[juvenal]

Anyone had success planting garlic off the Tesco or Lidl shelves?

[mumofstig]

The trouble with doing that is that you could import White Rot, or Basal Rot to your plot, whereas with seed garlic (unless you buy from ebay when you don't know the supplier) the crop has been tested and there should be very little chance of importing disease.

[8doubles]

If the garlic has been developed for a hot dry region of Spain they do not generally do well here.Tried many times with odd leftover cloves.

If you can get Isle of Wight produced garlic it will stand a better chance.

[JayG]

I've been growing the same ex-supermarket garlic (donated by a neighbour) for many years now with pretty good results - what I don't know is how much of that was down to luck, both regarding it being a suitable variety for my conditions, and also the increased danger of importing disease.

In other words, I got away with it, but can't really recommend the practice given the risks and uncertainties involved.

[Lardman]

Waitrose    sell garlic from the really garlicky company too.

Although MoS's comments regarding decease are applicable I doubt that food grade has the same controls as seed stock.

[Hampshire Hog]

Not sure about using supermarket garlic if it is from a warmer climate. I have planted some seed garlic together with some of my own garlic. There are dangers from using supermarket garlic but hope that using my own garlic is ok. I have read of a theory that using your own garlic means that it gradually aclimitises to your location. Interested to know others thoughts on that approach.

Cheers HH

[wapello]

 Google the garlic farm at newchurch isle of wight, you wont go far wrong from them try the elephant garlic, if im passing some times ill go in for a nosey around to see whats new,,,