Garlic growing in Ohio ??

[cone9]

I am thinking of trying to grow some garlic.  I'm in NE Ohio but not close to the lake (zip 44622)
I'm just interested in growing enough of 1 or 2 varieties for our on use over the year.
 
Anyone in the general area growing and can you offer some recommendations on varieties good for here and when to plant?
 
You know...there is good garlic available year round in my local grocery store, but I just need to grow my own!  
But you guys are pepperheads too...so you understand!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

[tctenten]

I just looked up your zip and you are due west of me. Just the little state of PA in between. I grew garlic for the first time last year and it was pretty easy and required very little attention. I tried it both in pots and in ground. I did not notice a difference. I believe I planted them in late September and I do not remember the varieties. I already placed my order for this years plants. I ordered Music and Late Italian varieties.

 

[cone9]

Terry,
 
When planting in pots, did you leave them out in open weather through the winter?
If so, did you do anything to maintain a minimum amount of moisture in the soil or protect from extreme cold?
 
Using one large pot seems a good way to try a small amount of garlic.  I'm just wondering about possible effects of extremes on pots vs in-ground.

 

[tctenten]

Terry,
 
When planting in pots, did you leave them out in open weather through the winter?
If so, did you do anything to maintain a minimum amount of moisture in the soil or protect from extreme cold?
 
Using one large pot seems a good way to try a small amount of garlic.  I'm just wondering about possible effects of extremes on pots vs in-ground.

That is a 10 gallon root pouch. It looks like I have 5 bulbs in there. Before the first frost I covered them eith leaves and then I just moved them in a corner where my fence meets my house. I left them untouched till I moved them in the spring. I did the same with the inground bulbs. Just covered with some leaves and forgot about them.

 

[Myxlplyk]

It depends on what you want from your garlic. There are several levels of spiciness and heat. Do you want hardneck or softneck? Hardnecks have more flavor, but don't store as long as softneck. Hardnecks like colder winters.
 
Music is a good storing hardneck (up to 9 months), and a good general use garlic. Inchellium Red has about medium heat, as far as garlics go. But being a softneck, your crop my be less in a 4-5 zone. Killarney Red is a hardneck with a nice heat and flavor, but lasts around 6 months. It also tolerates damp soil better than most kinds. Those are the three I grew last fall. The hardnecks were almost 100% germination, while the softneck, Inchellium Red, was about 60%. Still, I would check out doing one or two of each, hardneck and softneck... at least for a year, then go from there.