I've occasionally missed a few when I was digging the bulbs (really small ones, where the tops had died back and I didn't think there was anything there) and they've sprouted again the next spring -- even following rototilling! And I've planted the little "bulbils" that form on the top of hardneck garlic and then just left them in the ground to make bulbs the 2nd year. But I can't see that the bulbs that are just left in the ground indefinitely like that would yield anything like what I would consider "nice" garlic . (Maybe I'm just too fussy? Nah, I don't think so )

I have never planted any of those bulbils. Three years ago I allowed those stalks with bulbils to grow but ended up throwing away all those heads of bulbils. Last year, when the stalks began to grow, I simply cut them off, thinking that the plants would direct more energy into the bulb formation. I don't know whether that's true or not. I have read that when planted, they will only grow larger (single clove) after one year but if left in the ground, will grow into a bulb the second year. I have neither the space nor perhaps the patience to keep them in the ground for two years. It is bad enough to have all my garlic taking up the vast majority of the raised garden space from October till June.

Like you, Ken, I love to try new things. The problem is that I am not very good about researching the conditions that will make the experiment a success. If it works, great. If not, move on. Not terribly efficient or effective. Each year I try to do better.

The onions I planted in pots that were doing so well are rotting. The tops were drooping so I watered. Big mistake. Today or tomorrow I will prepare one of the raised beds then depot the remaining onions and put them in the bed. They might survive. Will also plant what I have left in bags. I suspect planting indoors is a waste of time. They mature quickly enough to be planted in May and still produce onions. Or did I read that you should also plant them in the fall like garlic?

Onions are typically cool-weather loving plants. Down here I plant them in late winter and they will be ready to pull in late spring or early summer. I have also planted them in the late summer and harvested in early winter. I've never tried to grow them over the winter months though. The garlic takes up nearly all of the space but I always keep a little space for onions and lettuces. Onions, like garlic, does best in well-draining soil.

Mary, I am so with you on trying new things, but not taking the time to research things. If only I had a dollar for all my failures in gardening and baking

Sort of like the cake I baked for my son and I added a cup of coconut that rendered the cake to split. He was studying volcanoes in school so I called it a volcano cake and used white icing for the lava. What a memory! He's 50 now and still thinks I planned it that way.

He was SO impressed and so were his little friends!

that is hysterical. Kids are soooo gullible. but don't you just love it.

He still talks about it, 44 years later.