots to grow, and a few sprouts may emerge below ground, but leaves don't grow above the mulch because the plant goes dormant when the ground freezes.

[@jennwatson74]

Thank you so much!

[@amyberchtold2728]

Wonderful info! If i can't find garlic at a local nursery, can i buy them at a lacal grocery store?

[@GardenerScott]

You can, but store garlic is often treated with a chemical to inhibit sprouting. I suggest organic garlic if you can find it.

[@amyberchtold2728]

@@GardenerScott thank you for replying! I love your videos. I know I probably made a few of your viewers cringe with my question. I am all about organic so i will definitely follow your advice. By the way, just discovered your garlic taste test video. Another winner! Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom

[@PYehl1]

This years garlic had big bulbs but also worms!- onion maggot worms I believe. Any tips for that issue? Other than change locations? Put floating row cover? If so when do I need to start with the cover - right when planted or when the plants emerge the following Spring?

[@GardenerScott]

You have the right idea -- planting in a different location and row covers can help. Avoid planting onions and other alliums in that bed. The pest overwinters in organic matter so clean up dead plants in the bed. You can cultivate the bed to disturb any pupae in the soil. Adults will begin flying in spring so early row covers can help.

[@darenjohnson1357]

I planted a bunch of garlic. A few that I put in pots have sprouts 2 inches. Should I bring those in for the winter, or how do I prevent it from getting to big and dieing before harvest

[@GardenerScott]

Bringing them in will encourage more growth. Adding extra mulch can help protect them from extra damage, but they will probably die back if you get cold winters.

[@thenaturalhuman9568]

Can you plant them in spring, sorry if I missed

[@GardenerScott]

You can, but don't expect big bulbs. Spring garlic grows like green onions.

[@patrickbrideauful]

I put bone meal to help roots when plantintg... is it good?

[@GardenerScott]

Possibly. If your soil is deficient the phosphorus can help.

[@FrankStarnes-ql1ws]

Can you suggest a garlic for zone 9 or 9a and a supply source?

[@GardenerScott]

Start with your local nursery. They should have suggestions for Creole and Asiatic varieties.

[@ProteusDIY]

At 3:36 when you start talking about amending soil with organic matter....It would be SUPER helpful if you would have scooped up a little bit of the soil/compost mix to show us what it looks like. I have very dense clay soil and had tried 50/50 soil/compost last year. I planted maybe Oct-10th and the cloves sprouted leaves so it was too early here in zone 4. I will wait till the 24th of Oct this year. I looked up my zip and it says 70% chance of freeze in the ground Oct-24th. 100% by Nov-1. This year I plan on using different beds and using 75/25 compost/soil. What are your thoughts on when and how often to use urine as a fertilizer? I know it's high in nitrogen but I can bring up the potassium by using fireplace ash, correct? I will mix in some ash before planting the cloves. Last year's harvest was very small in size - the cloves were nicely sized but the bulbs were not big and only had 3-4 cloves in each. The scapes were delicious and so was the garlic but this year I am going with Chesnok Red hardneck vs Music Porcelain which I used last year. How often should I use fireplace ash for garlic? Love your videos. Thank you!

[@GardenerScott]

Urine has nutrients and can be used for fertilizer, but it's difficult to determine the proper ration with ashes without a soil test. I think it is better used in the compost pile to add nitrogen and moisture. Using ash depends on your soil pH and how much potassium is needed. It is not useful in my alkaline soil.

[@ProteusDIY]

@@GardenerScott Thanks. I will perform a soil test and go from there.

[@stephenluna7932]

My ground doesnt feeze here in 7B so should I just plan on planting after my last frost? Also with the 6" apart can you plant on the edge of your raised bed and/or container or do you need to be 6" away from the edge?

[@GardenerScott]

Planting between Halloween and Thanksgiving is common in zone 7. To give the bulb 6" of growth plan for a minimum of 3" from the edge.

[@lancer525]

So how do you save the big cloves to plant in the fall? Say you're cooking in August, and break open a new clove, and it's got three really huge, nice cloves in it. Set them aside, mince up the smaller ones, and then what? How do you save those cloves for three and a half months before it's time to plant? Leave the paper on, I know. But how to keep them viable until planting in Zone 8a?

