quick question bout garlic

**BertieFox** · 11-05-2014, 12:50 PM

That's exactly the way you propagate garlic. You take the mature bulb and break it into its component cloves, and then plant one at each station. If you prefer, you can start them off in pots and then plant them out when conditions are right. As you seem to know, an early sowing, I would say November rather than December, will produce the best results, as the garlic needs a long cold period in which to build up a good root system.

As garlic really has a short growing period between spring and June or July, it really needs to be given a head start.

The only problem you may encounter is that over several years, the garlic is weakened by viruses and so you will do better to buy new fresh virus free stock when necessary, otherwise your garlic may get smaller and smaller.

**roitelet** · 11-05-2014, 01:01 PM

Just use the largest cloves from the head and use the smaller ones for cooking.

**maytreefrannie** · 13-05-2014, 10:31 AM

Originally posted by BertieFox View Post

The only problem you may encounter is that over several years, the garlic is weakened by viruses and so you will do better to buy new fresh virus free stock when necessary, otherwise your garlic may get smaller and smaller.

Good advice, thanks; that may be why I seem to be growing progressively smaller garlic bulbs.

**Shadylane** · 13-05-2014, 03:09 PM

I've always used the larger cloves but I remember Zazen did an experiment and she reckoned that smaller cloves produced larger bulbs. I also remember reading that clove size is irrelevant but it's actually the size of the bulb from which they came that's important. I'm not organasised enough to conduct my own experiments.

**4390evans** · 13-05-2014, 08:39 PM

Fab thanks guys

**Alison** · 13-05-2014, 08:41 PM

Originally posted by roitelet View Post

Just use the largest cloves from the head and use the smaller ones for cooking.

Originally posted by Shadylane View Post

I've always used the larger cloves but I remember Zazen did an experiment and she reckoned that smaller cloves produced larger bulbs. I also remember reading that clove size is irrelevant but it's actually the size of the bulb from which they came that's important. I'm not organasised enough to conduct my own experiments.

I always use the smaller cloves, want to eat the big ones and Zazen's isn't the only experiment to show it works better that way too

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**Chris172** · 13-05-2014, 09:16 PM

Hi last years garlic was brill and saved a number of builds and planted cloves in October last year. Every clove planted now about a foot high and can't wait to eat a few green builds straight from the ground, taste is fantastic just roasted full bulbs

Happy gardening

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**daviddevantnhisspiritwife** · 13-05-2014, 09:18 PM

Interesting, goes against all the books and videos I have seen on the subject (I *think* RHS included).

However, I shall be putting the small un's in this November - why not

**Alison** · 13-05-2014, 09:20 PM

Originally posted by daviddevantnhisspiritwife View Post

Interesting, goes against all the books and videos I have seen on the subject (I *think* RHS included).

However, I shall be putting the small un's in this November - why not

Maybe do half and half of big and small and see what happens for you - then let us know

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**BertieFox** · 14-05-2014, 06:58 AM

When you think about it, it is logical, as we are dealing with vegetative growth from a swollen stem. Potatoes are simply swollen pieces of stem too, but we don't choose the largest potatoes as seed potatoes, we take small ones. What determines whether the crop consists of large or small potatoes is the variety.

It's the same with garlic, and by choosing your cloves from the best and largest BULBS you are more likely to get a 'clone' that will grow equally well. In fact, that is what we do when we buy new stock, and yet we are tempted to use the smallest little bulbs as a new source of cloves for planting when trying to propagate them ourselves.

I shall certainly be following this advice this autumn (to experiment) to see what differences result.

**BertieFox** · 14-05-2014, 07:00 AM

When you think about it, it is logical, as we are dealing with vegetative growth from a swollen stem. Potatoes are simply swollen pieces of stem too, but we don't choose the largest potatoes as seed potatoes, we take small ones. What determines whether the crop consists of large or small potatoes is the variety.

It's the same with garlic, and by choosing your cloves from the best and largest BULBS you are more likely to get a 'clone' that will grow equally well. In fact, that is what we do when we buy new stock, and yet we are tempted to use the smallest little bulbs as a new source of cloves for planting when trying to propagate them ourselves.

I shall certainly be following this advice this autumn (to experiment) to see what differences result.

**daviddevantnhisspiritwife** · 15-05-2014, 09:51 AM

I put in about 100 cloves this year from a variety of supermarket sources (value, organic and jumbo). I could only get Spanish. I used mainly the larger cloves - but was not retentive about it. I did not however use any of the teeny ones. I'd say all but 2 or 3 came up. Just hoping that they start swelling.

Any ideas what to follow them with? They were put in the ground Oct/Nov so I guess will be ready for lifting end of June?

**Richard Eldritch** · 15-05-2014, 10:31 AM

I dunno about this. I've twice planted the little cloves and each time they were puny plants compared to those grown from large cloves. So much so that most never made it.

**Rocketron** · 15-05-2014, 06:17 PM

Are we saying the smaller cloves from the larger bulbs ?

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