My husband “planted” a bunch of garlic a few years ago. Nothing much at all after the first season. Then it came back and I told him to leave it in to see if it does anything. I’m thinking of pulling some this weekend to see what it looks like. This area is big for garlic, but we don’t have luck with leeks, onions...and the jury is still out on garlic.
BUT! We let the leeks come back every year and bolt - the blooms attract many different types of bees and wasps, and those keep the Japanese Beetles away. Never been bothered by the bees - they are totally in love with those blooms.
‘Growing Great Garlic’ by Ron Engeland is a great book. Step by step through the season. BTW, you must plant garlic the preceding fall and it must winter to bulb properly. Some varieties need cold and more varieities are coming in from the former Soviet Union all the time.
I’ll plant out my largest bulbs this fall, probably in late September, and give them a little growth before freeze up. The most important thing, though, is that the soil is in prime condition. They . Well, you can read about it from Ron’s book and he did a right fine job - even if he is probably a barking moonbat hippie.
Still working on my leaks - need deeper soils. Gotta love the aliums - a fine, fine family. In honor of them, I give you this limerick:
‘The Old Man of Kilkenny’ by Edward Lear
There was an Old Man of Kilkenny,
Who never had more than a penny;
He spent all that money,
In onions and honey,
That wayward Old Man of Kilkenny.