[@GardenerScott]

Most garlic stores well for at least four months in a cool, dry spot. For planting it's best to leave the bulbs whole and paper on until they go in the garden.

[@billsnyder6945]

Had great success with straw and leaves in the past but was thinking of trying wood chips for mulch in one area this year, any experience or advice?

[@GardenerScott]

I usually avoid wood chips in my vegetable beds, but they can be good on a long-growing plant like garlic.

[@billsnyder6945]

@@GardenerScott just started experimenting with them this year in a portion of in ground beds. I was impressed with their ability to hold moisture, better than other mulches. They do take some getting used to.

[@toniearnest1861]

If you are in zone 7 and planting garlic in September when will they be ready to harvest ?

[@GardenerScott]

It will probably be ready in summer or earlier if you want to use it like green onions.

[@memellie]

Yikes, I think I planted too early! 😳

[@hugelpook]

What if I plant them in hugelkulture beds which never freeze, but have cold winters?

[@GardenerScott]

Garlic doesn't need freezing, but should have about two months of 40F or less to induce bulbing.

[@marcuspowell2510]

I grew garlic for the first time last year and it went awesome. But I’ve heard that where you plant garlic, above all other plants, needs to be rotated from year to year. Thoughts?

[@GardenerScott]

Because it's in the same spot for most of the year, it can deplete soil nutrients and that's why you hear about rotating it. But with good soil amendment to replace the nutrients, it can be grown in the same spot.

[@marcuspowell2510]

@@GardenerScott thank you.

[@equalsine6355]

If you have warm enough winters that don't kill off the leaves, can you plant in early fall and harvest in Spring?

[@GardenerScott]

You can, but you may not get big bulbs.

[@equalsine6355]

@@GardenerScott Thank you for your reply!

[@lifeisbeautiful_nz]

Hi Scott...Could you please talk about how to get rid of fruitfries. I have bad maggots in my Feijoad for 2 years At this stage they are form flowers. I heard about neem oil, Sugar apple juice from leaves. Sugar and vinegar mixed..Are they any better ways for this? I guess hv got fruitfries from feeding worms with my wasted fruits and vege nearby my fruits tree. It s a big job....Thank you.. 🤠HappyFeeet.NZ

[@GardenerScott]

Traps are among the best ways to deal with fruit flies. You can find options by searching fruit fly traps.

[@DavidKimFX]

4:23 If too much Nitrogen causes a lot of leaf growth, does that mean Phosphorus and/or Potassium can cause large bulb growth? Or no?

[@GardenerScott]

Phosphorus and potassium do have an effect on bulb growth but it won't be as pronounced as the nitrogen effect.

[@yada3x977]

Is it wise to mulch the bed after I get my bulbs in?

[@GardenerScott]

Yes. It will help keep soil moist to promote root growth and will keep weeds down.

[@MrStrongbox]

If anyone could give me some advice I'd appreciate it. I live in the South suburban Chicago. A friend of mine gave me some garlic that he pulled out of the ground in mid may of this year. They were small bulbs clumped together with about a foot long of green foliage. Not knowing, I just planted the whole clump which if i had to estimate, contains around a dozen single, small immature bulbs. Its now been close to 2 weeks and I know I messed up. 1) Should I dig them up and properly separate them and replant? 2) Should I just leave them, chalk it up as a mistake and allow them to naturally grow and replant in the fall? 3) If I go with option 2, would the bulbs even be viable for fall replanting? Thanks for any feedback!

[@GardenerScott]

It's probably not too late to dig up and separate. They'll do better individually. Spring planted garlic won't give you the big bulbs though.

[@MrStrongbox]

@@GardenerScott Thanks Scott

[@rlatham3128]

I've planted elephant garlic three times with good compost. They've died after breaking the surface. What's up?

[@GardenerScott]

Most plant problems are due to soil issues. You might want to do a laboratory soil test to check nutrient levels and see if there are any contaminants in the soil.

[@joelegrand5903]

You must be up North, we do not have many of the problems you list here in zone 8.