[Penny Finn]

I am keen to try growing garlic.  I did plant some cloves in the spring and have now dug them up.  They are more like onions to look at than garlic - not sure why.  I now want to plant some in the autumn as I have been told that is the best time.  Can I just use a garlic bulb from the supermarket and break it into cloves to plant or do I have to buy a special type from the garden centre?
Would be grateful for advice.
Gardening Granny

[Elcie]

Garlic needs a cold spell to help it split into cloves so this is why you are better to plant in the Autumn as you are more likely to get split cloves.  Planting garlic from the supermarket may result in poor bulbs as they can be from other countries and not suitable to our climate.  It is also more likely that you will spread disease this way so it is often discouraged.

However, it is much cheaper so that is why some people will do it.  I have used bulbs I purchased from the garden centre which gave excellent results.  I might try the Garlic Farm this year as they look really good. 

I think, for me, I would hate to spend 6 months or so waiting for my garlic then for it to be inferior because I tried to save a couple of pounds on bulbs so I will always buy ones for the purpose of growing.

[Riala]

Garlic is not on the list of 'to do' in August... Am i still ok to try again this year at this time?

[DD.]

I think August is a bit early, you don't want it streaking away. Mine generally goes in around October.

[Riala]

Oooh, excellent, plenty of time to prepare then!  Thank you DD.

[zazen999]

Anytime between Oct and Dec, I did a trial and if it goes in on the shortest day and comes out on the longest day; the results seemed to be the best of all.

[Rangerkris]

Oh will have to keep an eye out for garlic after my holidays. Mine went in late this year as we never got the plot until end of January.

[SG6]

People seem to plant cloves in Oct-Nov, they do need a cold spell to split into cloves later in their cycle.

As to what to plant I cannot recommend one above the other. I planted a couple of varieties last year from places, one was the Garlic Farm. When I lifted them the results were disappointing, all were small.

The previous year I simply split one from a supermarket and the results were good.

The harvest from £6 of named varieties matched in size that from a couple of 19p garlics from Sainsburys.

Just bought one from The Garlic Farm at a show and I will plant that later in the year but I will also a couple of cheapy ones as well.

[LivvyW]

I planted 'Thermidrome' garlic in October, it was subjected to severe snow in Feb, and i'd say 50% of it was fantastic and the rest was pretty good  but a bit on the small side.

I'm trying to decide now if i should use the best 4 bulbs to plant for next year, so my next year crop is "free". Or do i continue to enjoy my harvest and buy new bulbs for next year.

As i write, i have decided. I'm going to do both. Some free crop, and a new variety to try.

[zazen999]

Try planting a couple of small cloves as well. I found my biggest final bulb came from the smallest initial clove.....during my trial....so I am doing a small v large trial this winter.

[LivvyW]

Good idea Zazen, i'll try that too.

I like trials!   Was your small clove to big bulb just a one off, or was it a pattern?

It would be great to use up the smallies for next year crop.

[zazen999]

It was a moon trial; 25 moon and 25 non moon, all weighed before and after, and spaced out in groups of 5 between Sept and Jan.

[Dominic]

Re: Orginal Post.

Plant an indivudual clove in autumn/after the first frost.
Wait till the top dies.
Pull up.

If it looks like an onion, it wasnt cold enough to "split".


Personaly, I grow supermarket garlic, and have never had any problems with it.
Although I've only grown it twice.
I'm gouing to replant the biggest cloves this year and see if they grow ok.

[LivvyW]

Ooh Please Zazen999,

Are you going to share the results of your trial!!

[zazen999]

Ooh Please Zazen999,

Are you going to share the results of your trial!!

They are on my blog but I'm not allowed to post it or have it in my sig...it was taken out a while back.