Onion and garlic sets

How long before I expect onion and garlic sets to start to sprout? Only a couple of the onions and none of the garlic I planted a couple of weeks ago are showing anything yet.

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Permalink Reply by Patrick Wiebe on October 26, 2010 at 20:46

Garlic usually responds to a warming of the soil by the sun, and this may not happen until Feb or Mar. It might sprout earlier, and there's nothing wrong if it does, but I wouldn't really expect much for a few months now. It's also not unusual for a hard frost to kill the tops, and if this happens don't worry because it doesn't hurt the garlic, they will grow back.

Sorry, I'm not sure about the onions.

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Permalink Reply by Karen Spray on October 27, 2010 at 11:46

Thanks, I wasn't sure whether to expect green now or not.

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Permalink Reply by Rob Duffin on October 27, 2010 at 17:46

As Patrick says, garlic is pretty hardy. Sometimes I've seen shoots before Christmas, sometimes not 'til afterwards but still turns out OK in the end. However, I've only just put mine in this afternoon, so probably after Christmas this time ;>)

Pretty much the same for onions too I think, but I've only grown the over winter ones once before.

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Permalink Reply by Sue Gollop on October 28, 2010 at 23:35

I planted my garlic today. I don't expect to see anything until next February. Garlic needs some nice cold weather before it starts to sprout (not quite the word I guess for garlic!). I had the best garlic ever last year after the terrible, freezing winter-huge plump bulbs. For the first time I had planted 'good' garlic (I bought it from the Garlic Farm on the Isle of Wight) and I remember writing to them in high dudgeon when it did not appear before Christmas. Some kind lady wrote back and patiently explained the need for garlic to undergo the process of vernalisation, the seed/bulb experience of very low temperatures prior to strong, new growth. So hang in there Karen.

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Permalink Reply by Grahame Long on October 30, 2010 at 9:12

I put my garlic ina two weeks ago and they are sprouting already which to me is fair to early

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Permalink Reply by Darren Blick on January 8, 2011 at 19:43

You can plant winter onion and Garlic any time from October

I planted mine in October and my Garlic has only just sprouted

They do benefit from a good frost but they will come up when ready

Don't forget, you can still plant them in January

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Permalink Reply by Damo on January 8, 2011 at 20:45

I'm sure your garlic will be fine, mine's just coming through from last year because I planted too late in March there wasn't the cold snap to bring them to life. I planted onion sets in October which are coming along nicely.