I bought a seed packet of what was called "Broad-Leaved Garlic Chives"
about ten or fifteen years ago. I planted them at my previous home, then
transplanted them here at my new home (about seven years ago). About
four years ago the clump of Garlic Chives began forming bubils along
with the flowers something they hadn't done before. The plants now
produce both seed and the bubils.

The leaves are flat and and a little broader then other Garlic Chive
plants, and are also garlic in flavor. The plants appear normal, other
varieties of Garlic Chives I also grow, except for the bubils and
broader leaves.

I suspect that these were not actually garlic chives but some other type
of Allium...or perhaps they were a hybrid to begin with, reseeded, and
have reverted back to one of the original parents...just second guessing
of course.

Got any ideas what I've got here?

Donn Thorson wrote:
I bought a seed packet of what was called "Broad-Leaved Garlic Chives"
about ten or fifteen years ago. I planted them at my previous home, then
transplanted them here at my new home (about seven years ago). About
four years ago the clump of Garlic Chives began forming bubils along
with the flowers something they hadn't done before. The plants now
produce both seed and the bubils.

The leaves are flat and and a little broader then other Garlic Chive
plants, and are also garlic in flavor. The plants appear normal, other
varieties of Garlic Chives I also grow, except for the bubils and
broader leaves.

I suspect that these were not actually garlic chives but some other type
of Allium...or perhaps they were a hybrid to begin with, reseeded, and
have reverted back to one of the original parents...just second guessing
of course.


Donn,

I agree with your conclusions. I have seen similar things happen with
garlic and Alliums.

As a sidenote, I planted some garlic over 15 years ago and never have
had to re-plant it again. I harvest a lot of cloves each summer but I
leave some so that I have a crop for the next year. Even though the
temperature gets below zero (-10 F this winter) the garlic manages to
always make it through our winters.
--
Bill R. (Ohio Valley, U.S.A)



To see pictures from my garden visit http://members.iglou.com/brosen

Digital Camera - Pentax *ist DL

Remove NO_WEEDS_ in e-mail address to reply by e-mail

In article ,
Bill R wrote:

Donn Thorson wrote:
I bought a seed packet of what was called "Broad-Leaved Garlic Chives"
about ten or fifteen years ago. I planted them at my previous home, then
transplanted them here at my new home (about seven years ago). About
four years ago the clump of Garlic Chives began forming bubils along
with the flowers something they hadn't done before. The plants now
produce both seed and the bubils.

The leaves are flat and and a little broader then other Garlic Chive
plants, and are also garlic in flavor. The plants appear normal, other
varieties of Garlic Chives I also grow, except for the bubils and
broader leaves.

I suspect that these were not actually garlic chives but some other type
of Allium...or perhaps they were a hybrid to begin with, reseeded, and
have reverted back to one of the original parents...just second guessing
of course.


Donn,

I agree with your conclusions. I have seen similar things happen with
garlic and Alliums.

As a sidenote, I planted some garlic over 15 years ago and never have
had to re-plant it again. I harvest a lot of cloves each summer but I
leave some so that I have a crop for the next year. Even though the
temperature gets below zero (-10 F this winter) the garlic manages to
always make it through our winters.

I've never had much success with garlic...my soil is a clay-muck soil,
good for corn and soybeans, but not too good for any of the root crops.
Too wet in the spring, turns into concrete in the summer. I do
overwinter green onions but we have a real problem with onion maggots
here in Michigan. Rebuilding and shrinking the garden, so I'll have to
try your garlic growing technique...

Thanks,

-Donn

Donn Thorson wrote:
In article ,
Bill R wrote:

Donn Thorson wrote:
I bought a seed packet of what was called "Broad-Leaved Garlic Chives"
about ten or fifteen years ago. I planted them at my previous home, then
transplanted them here at my new home (about seven years ago). About
four years ago the clump of Garlic Chives began forming bubils along
with the flowers something they hadn't done before. The plants now
produce both seed and the bubils.

The leaves are flat and and a little broader then other Garlic Chive
plants, and are also garlic in flavor. The plants appear normal, other
varieties of Garlic Chives I also grow, except for the bubils and
broader leaves.

I suspect that these were not actually garlic chives but some other type
of Allium...or perhaps they were a hybrid to begin with, reseeded, and
have reverted back to one of the original parents...just second guessing
of course.

Donn,

I agree with your conclusions. I have seen similar things happen with
garlic and Alliums.

As a sidenote, I planted some garlic over 15 years ago and never have
had to re-plant it again. I harvest a lot of cloves each summer but I
leave some so that I have a crop for the next year. Even though the
temperature gets below zero (-10 F this winter) the garlic manages to
always make it through our winters.

I've never had much success with garlic...my soil is a clay-muck soil,
good for corn and soybeans, but not too good for any of the root crops.
Too wet in the spring, turns into concrete in the summer. I do
overwinter green onions but we have a real problem with onion maggots
here in Michigan. Rebuilding and shrinking the garden, so I'll have to
try your garlic growing technique...

Thanks,

-Donn

Donn,

We have a lot of clay soil in our area too. Over the years I have been
mixing compose with the clay and now my soil is much more "growable"
than it was years ago. I put lots of leaves in the compose bin in the
fall and by early March it is ready to mix with my soil. I put it
mostly in my vegetable garden where I grow tomatoes and other crops. I
grow a lot of flowers in planters and use some of the compose in them too.

I HIGHLY recommend a compose pile or bin to anyone that likes to grow
flowers and vegetables.
--
Bill R. (Ohio Valley, U.S.A)



To see pictures from my garden visit http://members.iglou.com/brosen

Digital Camera - Pentax *ist DL

Remove NO_WEEDS_ in e-mail address to reply by e-mail