What can I expect of my garlic & shallots this Spring?

[aliG]

I am in zone 5 and planted my garlic and shallots late in the fall but we had an extremely mild spell and the garlic started to sprout through the thick layer of straw mulch. What will happen to it? Have I lost them?

[Marty Maraschino]

I think your garlic will be fine. I did the same with mine and it has grown slowly all winter as mild as it has been. From what I've read, even if the stalks get nipped back a bit by cold the bulbs should be fine come summer.
Have never grown shallots but my dad used to and I think they are pretty hardy as well.

[Pharmerphil]

garlic should be OK, has your weather turned bad again? I would add a little more straw, and keep a eye on the weather, I had the same happen to garlic before, and when the weather did get mild towards spring, I removed the straw and found some really long white tops, the garlic was fine, shallots, I haven't tried here in Mn. and I am not sure about them. I should add that I used to be a zone 5 gardener, now in a zone 4 with zone 3 just a short hour away!

[flowerpower]

The garlic will be fine. It has been very mild here with hardly any snow. I have seen all sorts of things pushing up. Those daffodil leaves are a little too tall for this time of year. It's not good when things open too early here.

[Woodsman]

I also put alot of garlic in late last fall. I covered the garlic with straw mulch and hope I do not loose my German Red Garlic. We have been having roller coaster type of weather with spring like weather one week and winter type another. When will it be safe to remove the straw mulch? Thanks for a great site with alot of gardening info.

[Cliff Timmons]

I get nervous too with my garlic during the winter warm spells but they seem to do just fine. I spread an extra layer of straw on them, if for no other reason than to make me feel better. :)

[deb65802]

I spread an extra layer of straw on them, if for no other reason than to make me feel better.

heheh Cliff I do the same thing ***alot*** I have baby blueberry seedlings that are covered up to their eyeballs. We are supposed to have snow this weekend if the weatherman know's what he is talking about.

[Cliff Timmons]

We must live fairly close. We are supposed to get some snow too. But, I hear it's along I-44 and south. It may just miss me.

But we could use it.