[snow white]

Where do you get your garlic bulbs from?  I am after a hardneck variety to try but they seem really expensive.

[Totty]

I agree, the price can be a bit much if you want to grow lots.
I've used Parker's this year, look up dutchbulbs, they only sell thermidrome in 2.5kg bags but it's only 17 quid so works out a lot cheaper.

Totty

[Kristen]

Where do you get your garlic bulbs from?  I am after a hardneck variety to try but they seem really expensive.

AFter the first year keep and regrow your own (if not diseased). There is a school of thought that says that replanting your own, in this way, will cause them to genetically modify, over a number of generations, to suit your micro climate.

So on that basis you might think it worth buying some good quality bulbs "first time around".

Do you need a lot?  I plant between 2 and 4 bulbs - you break them up into individual cloves to plant, so decent sized bulbs (which is what you will get from the better quality suppliers) will give you quite a lot of individual cloves

[Kristen]

I just picked one, at random, as an example:  Suttons sell 2 bulbs for £5.00, and they say that they average 12-14 cloves per bulb.  Each of those cloves will grow into a bulb, so your fiver will get you a harvest of about 28 bulbs

Decent garlic is about 25p?? a bulb in the shops so your 28 bulbs would be worth £7, so its only really in year-2 onwards what you will be saving ... but you will know the provenance from year-1 of course

http://www.suttons.co.uk/Gardening/Potatoes+Onions+Garlic/Garlic+Bulbs/Garlic+Bulbs+-+Solent+Wight_260059.htm#260059

[gavinjconway]

4 bulbs for a tenner to get 56 back... not a bad return at all - cheap as chips.. You can start small and keep your own bulbs to re-plant and soon you'll have too many..

If you are like me and plant loads (100) you only need about 7 bulbs... so buy 8 and you'll have enough to be self sufficient and thereafter keep you own. I do about 4 types, then use as fresh garlic and I also peel and blitz them a bit. Fill a jar and add oil. Pop into the mic for 4 minutes to kill any bugs and store in the fridge.

[3 allotments]

hi give this company a try ive had very good results, good luck ;)http://www.reallygarlicky.co.uk/

[BabbyAnn]

I was looking at garlic across the main suppliers with raised eyebrows at the prices - and don't forget to add the £4.95p or whatever p&p on top     I know you can save your own bulbs for future use (I already do) but sometimes a bad year (rain/rot/rust/etc) means you daren't trust those bulbs for replanting and opt for new stock instead which gets expensive.  I did come across some for sale on e-bay which were considerably cheaper but in the end went somewhere else.  I can't vouch for quality but wondered if worth looking on  there or maybe try Wilkos might be an option for first time garlic growers?

[mumofstig]

Get them from the local garden centre, most sell reliable varieties and there's no P&P to pay.

It may cost more in the long run, though - cos you're bound to buy something else you fancy, while you're there   

[arugula]

I have purchased garlic from ebay in the past and I know not all sellers are the same, but to be honest, it wasn't great. I'd favour using a reputable source, if not using your own saved. I bought some last week from really garlicky who I've been using for a few years - they were nearly sold out.

[Lardman]

I've been paying 30p for the tiny shrivelled excuses from the supermarket which have absolutely no flavour to them at all  I've just ordered mine from the RGC again, if it wasn't for the allium leaf miner Id grow oodles of the stuff.

If you're ordering from there, you really must try their oat cakes. 

[arugula]

If you're ordering from there, you really must try their oat cakes. 

I have always managed to resist temptation.  They do look good though, I might adapt my oatcakes recipe (posted on here) to accommodate garlic.