Why You Should Mulch Garlic

[@Rainman97x]

My garlic bed last year was mulched by nature, with falling leaves. I added a few by hand to fill gaps. By the time I harvested them (and they were HUGE), the leaves had mostly broken down, so I mixed them into the compost layer (which sits over a relatively hard clay) with a cultivater and then grew amazing cucumbers all summer with no added fertilizer. This might sound a bit silly: I don't have a way to shred leaves, since I live in an apartment and don't have a lawn mower, so what I've been doing is gathering dry leaves in tough trash bags, loosely tying them, and sitting on them repeatedly. The result is a mess of crumpled leaves that tend to decay slower than shredded leaves, but don't mat as much as whole leaves. Note, be careful to remove twigs first.

[@geraldineheywood1728]

I have 3-4inches of leaves on my bed which I turn into my soil after harvesting my garlic. This past year I planted squash immediately after and they produced better than ever. Plan on doing the same next year.

[@ecocentrichomestead6783]

Mulch everything! This year I planted my garlic in an already mulched bed.

[@CharliePFoogo]

Those beds look well taken care of for sure. Also noticed a screen type material to hold the mulch in place. Very nice!

[@cindynielson4231]

Thanks for explaining how to mulch garlic. Have a great week.

[@DJ-nb7fm]

Thank you for another helpful video! I planted garlic for the first time about 2 weeks ago in 5B and I can’t wait to watch it grow!

[@TheBreamer999]

Greeting from PEI Canada, Scott. Excellent video. I use eel grass as a mulch. I live near the Gulf of St. Lawrence, somewhat ocean, somewhat Brackish, and I use it, we are less salinity than the Ocean proper, but it works. It decays over two years and adds tilth to the soil. I use it as a general cover as well to keep weeds down and work it in the soil in the spring by hand, much work but it's fantastic

[@GardenerScott]

Hi, Brent. That sounds like a great idea. I love PEI. We visited there many years ago. My wife was a big Anne fan.

[@stephenmoberg8807]

Great advice per usual 👍

[@roccoconte2960]

Nice video Scott , I just got threw planting my garlic and shallots this afternoon I waite until we have a frost or two before I mulch my garlic.

[@dwaynewladyka577]

Thanks for sharing this. Very informative. Cheers, Scott!

[@joannc9038]

Gardener Scott, thank you for all you do. :)

[@jesusisGod1434]

Please explain what you have on top of your straw mulch? Is it a fence? Or netting? And why do you have that on there?

[@goatgal7884]

I have to cover anything with straw so the chicken don't dig in it.I put chicken wire or some kind of mesh over anything with a bulb.I think he does the same.

[@GardenerScott]

It is plastic poultry netting. It helps keep the straw from blowing away in winter. I'll remove it when the plants begin growing.

[@michaelmarchione3408]

Thanks for those tip. Question: Does the straw need to be chopped up a little smaller than what comes in a bale? Enjoyed, take care!

[@GardenerScott]

I don't chop the straw because bigger pieces stay in place better in my windy garden, but you can chop it for faster decomposing.

[@noreenworrell9524]

Great information 👍👍👍👍👍

[@yvencia1150]

Great video🧄🧄 🙂🙂

[@tmlizzy]

Thank you!

[@kaittemurry4740]

I watered at the initial planting but do you water after that through winter?

[@Rainman97x]

Great question! Yes, watering in winter is important. Cold air holds less moisture, and, depending on your climate, rainfall may be less often, so beds can dry out. Less of a problem with mulch, of course. I water through the winter as needed, using my finger to check how deep it had dried out. When the top 2 inches are dry, I give it a good soak.

[@GardenerScott]

Yes, it's a good idea to water through the winter when the days are warm enough.

[@bushwp11]

Really enjoy your Videos! Do you have a video on how you built the raised beds you were sitting on during this video? Thanks, interested in the material and sizing.

[@laurabehenna7950]

Yes, just search his channel for "raised beds."

[@GardenerScott]

Yes, here's the video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gYOkmpiHfpmGjdE

[@ralph601]

Hi. I am in south Texas, Corpus Christi. I Planted about three weeks ago. Should I put mulch on? Other than the freeze this year it does not get very cold here. I planted a soft neck.

