Growing garlic for the first time...

14 years ago

This will be my first attempt at growing garlic. Should I just buy some organic bulbs from Whole Foods and plant the large cloves from it? Is there somewhere else I should buy it? Since I live in Atlanta I'm pretty sure I need the soft neck variety. I've checked today at some of the suppliers of seed garlic and they're all pretty much sold out.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Featured Answer

loisthegardener_nc7b

14 years ago

Hi, if you are looking for some cheap hardneck garlic bulbils, here is where I just got some for myself.

(About 2/3 down the page in the link, there is a description of the Garlic bulbils "Nia-wanda Park").

Lois in PA

Here is a link that might be useful: Garlic Bulbils at Sample Seeds

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Comments (8)

barbe_wa
14 years ago
I've found that supermarket garlic is about as good as any for planting although it's been several years since I had to buy any at all. In fact, I just pulled the largest cloves off my "strings" today and planted them out. They should be ready about July. Softneck is a better keeper than the hardneck, and it braids very nicely, too.
fatamorgana2121
14 years ago
For our northern friends reading this, get the hardneck variety rather than trying the usual grocery store softnecks for planting purposes. It is more hardy and prefers the cold and damp of the northern climates. Plus it produces scape (yummy!) which the softneck doesn't.

FataMorgana
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mulching is supposed to insulate the cloves from being heaved during freeze/thaw periods especially if there is no snow cover at that time. seems this is from early december to mid march here in nw ct. tomnj, i'm going to check my garlic papers from jss and og mag and countryside and small stock journal..... ok per og sept/oct 1993 they speak out of both sides of their mouth. they say in 1 place someone mulches immediately after planting and on the same page they say mulch is applied soon after planting. either way do it soon after planting not after the ground is frozen. hum.... ok, per johnny's selected seeds garlic planting suggestions (apparently i bought garlic from them in 1996?), they say mulch "after the soil has frozen or in late fall". they say to plant from 1st frost to as late as november. so that's where i got it in my head to mulch after the soil is frozen. but jss is in mid maine and they sell garlic to many areas. is the sheet different for say the carolinas? not sure. jss catalog says only "garlic is very winter hardy but should be heavily mulched to prevent heaving". no mention when to mulch! terriorial seed company catlog does not mention mulching. from rodale's garden problem solver "plant cloves in september, mulching the garlic beds with straw to prevent repeated freezes and thaws from heaving the bulbs". well for the past 3 years that i have planted garlic i always mulched in late november or early december when the ground is so frozen i can walk on it and not break thru the soil with no problems. apparently it does not seem to matter. personally i'd rather mulch immediately after planting as it finishes the job vs doing it 5-6 weeks later when it is 29 degrees and the wind is blowing! so thanks! i will now mulch immediately. tom
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neohippie
14 years ago
Another idea is to try a local farmer's market. If anybody has garlic there, it's probably a type that grows well in your area. If that fails, the grocery store stuff will probably be ok too, just not as interesting.

Next year try to nab your garlic early if you want to order special garlic from a supplier. I pre-ordered mine way back in August, and only found out they were taking pre-orders that early by accident.
anoid1
14 years ago
Fatamorgana, are you able to keep your hardneck long enough for a fall planting and winter storage or do you just use it all up or process it?
fatamorgana2121
14 years ago
I've just harvested and used.

But if you are looking to keep the hardneck garlic growing from year to year, let a few plants "flower" and produce bulbils. It will produce A LOT of them per plant. While it will take a few years to get full-sized bulb from the bulbils, if you do this every year you will eventually have a steady sustainable crop.

FataMorgana
tracydr
14 years ago
I'm going to plant some garlic this weekend in my new herb garden. Hoping a large border and intermingled with other plants will help keep the bunnies out since we are overrun with bunnies in our neighborhood.
I found some purple streaked garlic in our grocery store. I don't see a hard core to it like I've seen with hard necked before but not sure if this is still soft necked?
I assume since I'm in Phoenix and it's late that I should plant soft necked?
I'll be scattering plenty of bloodmeal for the bunny repellent. Should I also add bonemeal for the garlic or any other additives needed?
fatamorgana2121
14 years ago
A dog is also a good deterrent to bunnies too. I let ours chase them and woodchucks to the property line. Most of the time, they decide some place else is more conducive to their health.

I've never added any special amendments to grow garlic, leeks, chives, onions, egyptian onions, shallots, or any other allium that I'm forgetting that I've grown at one time or another. Regular garden soil and average moisture is all they require.

I've ordered garlic (for planting) from here and had good success. They have pictures of different types of garlic (compare to yours) & growing info that may help. Other vendors of vegetable seed will have pictures & information too.

FataMorgana

Growing garlic for the first time...

loisthegardener_nc7b

Comments (8)

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