Garlic IPM Newsletter No. 11 — August 13, 2026
This will be the last issue of the Garlic IPM newsletter series.
Thank you for tuning in! We hope it has been a helpful resource.
This newsletter has been part of a two-year Specialty Crop Block Grant project intended to improve the sustainability of garlic production in Maine by combining traditional scouting approaches and modern weather-based pest forecasting within a newsletter format. Please consider completing the short survey above – your feedback is crucial for helping us determine how well this program achieved its goals. It should take no more than five minutes to complete, all questions are optional, and all responses will be kept anonymous.
By now, most garlic crops are fully cured and transitioned to storage, although humid conditions slowed the drying process for some. Now that this year’s crop is taken care of, it’s time to prepare for next year’s planting – we are only a couple months away! The following are reminders and considerations for fall planting.
- Using Saved Seed: Using your own garlic as planting stock is the easiest and most economical seed option, provided it does not have serious pests or diseases, some of which may not be obvious at harvest or even planting. Sending in your garlic for a Garlic Seed Test (test code 002) is the best way to keep from inadvertently spreading persistent problems around your fields with infested seed stock. Once you have ensured that your bulbs are not carrying these pests, be sure to select the largest and healthiest looking bulbs for planting.
- Buying Seed: Garlic seed stock can also be purchased from Maine garlic growers and many commercial seed companies. Like saved seed, however, purchased seed stock can harbor pests and pathogens. While the quality of any purchased garlic seed cannot be guaranteed, sourcing from a supplier that has subjected their lot to the same garlic seed testing mentioned above is recommended. If you procure fresh seed because of a previous pest or pathogen issue, remember to rotate to a different field. Seedborne problems generally persist in the soil for several years, depending on the specific pest, and can readily infect new seed.
- Plant Spacing: If foliar disease has previously been problematic, consider planting your garlic in a wider plant spacing to improve airflow (like 8″ between and within rows), or reducing the number of rows per bed. Arranging beds in the same direction as prevailing winds can also improve airflow and minimize foliar diseases.
- Fertility: Garlic needs about 120 lb N/ac, but only one-third of this should be applied in fall. To reduce leaching, the remainder should be split between when plants are 6-8″ tall in spring and then 3-4 weeks later.
Mesonet Update!
A new weather station was recently installed in Scarborough as part of the Maine Mesonet. Data from this station, as well as from the Presque Isle and Sidney stations, will soon be linked to Network for Environment and Weather Applicaitons (NEWA).
Peyton Ginakes, PhD
Research Associate
University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Highmoor Farm
52 US-202
Monmouth, ME 04259
(207) 933-2100
This project is funded by a Specialty Crop Block Grant through the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry. Funding for the Maine 2024 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program was made possible by a grant/cooperative agreement from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA.
Where brand names or company names are used, it is for the reader’s information. No endorsement is implied nor is any discrimination intended against other products with similar ingredients. Always consult product labels for rates, application instructions and safety precautions. Users of these products assume all associated risks.
University of Maine Cooperative Extension is an equal opportunity institution and provider committed to nondiscrimination. For more information, visit extension.umaine.edu/nondiscrimination.