[Mum2mj]

Hi, has anyone bought this before? Was wondering as I'm not familiar with all the varieties & think maybe 8 bulbs would be too many although we do like garlic 

http://www.suttons.co.uk/Gardening/Potatoes+Onions+Garlic/Garlic+Bulbs/Garlic+Bulbs+-+Lovers+Collection_240735.htm#240735

Or can someone recommend 2 varieties, I would like to be self sufficient in garlic so quantities would be helpful (family of 4) to put in my newly cleared bit of plot!! thank you!!!

[BabbyAnn]

s & think maybe 8 bulbs would be too many although we do like garlic 

I grow as many as 20 bulbs + so to me 8 is not too many at all    Don't forget that you would lift them in July and they keep right through to at least February/March (or make garlic butter, slice and freeze ready to use) and you can always save the biggest bulbs for replanting in October.

Purple Wight is a nice easy one and always does well.  Later maturing don't do so well on my plot - I wasn't too struck on the Solent compared to the others.  I'm not familiar with the Sultop or Vayo I'm afraid.

[Mum2mj]

Thanks babbyann, I hadn't thought it through like that. I think I'm going to be asking about quantities for everything! How many varieties do you grow or just one?

[AnneB]

I usually grow 3 varieties,  due to a mixture of indecision an a desire to experiment!   Like BabbyAnn I have had success with Early Purple Wight and also didn't like Solent much.   I also did really well with Albigensian Wight.

This year I am trying Sultop, Cristo and giving Music a second chance.   

[Steveharford]

Yesterday I planted 40 early purple and 21 Picardy. ( would have been more Picardy but some we're rotting). Already have planted 50 Albigensian and 50 Provence Wight. Not showing yet. Still to plant 50 or so saved Albigensian and 24 unknown variety; lovely large white bulbous cloves bought as two bulbs from Thouars market in France. I also have some sort of purple hardneck from last year which I lost the name of. Will probably put in 20 or 30 of those. That lot should keep the two of us and mother in law in garlic for most of the year. Sounds a lot but we use at least a couple of bulbs a week and it also allows for a few failures. Last year I had a whole row which came to nothing even though it was next to two rows which were very successful.

[mumofstig]

The 8 bulbs in the Suttons pack will break up into about 80 cloves to plant, so, if they all manage to grow you will get apx 80 bulbs at harvest time, each with roughly 10 cloves.

The question is- how often do you use garlic in a week, how many cloves do you use in one go? Easier still to think of how often have you been buying garlic? That should give you some idea if the pack will be enough to last the year, or whether you need to grow more 

As already said - you can always grow more than you need, if you have space, so you can save some for planting for next year 

[BabbyAnn]

The question is- how often do you use garlic in a week, how many cloves do you use in one go? Easier still to think of how often have you been buying garlic?

Be prepared to re-discover garlic and need more than you used to 

That lot should keep the two of us and mother in law in garlic for most of the year. Sounds a lot but we use at least a couple of bulbs a week and it also allows for a few failures.

I have to agree with this - not every clove forms a large bulb, some rot, some don't bulk up usually due to weather (too wet or too dry at just that critical moment when they need the right conditions) so I usually plant a lot more than I actually need.  None is ever wasted as I have a circle of friends and neighbours that will quite happily accept the surplus, not to mention that I can get a bit heavy handed in cooking.

How many varieties do you grow or just one?

I usually grow several different varieties - a couple of bulbs each from the previous harvest especially of ones I liked (there's not many I don't like) and I like to try out a new one or 3 varieties    This year I'll be planting Chesnok, Music, Early Purple, Illico and Picardy, and trying out Spanish Rocambole, Carcassone and Lautrec Wight.  I found Tuscany were disappointingly small this year after anticipating large bulbs from reading the blurb on purchase, but I might sneak a bulb or 2 in if I've got space and hope next year's will be better 

[Mum2mj]

Thank you everyone, I do love my garlic  so am happy to give up space for it.  Final question (for now..) where do you recommend buying them from? My local GC doesn't seen to stock many varieties

[BabbyAnn]

I buy mine online and it usually depends on what varieties they have in stock, and more importantly, price plus the p&p cost (which can be very expensive so worth looking around)  In the past I've bought from Kings Seeds, Suttons, DT Brown, Mr Fothergills, T&M, Really Garlicky Co. - all have been fine 

[mumofstig]

and you can add Marshalls to that list...............look out for postage free weekend offers which they all have from time to time.
They're usually flagged up in the Frugal living part of the forum 

[Kristen]

where do you recommend buying them from?

http://www.thegarlicfarm.co.uk/Seed-Garlic-for-Planting.aspx
Specific varieties only available to buy 4-off - which may be more than you want. Mixed packs available

http://www.reallygarlicky.co.uk/garlic
Limited varieties, sold by the bulb and looks cheaper, but the cloves-per-bulb that they state is less than other supplier (so price might work out much-of-muchness)