Garlic pathogen? - Ask Extension
I’m a home gardener with a large garden of raised beds. Yesterday I went to plant my seed garlic and was troubled to find much of it as pictured - e...
Knowledgebase
Garlic pathogen? #777143
Asked November 04, 2021, 1:34 PM EDT
I’m a home gardener with a large garden of raised beds. Yesterday I went to plant my seed garlic and was troubled to find much of it as pictured - either brown or browning, drying out, etc. I’m concerned I have a pathogen or something going on but I’m not sure how to identify or deal with it. I did go ahead and plant some of this seed (I did notice this to a lesser extent last fall but didn’t really worry about it then and my summer crop seemed strong) - but advice on this is welcome. Thanks !
Berrien County Michigan
Expert Response
Thanks for the question.
The first two pictures can be indicative of dry mite damage. You would need magnification to see them. Treatment of the cloves is possible. The third picture could be wireworm damage. Check out the following links for details:
- https://bpp.oregonstate.edu/sites/agscid7/files/bpp/attachments/eriophyid-mites.pdf
- https://rvpadmin.cce.cornell.edu/uploads/doc_774.pdf
- https://ag.umass.edu/sites/ag.umass.edu/files/fact-sheets/pdf/bulb_mites_garlic.pdf
- https://www.sfa-mn.org/wireworms-in-garlic/
- https://vegento.russell.wisc.edu/pests/wireworms/
I hope this is helpful.
This is TREMENDOUSLY helpful. Thank you. So given this - should I remove the garlic I just planted and treat the seed? It wouldn’t be fun but I can do this (raised bed makes that easier). Not sure if it’s too late tho. And for the garlic I have in storage to use for cooking, I’m guessing I should either refrigerate it or heat it briefly as directed to try to salvage it for longer storage?
On Nov 4, 2021, at 7:49 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
A lot depends on how big a risk taker you are. The best thing is to remove them. Replanting now shouldn't be a problem given the warm fall. Check out the following link, it is more commercial but gives some good info about curing garlic:
Thanks again - I am super grateful for this. So you would remove - treat - and then ok to plant in the same bed? I don’t believe the bed I’ve planted in has has garlic in it in the last two years (may have had onions tho … no problems with them).
On Nov 5, 2021, at 11:04 AM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
That is probably a good strategy. Sometimes we tend to overthink these things.
