[jdwmk]

Hi, I'm after some advice regarding garlic bulbils.
I had quite a successful first year on our allotment (thanks in no small part to this forum)with Garlic being one of my successes.
We had 52 of the 56 cloves we grew come to form decent bulbs and I plan to keep back some of these for replanting in a couple of weeks.

I also left 3 of the bulbs develop their scapes to form the small ball of bulbils which have now been broken up into individual little bulbs about 3mm long. I believe these were a hardneck variety although I can't remember the exact variety, they were from the local garden centre.

I know from searching the web and on here that these can be used to grow bulbs from.
I also know that it will take two years to get to decent bulbs with the first year only developing into single cloves.

What I would like to know is do I plant these straight into the ground along with my standard cloves or do I plant them into modules or seed trays and leave them in the unheated greenhouse or outside or in the coldframe. Which is the best option? Also, how deep would they need to be planted?

Am I going to be wasting my time or is this a worthwhile thing to do? I have about 100 or so to plant.

Any help or advice would be most appreciated, I have learnt so much from you folk from reading through the forum I haven't needed to post much.

[Trillium]

The bulbils can be worthwhile to grow, particularly if the suppliers had a bad year and the shops run out fast of any stock, which is what's happening here this year (due to a major US crop failure and Cdns shipping all their stock south)

Don't plant the bulbils with your regular garlic as they'll get lost, forgotten or trampled. Instead, dedicate a small area of your plot to them and plant direct, about 1/4" or so deep, just enough so they won't get lost.
Or, as you suggest, put into individual modules in the greenhouse for winter. Same depth.
Let them grow on for the summer, and if in modules, put them outside as they don't care for heat but keep modules lightly watered, or even covered if you get a lot of rain.
After they do the usual dieback in July or so, you can check their size and if they've split at all and then decide whether to direct plant them or repot them. I don't recommend leaving them unlifted. If they're still smallish and need repotting, follow the above until the next summer pulling when they can definitely be planted directly outside.
True, it's a bit of bother but you'll get a good variety you like and can depend on.

[Salmo]

Trillium's advice sounds about right.

You can plant them close at say 3 inches apart. It would be interesting to know if these will split and produce mini cloves or just produce one "clove sized" clove.

At lifting time you can decide whether to grow them on for bulbs or eat them as they are.

[jdwmk]

Thanks Trillium for your advice.

I will do as you suggest and I reckon I will do both in terms of planting out. Experiment to see which gives better results. I will put some on the plot and stick some in modules.

Thanks again.