PROTECT WINTER GARLIC AFTER FALL PLANTING
Straw may protect against chinooks
Q: We’ve planted winter garlic every October or November in a raised bed. The first year we planted we had excellent garlic, and every year after it has either gone rotten or died. We’ve moved it around so it is not planted in the same place each year, and ensured that we plant when the soil is dry. We live at the base of the Rocky Mountains, outside of Hinton, and chinooks are a regular occurrence through the winter. Would this have a bearing on the garlic?
A: Alberta Agriculture and Forestry has an interesting website on the pros and cons of planting your garlic in the fall versus the spring. According to the website, fall planting has a number of advantages. Bulb dormancy is overcome by cold winter temperatures, and planting delays that we often see in the spring are eliminated by planting in he fall. Fall planting also means that plant growth commences early in the spring, and brings with it the potential for higher yields and larger bulb sizes. However, fall planting has some disadvantages. Any unanticipated delays to your planting schedule can result in reduced clove survival due to winterkill. Also, additional winter protection is required if we see insufficient snowfall. If you decide to plant your garlic bulbs in the fall, here are some helpful tips:
The planting date is determined by the average date of the first fall frost.
Delayed planting will reduce winter survival rates, so make sure to get your bulbs in the ground early.
Winter protection is important, so cover your bulbs with straw if the snow cover is thin, winter thaws occur, or if your wind protection is not adequate.
A minimum of six inches (15 centimetres) of snow is required for winter protection. I think the chinooks you mentioned definitely have a bearing on the survival of your garlic. The freeze/thaw cycle that often accompanies the chinooks would have serious consequences on the survival rate. You did not mention if you had been providing winter protection for the garlic. If you have not, then I would definitely try adding some insulation in the form of straw if the snowfall is lacking. Having said that, I think I might try the straw even with a good snowfall, just as an added protection from the chinooks. Q: I live in Edmonton and have an apricot tree that is approximately seven years old. It was transplanted to its current spot during the spring of 2016 and has grown a lot since then. We now realize that we planted it too close to the house and would like to move it again. The tree is about five feet tall, and the main trunk is maybe an inch in diameter. We would like to know when the best time would be to transplant it again and the best way to go about it. It really is a pretty little tree and we would hate to lose it.
A: The best time to move the tree would be in the fall, while the ground is still pliable. The reason for the fall planting is that the tree will put all of its energy into developing (or in your case redeveloping) the root system, and very little energy on developing new growth. I always plant my trees and shrubs in the fall, if possible, for that very reason. You can transplant in the spring if you have to, but do it as soon as the ground is workable and well before the tree begins to bud out. Dig around the tree following the drip line (outer edge of the branches) and try to create a rootball as large as you can possibly handle. The larger the rootball — and the more roots you are able to take with the tree — the better the odds of survival. Dig the receiving hole twice as large as the rootball and add good quality loam and compost. Water the transplanted tree daily up until the winter freeze.