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HOW TO GROW GARLIC FROM SEED?

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GROW GARLIC FROM SEED

HOW TO GROW GARLIC

How to Grow Garlic Using Sustainable Farming Practices:

Garlic (Allium sativum) is a member of the onion family (Alliaceae) along with onions, chives, shallots, leeks, and elephant garlic. Garlic is distinguished from other family members by its flat leaves and clove-like bulbs. Each garlic bulb contains several small scales or cloves enclosed in a white or purplish parchment-like sheath.

CULTIVARS

Garlic cultivars are classified as either hardneck or softneck.

Hardneck cultivars (Allium sativum var. ophioscorodon) produce a flower stalk (technically a scape) and are often termed “top-setting” or “bolting” cultivars. Flowers, if they are produced, usually abort. Bulbils (small bulblets) are produced on top of the scape. The flower stalks of some hardneck garlic are distinctly coiled. These types are referred to as rocambole or serpent garlic. Typically, hardneck garlic cultivars have 4 to 12 cloves surrounding the flower stalk. Because of the hard flower stalk, they are difficult to braid. Garlic Scapes are completely edible and considered a delicacy.  Watch our recipes page for delicious ways to prepare garlic scapes.

Softneck cultivars (Allium sativum var. sativum) are sometimes referred to as “artichoke” cultivars and do not produce a seed stalk. These cultivars are commonly used in California for commercial production. However, some softneck cultivars are suitable for cold climates. Softneck cultivars are generally more productive than hardnecks because all the energy goes to producing a bulb rather than a bulb and flower stalk. Bulbs have 10 to 40 cloves arranged in layers. Softneck garlic tends to have a much longer shelf life than hardneck garlic and typically can be stored for 6 to 8 months without significant deterioration. They also are easy to braid.

Elephant, porcelain, or Greathead garlic is actually a type of leek (Allium ampeloprasum). Elephant garlic is much larger than true garlic, often weighing as much as 1 pound per bulb. They also store well. The taste of elephant garlic is much milder than that of true garlic, but in cold climates, it can develop a sharp or bitter taste.

PREPARATION OF THE GARLIC BULBS/CLOVES

Open your garlic box the same day it is received! This will help prevent mold/mildew/rot, as it will allow the garlic to continue drying. Place the garlic in a cool location away from sunlight as you wait for the proper planting time.

Up to 2 days prior to planting (but not longer), “shuck” the garlic. Remove the outer husks and separate the cloves, leaving the skins on the individual cloves. Store the cloves in a cool location away from sunlight.

One helpful step to help avoid disease is to shuck your garlic away from your field/garden, so the dirt particles and shucks can not contaminate your soil. This may be an unnecessary precaution, but it’s an easy one to do. Therefore, we recommend shucking garlic away from your field/garden.

Dipping/soaking cloves: more to come here in the near future…

PLANTING

Planting Garlic: Garlic grows best in well-drained, fertile soils that are high in organic matter. Misshapen bulbs may result when garlic is grown in heavy, clay soils. Incorporating compost or well-rotted manure into heavy, clay soils can be beneficial. The optimum soil pH for garlic is between 6 and 7. Before planting, soils should be well tilled to provide a loose growing bed for bulb development. Because garlic plants do not produce true seeds, garlic is grown by planting cloves. Garlic cloves can be purchased at garden centers or from mail-order companies, through direct purchase online from growers is typically more economical.

Planting cloves from garlic purchased at the grocery store is not recommended because these are usually softneck cultivars that are mainly adapted to mild climates. Additionally, most grocery store garlic has been exposed to chemicals that postpone or prevent growth for longer shelf life.

Cloves should be planted in fall in most of the US (October to early November) or early spring (late March to early April). Spring-planted garlic will not likely achieve the same size as fall-planted garlic. Contact your local Extension Office or state Extension for information about planting times specific to your area.

Fall-planted garlic should be mulched with a 4- to 6-inch layer of weed-seed-free straw to help prevent winter injury. In early spring, move the straw to between the rows to allow the garlic foliage to emerge and moisture to evaporate from the soil. The mulch helps control weeds during the growing season.

Late spring planting results in smaller bulbs at harvest.

