[Benandbill]

Garlc is so full of health benefits I'm always going to try growing it.  We got about 28 bulbs back from about 28 cloves over winter so we did really well considering it was our first time growing.  They were supermarket though so I will be doing it differently next year as I don't want to spread disease, but basically, not one failed.

[wighty]

The Garlic Festival is next weekend and we will be going (as we do every year).  We get our garlic for next years crop whilst there.  I'm only a short distance from the Garlic Farm and could get what I need from there whenever I need it but prefer to grow my own.

[sunshineband]

Saves on postage Wighty 

[rhysdad]

If you thought (does it make economic sense) about all the crops you grow then you wouldn't grow anything!

[Robert_S]

Most of the appeal is the satisfaction of growing food myself for me and the family, and it is enjoyable, but part of that satisfaction is for example going down to the allotment to gather up stuff that would cost pounds in the supermarket but only cost a few pence for the seeds. I'm not a smug person by nature or particularly tight, but the thought of stopping a few more quid getting into the hands of "the man" is a good one.

In one of John's books it says something like a pound spent on seeds etc gives a return equivalent to £9 at supermarket prices.

[viettaclark]

I experimented with Spansh garlic (good sized bulbs) bought from the local greengrocer for 30p each. They came through very well and have a lovely flavour.I like to plant too many so I can pull green garlic early.
 It's definitely worth using the bed over Winter but remember they don't ripen until July!!!So plan what will go in next.
Only thing I find is the bulbs you grow are never as big as the ones you sow!!!
Maybe I'm not doing something....?

[kermit]

I was really sceptical. Tried it for first time last year. In about 4x2 feet space I grew enough for 5 months (and we we a lot). Really crammed them together.  Probably didn't save that much cash wise but it was a revelation in terms of taste, juicines (if that makes sense) and size of cloves. Do it.

[DD.]

I experimented with Spansh garlic (good sized bulbs) bought from the local greengrocer for 30p each. They came through very well and have a lovely flavour.I like to plant too many so I can pull green garlic early.
 It's definitely worth using the bed over Winter but remember they don't ripen until July!!!So plan what will go in next.
Only thing I find is the bulbs you grow are never as big as the ones you sow!!!
Maybe I'm not doing something....?

The answer to the size is in your post. You're growing Spanish garlic in our climate!

I grow the hardneck garlic "Music" from Scotland. The cloves are huge, one is usually mire than sufficient and are easy to peel.

[finleyfreyaseth]

think ill go local farmers market and buy some to plant out.

[tosca100]

If you really love garlic there is nothing better than home grown for fresh flavour, and as has been said, juiciness. One of the reasons for supermarket garlic being rather dry and willing to shoot is that it may have been in cold storage for a couple of years. You may not save a huge amount in money, and if you have a small plot like mine it does get in the way, but the quality is worth it for me. I save mine for when it really matters, garlic sauces, tzatziki, garlic bread, that sort of thing.

[LilacSandy]

If you have too many try peeling the individual cloves and filling an empty clean jar, cover with olive oil and store in the fridge.  Wonderful garlic flavoured oil for rubbing over chicken, roasting potatoes or roasting veg.

[shokkyy]

In the past I've usually grown Solent Wight, and have to say I never managed to get very big bulbs or cloves from them. This year I tried Marco and Iberian Wight and had much better results. The Iberian Wight produced very big bulbs and very big cloves. The Marco produced much smaller bulbs, but even the smallest of them has very big cloves

Maybe it's the weather conditions this year or maybe it's the varieties, but this is the best results I've had from garlic. Nothing worse than fiddling with tiny cloves. What I like a lot about growing garlic is it's so easy on time and effort. All I ever do is plant the cloves in October or November, give them the occasional watering if it's particularly dry, but otherwise ignore them till it's time to lift them.

[Trillium]

Garlic originally came from Siberia, so will grow almost anywhere, but types were developed for different climates. And soils.

Everyone needs to experiment with types to see what works best in their local soil and also water type. Some folk have more sulphury water, some more chalkier water. Add that to a soil type, and maximum growth can be affected. So do try out different types and decide what works best for you rather than an overall decision of 'bad' , etc. What's bad for one person will likely be the best producer for another.

[mumofstig]

If you have too many try peeling the individual cloves and filling an empty clean jar, cover with olive oil and store in the fridge.  Wonderful garlic flavoured oil for rubbing over chicken, roasting potatoes or roasting veg.

This post has been reported to mods because of the risk of botulism.
This has been discussed before here
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=62018.msg718957#msg718957

[LilacSandy]

On reading Mums post I would certainly think we should all be aware of the risks however slight especially for children or pregnant women.