[@michaelewing1978]

Wouldn’t hurt to mulch. At least for moisture retention.

[@GardenerScott]

Mulch is a good idea for the other reasons even if you don't get freezes.

[@michaelewing1978]

I already have green shoots growing on my garlic, nearly a foot tall. Should I cut them back or just let them keep growing?

[@dawnhumphrey2151]

Following - good question

[@CraigMatadeen]

You can leave them. Cutting them back will just make them put their energy into making new leaves.

[@michaelewing1978]

@@CraigMatadeen thank you

[@GardenerScott]

Leave them. They'll keep growing if you have mild winters or will die back in severe cold, but the bulb will continue developing.

[@michaelewing1978]

@@GardenerScott thank you Sir.

[@bilezmom11]

Can you plant garlic in the subtropics? Down in S Florida, we don’t have a frost.

[@GardenerScott]

You can but cold temperatures are required for bulb development. In hot climates it will be more like growing green onions.

[@hugelpook]

Sound was a bit naff.

[@haels5139]

Was the audio quiet and kind of static-y for anyone else?

[@lindapertusati7990]

It was for me as well

[@lilal3753]

It sounded fine to me.

[@marcusandrepont8916]

Yes

[@marcusandrepont8916]

It sounds muffled.

[@maureenodonnell9600]

Hello Gardener Scott, i have a question. I harvested around 90 bulbs of garlic this summer that were large and beautiful. Half of them were hardneck. I believe i did everything right from planting to harvest and then I ran into a problem. My soft neck garlic turned translucent and sticky. Some bulbs got mushy with a strong garlic aroma. From what I could find out, it’s a condition called “waxy breakdown”. According to some sites on the internet it is a condition due to hot weather before harvest. I harvested in late July and we did have temps in the 90’s here in Bayfield, Co zone 5b. What are your thoughts and is there a way to avoid this happening again? I would appreciate your input. Thank you for your videos aa I’ve learned a lot and find your work and gardens to be an inspiration.

[@GardenerScott]

Our hot temps in summer probably contributed to that, but storing in hot temps after harvest with poor air circulation can cause it too. I use a thick mulch like straw to help keep soil temperature cooler and use shade cloth during very hot weather. After harvest I store in my cool basement with the garlic spread on a table to cure.

[@maureenodonnell9600]

Thank you, I dried it in my sunroom with the evaporative cooler running. I will put shade cloth over my garlic patch and I’ll dry it on my north facing porch on racks. Thanks again for all your expertise and sharing.

[@lauramichele7565]

Hello, silly question but do you place mulch on the bottom and top? Or just the top? Thanks

[@GardenerScott]

By definition, mulch is on top. Ingredients worked into soil are amendments.

[@nylethaddyus3162]

Hi gardener Scott, me and my family just inherited a house from our late grandmother and we are dealing with a huge fire ant infestation, do you have any recommendations for what we can do as our soil is going to be chemically toxic as nothing else has worked to get rid of them. Do you have any recommendations for how to make a raised bed that will keep the soil in it from being contaminated? Do we add a bottom? Or add legs? We are just so lost on what we can do.

[@GardenerScott]

Putting raised beds over contaminated soil is a situation where a bottom of wood, metal or plastic can help. Most chemicals used for fire ants should dissipate in time so you should be able to build a high bed, fill it with good soil, and grow normally. The contaminated soil shouldn't contaminate the soil in the bed and soil life will return to the base in time.

[@nylethaddyus3162]

@@GardenerScott Thank you so much for advice! This helps us so much!

[@off-gridsimplyhappyrodriguez]

When you say Mulch what exactly are you referring to? My husband brought out the wood chipper, so I have woodchips and tons of leaves is this ok? Also we have tons of pines may I use pine needles on some plants? (not garlic). Thank you sir I love your videos you have really helped me work on my green thumb! edit* I commented to early you answered my question, but are wood chips okay also?

[@GardenerScott]

Mulch is any material used on top of the soil. Wood chips will work as mulch but decompose very slowly, so they don't add all of the benefits of adding nutrients and organic matter.

[@off-gridsimplyhappyrodriguez]

@@GardenerScott Thank you so much!