Plant cloves with the pointed side up, root end down. When planted upside down, misshapen bulbs often develop. Plant cloves about 1 inch deep, or contact your Extension Office for recommended depth for your climate/zone.

Hardneck (top-setting) garlic cultivars also may also be grown from the bulbils or bulblets. Plant the bulblets in early spring and allow to grow in the same area for 18 months. By the end of the first season, the bulblets will form “rounds” or unsegmented bulbs. Left undisturbed, they will form a cluster of cloves by the following summer.

SPACING

Place cloves 3 to 5 inches apart within the row. Rows should be spaced 18 to 24 inches apart.

FERTILIZING

We suggest that you contact your local agricultural extension office for recommendations specific to your growing area.

Garlic requires more fertilizer than many vegetables. Incorporate 1 to 2 pounds of an all-purpose garden fertilizer (10-10-10) per 100 square feet before planting. One month after planting apply an additional pound per 100 foot of row in a band 3 to 4 inches from the base of the plants. Avoid nitrogen applications after the first week of May because bulbing may be delayed. Soil tests should be taken before planting to determine phosphorus and potassium needs. 

If you prefer to garden naturally, try fertilizing with blood meal, bone meal, and/or fish meal.

MAINTENANCE

Water plants once per week during dry weather. Stop irrigating in late June to allow the foliage to yellow and die before harvest. Like an onion, garlic has a shallow root system. Weeds should be removed carefully to avoid disturbing or pulling up the garlic bulbs with the weeds. Mulches help control weeds and conserve soil moisture.

POTENTIAL PROBLEMS

Most garlic diseases are either soil- or set-borne and usually can be controlled with proper rotation and planting disease-free sets. Before planting, check each clove for signs of disease. Discard any infected cloves or bruised cloves because they may decay in the soil. Many garlic cultivars are susceptible to yellow tips.

The development of yellow tips early in the season (before bulbing) may drastically reduce yields. It is usually a sign of water stress, nutrient deficiency, or disease. Insects are not a major problem for garlic production, though a few destructive pests do exist.

HARVEST AND STORAGE

When is it best to harvest garlic?  In late spring/early summer, the garlic begins to change from a green onion-looking plant to forming bulbs. The greatest part of the size develops in the last month before harvest.

Spring garlic looks similar to green onions. It has not yet begun to form cloves in mid/late April in Iowa. Spring garlic can be eaten, but of course, won’t allow you to produce as large of a quantity as if it matures before harvest. Still, it is another unique way to enjoy your garlic!

Carefully dig garlic bulbs when the foliage starts to turn yellow and die, most often when half of the leaves are dying. Yellowing normally occurs between June and September (varying by climate/zone). Dry or cure the bulbs in a warm, well-ventilated, and shaded location for at least 2 to 3 weeks.

After drying, remove the foliage 1 inch above the bulbs or use the foliage to braid the bulbs together. Place the bulbs in a mesh bag or open crate and store where it is cool (32–40°F) and dry (65–70% relative humidity). Softneck types can be stored for 6 months or more, whereas hardneck types may only store for approximately 3-5 months. More about how to store garlic here.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us!

Additional information also is available from these Web sites, and also your state’s Extension web site:

All garlic seed for sale is supplied by our small micro-farm in Elgin Oregon – Greif’s Gourmet Garlic!

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HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR FAVORITE GARLIC VARIETIES?

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GARLIC VARIETIES

CHOOSING YOUR GARLIC FAVORITES

How do you choose which varieties of garlic to purchase? There are so many options…it can be a hard decision. Maybe this little tool will help you pick and place your order. All garlic seed for sale is supplied by our small micro-farm in Elgin Oregon – Greif’s Gourmet Garlic!

Below, we have listed some of the characteristics people look for in garlic. Based upon our experience and online documentation about garlic varieties, we’ve tried to classify garlic varieties’ traits to fit these characteristics that people like in their garlic.

Please keep in mind that most garlic varieties are good for most common garlic uses! So if a garlic variety does not appear as being strong in a category, it might be that it is just slightly “not quite as perfect” for that use, but would still be wonderful if utilized for that particular purpose.

