Why Are My Garlic Plants Falling Over?
Garlic is a beloved addition to many gardens, known for its robust flavor and numerous health benefits. However, one common issue many gardeners face is the sight of their garlic plants falling over. This can be a puzzling and frustrating sight, especially when eagerly anticipating a bountiful harvest.
In this blog post, we’ll discuss why garlic plants may fall over and how to keep them healthy and standing tall during the growing season.
Severe Weather
Severe weather can impact any plant, including garlic. In the last couple of days, we’ve had a lot of rain and strong winds. The rest of the garden has had a small amount of impact, but this garlic bed, being on the outer edge, may have been less protected. This could definitely be a reason for the garlic plants falling over.
Poor Nutrition
Garlic plants need loads of nutrients to thrive. I don’t think this is our issue, as I used plenty of mushroom compost, homemade compost, mustard seeds (for nitrogen fixing), and duck bedding (rich in organic material and nitrogen) at planting time. So, lack of nutrients is not one of our issues here.
Pests and Diseases
Rust and white rot, as well as insects like mites, maggots, or thrips, can affect garlic plants. My plants are badly affected by rust, a fungal disease that thrives in moist, warm environments. We’ve had a lot of rain followed by warm weather, creating perfect conditions for rust to spread.
Poor Location
Garlic plants do best when planted in a location that receives 6 to 8 hours of sunlight each day and in soils with a neutral pH. I focus on soil improvements rather than pH levels, so I don’t know if the pH is optimal. The sunlight has not been an issue in this location, as it receives the most sunlight in the whole garden.
Underwatering
If the soil is really dry, the plants can’t absorb nutrients, leading to poor plants that flop over. However, we’ve had plenty of rain this growing season, so that’s not been an issue here.
Overwatering
We’ve had a lot of rain lately, which can increase the chances of fungal diseases and bacterial infections. This is probably one of the reasons rust has taken off. If your plants aren’t ready to harvest and have been overwatered, let the soil dry out completely before watering again.
Close to Harvest Time
Plants often droop over when they are close to harvest time. My quick peek last week made me feel that they weren’t ready for harvest, but perhaps they are. Another sign is the leaves at the bottom starting to dry off.