[lucywil]

i am planning on growing some garlic, i have figured out that it needs planting oct/nov time but my question is do i need to buy the expensive ones from a seed supplier or will the bulbs from a supermarket give the same results?

[noshed]

Not sure - the supermarket stuff works as far as I know. I inherited mine from the previous plotholder and it grew away quite happily with no attention from me at all, apart from a bit of seaweed feed.
I'd be inclined to think they would have used shop stuff - maybe look in the corner shops for stuff that's not too dried out.

[mellowmick]

Mine was ordinary shop-bought. Planted it in Feb and have just harvested because it was dying back. Perfect little bulbs, just small.

[James]

I believe that shop bought garlic, having been grown in much warmer climes than the UK, doesn't do very well here.  Buy a specialist variety, designed to grow in the UK.  And then keep cloves from that from year to year.

[rugbymad40]

I have grown both shop and commercially available cloves.  Without a doubt the commercial ones were better - Larger and more disease restistant.  The crop this year was from Super market stock and it is no where near as good as those purchased from a catalogue last year!

[Oliver]

I believe that shop bought garlic, having been grown in much warmer climes than the UK, doesn't do very well here.  Buy a specialist variety, designed to grow in the UK.  And then keep cloves from that from year to year.

Agree! She had tried both and the stuff from the Isle of Wight was better than supermarket bulbs for the reason stated above.

[Beanzie]

I agree with Oliver, go for a variety such as "Solent Wight"

[lucywil]

thanks you all for your advice, i might try both.