Hopefully, this tool will help you. To use it, simply follow these steps:

  1. Scan through the characteristics below (green-colored text).
    Pick the ONE that you think is the most important to you.
    Click that important characteristic (it is a link).
  2. This will take you to a list of garlic varieties that we feel best to meet this characteristic’s description.
    Write down the names you see under the appropriate heading.
  3. Choose the SECOND-most important characteristic to you, and click it. Write down those garlic varieties.
  4. If any of the answers from your first and second results match, then that variety might be an excellent one for you.
  5. Keep going through additional characteristics in the order of importance to you if you feel a few more traits are urgent. The more times you see a certain garlic variety’s name, the more likely that it could be an excellent one for you!

GARLIC CHARACTERISTICS

Quicker summary-like steps to follow (same as above, but condensed):

Step 1: Look through these characteristics, below. Pick the most important one, and click it.

Step 2: Write down the names of those garlic varieties that are known for matching that characteristic.

Step 3: Choose another important characteristic from the list below, and click it.

Step 4: Jot down names, and compare to your list from the first group. If any matches are found, circle them…they might be perfect for you! Continue on if you are interested in more traits.

(Note that a bulb is the whole “head” of garlic, while a clove is one piece off the garlic bulb)

Large-sized individual clovesExcellent for roastingEasy-to-peel
Many cloves per bulbStrong garlic flavorLonger storage life
Potentially huge bulbsMedium heat/flavorMakes the best scapes
Good raw (such as on salads)Mild garlic flavorGood for garlic braiding
Popular for cookingHigh Allicin Content

Large-sized individual cloves

Hardneck(s): German Red, Siberian, Metechi, Spanish Roja, Music, Georgian Crystal, Brown Tempest, German Extra Hardy, Killarney Red, Zemo, German White

Softneck(s): Polish White, Inchelium Red, Kettle River Giant, Siciliano

Back to Characteristics

Many cloves per bulb

Hardneck(s): Hardnecks typically have 9 or less cloves per bulb

Softneck(s): Silver Rose, Inchelium Red, Kettle River Giant, Transylvanian

Back to Characteristics

Easy-to-peel

Chesnok Red, Italian Purple, Stull, Spanish Roja, Killarney Red, Music

Back to Characteristics

Longer storage life

Hardneck(s): Brown Tempest, Georgian Crystal

Softneck(s): Silver Rose (excellent), Inchelium Red, Kettle River Giant, Siciliano, Transylvanian

Back to Characteristics

Excellent for roasting

All varieties taste good roasted, but our favorites might include:

Hardneck(s): Metechi, Siberian, German Red, Spanish Roja, Music, Zemo, Killarney Red

Softneck(s): Polish White, Inchelium Red, Kettle River Giant, Siciliano

Also, Elephant.

Back to Characteristics

Potentially huge bulbs

Hardneck(s): German Red, Siberian, Italian Purple, Metechi, Spanish Roja, Music, Killarney Red, German White, German Extra Hardy

Softneck(s): Polish White, Inchelium Red, Kettle River Giant, Siciliano

Also, Elephant.

Back to Characteristics

Strong garlic flavor

Hardneck(s): German Red, Siberian, Metechi, Stull, Romanian Red, Red Rezan, Zemo

Softneck(s): Lorz (strong but low heat), Transylvanian

Back to Characteristics

Medium heat/flavor

Hardneck(s): Italian Purple, Persian Star, Spanish Roja, Chesnok Red, German Extra Hardy

Softneck(s): Inchelium Red, Kettle River Giant, Silver Rose, Siciliano

Back to Characteristics

Mild garlic flavor

Hardneck(s): Georgian Crystal, Spanish Roja (fading heat), Killarney Red

Softneck(s): Polish White (fresh), Inchelium Red (fresh), Susanville

Also, Elephant.

Back to Characteristics

Good raw (such as on salads)

Hardneck(s): Georgian Crystal, Spanish Roja, Killarney Red

Softneck(s): Polish White, Inchelium Red

Back to Characteristics

Great for cooking

All, but favorites might include:

Hardneck(s): German Red, Chesnok Red, Italian Purple, Music, Spanish Roja, Zemo

Softneck(s): Siciliano, Inchelium Red, Polish White, Kettle River Giant, