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Post by Weed on May 31, 2015 1:49:43 GMT
Seems early, but 3 of my 10 hardneck varieties are producing scrapes already. If my plants weren't looking so good, I'd think something was wrong! Anyone else have scapes yet? Plan to take all the scapes from the Music and Estonian Red for pesto, etc... since they only produce tiny bulbils. The rest will be cut off after harvest, then placed into vases of water until they brown/dry up for planting bulbils. For tender scrapes to use for Pesto or sautéing, I seem to remember it's best to cut them just after they make the first full curl... Could someone verify or steer me straight
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Post by paquebot on May 31, 2015 2:27:41 GMT
Found one on Martin's this morning that had the umbil already 3" or so above the stem. Looked closer and there were a lot more just starting to form. Never have recorded the earliest but instead I look at the size of the plants. The Martin's are pushing 3' and that's about right for scape production.
And, full curl is fine for pesto but may already be tough for sautéing with some varieties. If you can harvest them with your fingers, tender enough for any use. If you need a knife, pesto time.
Martin
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Post by Weed on Jun 1, 2015 1:37:30 GMT
I took a better look at the garlic today before dusk, all of the hardnecks except for the German Red have scapes forming. Martin, after reading your comment on size, I went out with a tape measure. Music is the tallest variety at approx 3'6", next is the softneck - Kettle River Giant @ 3'4", the Martins are right at 3'. Measurements were all taken while holding the longest leaf up vertically.
Martin, can you tell me more about your Estonian Red grow out results... Since I've been growing it here (3-maybe 4 yrs), I haven't been able to achieve a 2" dry bulb. Each year they max out at about 2" right out of the ground. I know that variety has been one of your pet projects that you started from bulbils you got from Denmark, I believe. Hate to throw in the towel, but it could be it just don't like my climate...
The Estonian Red is looking better than last year as the plants are just shy of 3' so we'll see. Looking at the Martins and Estonian Red side x side in the bed, the ER look like they're on a diet! Long narrow leaves with skinny stalks. If our results differ drastically, I may just offer up my cloves to others around the country and see if they can get better results
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Post by paquebot on Jun 1, 2015 17:39:42 GMT
Tallest garlic plant that I ever grew was a Music and it was 78" from base of bulb to tip of scape. Bulb was probably close to 3" which is typical for that variety. 2" was about right for the first divided bulb after starting from bulbils. After that, even hit 3½" when started from cloves in well-fertilized soil. That takes 5 years to accomplish when started from bulbils. (Same applies for Estonian Red, another one which gets big.)
Martin's are all in the 40"+ range right now. Biggest measured to tip of longest leaf is 47" but may be some bigger. When the scapes develop, there will be many at 60" or better. We had a number of 3½" bulbs at WeGrowGarlic and some came close to 4". Lots more horse manure in their bed this year so bigger things expected. I'll be disappointed if I don't find a few at 4". Especially when seeing the super growth already.
Martin
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Post by barefootfarmer on Jun 5, 2015 0:32:40 GMT
I'm having the earliest scape harvest ever. My chesnok reds are all scaped out, some on the second curl. I've been cutting them for over a week now. Delicious! All from cloves planted Nov 29.
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