Sally's GF3 thread

[Sally PB]

I made the door 3 openings of fence wide and 2.5 openings tall. It's 2x3 welded wire fence, so roughly 6x8 inches. I'll try to get a picture of it.

This is from the littles' side.

Unless all your adult birds are pretty hefty, they may be able to get thru that opening.

Only one of my adults might be able to wriggle through. If I see any problems, I can adjust it easily. Take out one screw (on the other side), cut the zip ties, and put the top piece down farther. (The lintel?) The grey pole can be shoved in a little closer and a little more.

I might do that tonight, now that I think about it. It seemed like a tight fit for the littles, when they were learning.

 

[Sally PB]

@aart, what do you think? Is my garlic ready?

 

[aart]

Only one of my adults might be able to wriggle through. If I see any problems, I can adjust it easily. Take out one screw (on the other side), cut the zip ties, and put the top piece down farther. (The lintel?) The grey pole can be shoved in a little closer and a little more.

I fixed my one non-adjustable tiny door by screwing a board on the side. It's the width rather than the height that will impede access.

@aart, what do you think? Is my garlic ready?

I see 2 dead leaf sets, and one ready to die, I'd pull it.
Did you dig down a bit to see if there are more?

 

[Sally PB]

I fixed my one non-adjustable tiny door by screwing a board on the side. It's the width rather than the height that will impede access.

Ah. I think I might make it a little more narrow tomorrow. That will be easy enough to do.

I see 2 dead leaf sets, and one ready to die, I'd pull it.
Did you dig down a bit to see if there are more?

I pulled one, didn't think of looking lower, but IIRC, I didn't see any.

I peeled the wrapper leaves back and had this:

Normally, they'd have laid out on a table on the front porch until every thing was totally dry: roots, stem, wrapper leaves. But I wanted to see what I had.

I think I'm going to dig them all tomorrow.

I'll get all the weeds (not too many, actually!) in the bed out of there, and then pile on some leaves to sit and rot over the winter. Seems funny to talk about winter when it's July...

 

[aart]

But I wanted to see what I had.

Could you count the wrapper layers?

 

[Sally PB]

Could you count the wrapper layers?

I just looked at that bulb, and there are 2 still on it, peeled back. I don't recall if there were more, but I think I'll dig another one tomorrow and count them.

How many should there be?

 

[aart]

I just looked at that bulb, and there are 2 still on it, peeled back. I don't recall if there were more, but I think I'll dig another one tomorrow and count them.

How many should there be?

The more the better for longer storage....but I'd guess 4-5.

 

[Sally PB]

The more the better for longer storage....but I'd guess 4-5.

I'll dig one tomorrow and see what it has.

Speaking of storage... should I leave the bulb intact, or separate the cloves? I've always separated them and picked out the 50-60 largest ones to plant. I've read "eat the little cloves and plant the big cloves."

Thanks for the info!

 

[aart]

I'll dig one tomorrow and see what it has.

Speaking of storage... should I leave the bulb intact, or separate the cloves? I've always separated them and picked out the 50-60 largest ones to plant. I've read "eat the little cloves and plant the big cloves."

Thanks for the info!

Best to cure them in whole heads, that's the point of leaving the layers on.
Only break them open to eat or plant.

 

[aart]

I pull the plants and let dry for a day on some screens.
Then trim off stalks and roots and let cure for a couple weeks in a dry shaded place.