[@Dee.C]

I wish that hoodie came in a zipper front .

[@groussac]

Iowa Zone 5a. First time planting garlic this year. Planting depth abt 3 inches; shredded leaf mulch cover 3 to 4 inches. Per advice from our garlic source, we planted in early November to avoid premature growth and die off with night time temperatures consistently below freezing and day time temps occasionally rising above freezing. By spring the ground is frozen solid to a depth of a foot or more. Seems to me we might want some fall growth for root development, but oh well. #Question: using a shredded leaf mulch in Zone 5a, is a mulch thickness of 3 to 4 inches too much, too little, or just about right? Are shredded leaves the right mulch to use? One of the gardeners at the botanical center recommends a straw mulch at 6 inches to make it easier for the stems to develop, but I'm tired of buying stuff for this garlic. Garlic was supposed to be so easy, but it comes with too much paranoia about depth and time of planting, and depth and type of mulch that I'm already loosing patience with it, and I'm just getting started. Grow baby, or I'll find something that will. Something like Swiss Chard or tomatoes that don't need so much TLC.

[@GardenerScott]

Leaves by themselves may be too much at 3-4 inches because they can mat together and create a barrier to water and air. I like to mix them with straw for better insulation and less compaction possibility. Dried grass is a similar, free option.

[@groussac]

@@GardenerScott Thanks for taking the time to reply. My leaves are pulverized--one pass in mulch mode, 2nd pass in bag mode--so they end up as tiny pieces. Still, to reduce compaction possibilities, I'll take your advice and mix in some straw. I've gone this far with the project. Might as well do a bale of straw to complete it. Going with 4 to 5 inches straw/leaf thickness. It's November & we're already in low 20s F nighttime temp, and winter hasn't even started. I know garlic is tough, but don't thick it can handle ground that's frozen solid.

[@GardenerScott]

Pierre, I'm in 5b and my ground freezes solid every winter. The garlic does well every year and comes back in spring.

[@groussac]

@@GardenerScott Thanks GS. I appreciate the reassurance. Do you plant just before the deep freeze sets in, or just after the first frost to give the garlic time to develop? Our advisers here do the former. They've run into issues with stalks developing during the warm weather after the first frost, and then getting slammed by successive days/evenings of

[@clivesconundrumgarden]

Exclusive information. Wondering if there's any need to worry about the acidic nature of leaves ? Or as it breaks down does the soil take care of that ? Thanks again

[@Rainman97x]

Pine needles and some leaves may be acidic in their original state, but as they decompose, they shift to a neutral ph.

[@GardenerScott]

Yes, the soil acts to neutralize pH differences, but most leaves and needles are not acidic when dry.

[@clivesconundrumgarden]

@@Rainman97x thank you really appreciate your help!! :) cheers from Victoria Canada

[@clivesconundrumgarden]

@@GardenerScott thanks a million, always learn a lot from your perspective:)

[@stephenmoberg8807]

👍

[@heidiclark6612]

Thank You for pushing me off the fence. I have a to-do list and mulching garlic is on that list with a question mark. I will mulch my garlic tomorrow. Like a pillow top mattress Lol. In the video, do you have some kind of covering over the straw etc. on your garlic bed ? I have mulched the rest of my beds and covered them with porous weed mat, but cannot use that on my garlic bed.

[@GardenerScott]

Yes, I have plastic poultry netting to help keep the straw from blowing away. It comes off when the plants start growing in spring.

[@heidiclark6612]

@@GardenerScott Thank You for the great netting idea. My garlic bed is quite up to the top with soil and I wanted to put something to hold down the straw.

[@terryhall2299]

Gardener Scott, I tried growing garlic last year but I don’t know what happened to it so I want to try again this year but I was thinking about doing it in a grow bag, a fabric pot. Is that going to be OK or will the cool weather, Southern California, cool that soil down as well? Should it be in a raised bed made out of wood? I do have one. I just thought it would be fun to do one in a grow bag if it would work. What are your thoughts?

[@GardenerScott]

Garlic can easily be grown in bags. Garlic needs cold weather to form bulbs and in warmer areas like SoCal they may be cooler than other beds, which can help.

[@terryhall2299]

@@GardenerScott Thank you. I look forward to trying it.