Kem Ormond’s vegetable garden: Garlic - how to grow a good rust-free crop

Plant your garlic in June, earlier to avoid the rust!

Kem Ormond is a features writer for NZME community newspapers and The Country.

OPINION

I have been so disappointed with my garlic crop over the past few years. All it has been producing is rust!

I want to hang large braided strings of garlic in my kitchen and on the odd occasion around my neck if the need arises!

How can I stop rust from appearing on my garlic bulbs?

Rust is an airborne, parasitic fungi that makes your plants look, well – rusty!

You must ensure your garlic is growing in an open, sunny position, and in free-draining soil. Garlic plants do not like excessive moisture and dislike overcrowding.

Always remove plants at the end of the growing season, especially if they have shown signs of rust infection, and do not add them to your compost bin.

Wrap them up and dispose of them.

How does rust spread in garlic?

Rust spreads quickly through touching leaves, wind, being knocked about and rain. Wet foliage and mild temperatures create the perfect environment for spores to multiply, making spring a rust-prone zone.

It produces raised, orangey spots that cover the foliage quickly when conditions are ideal and in a severe case, the leaves go yellow, wither and die.

The bulbs will be small but edible. It doesn’t look very appetising.

If you are lucky enough to get a change in weather and it heats up and dries out, the fungi spread will slow right down, if not … bad luck! The rust is not going to move!

We all need some garlic over the winter months.

This year I am trying the following

They say to plant your garlic in June. Well, ha ha Mr Rust, my garlic is already in.

I decided early planting would give me the best chance to have developed and sized-up bulbs before that rust appeared in spring.

I am growing my garlic in raised beds, filled with homemade compost, to keep their feet dry. You need to prepare your soil well in advance of planting.

I am planting a combination of bulbs, purchased from different suppliers.

Studies show rust is minimised with good air movement, although there is a trade-off. Having a larger space means more room for weeds and a smaller crop.

It is worth having a go experimenting though. You also need to think about crop rotation and not using the same piece of ground each year.

I want to grow a good crop of garlic, so I can make a garlic plait for my kitchen.

Now here is something you may not have tried or even known for that matter

Milk is a wonderful fungal prevention spray. Dilute it at 1:10 and apply once a week. Or just rinse out milk bottles and apply, as and when.

I have been told a good feed of liquid seaweed will help stimulate the development of the bulbs and a side dressing of blood and bone every month till the leaves start to brown is another good option.

I thought I would have a go at making my own liquid seaweed since I have plenty of washed-up seaweed on my local beach.

It can take up to eight months to grow garlic, so be patient.

By nurturing the bulbs, giving them the correct growing conditions and feeding them well, with your fingers crossed, hopefully, you will beat the rust and have a wonderful string of garlic hanging in your kitchen over the summer ... or around your neck!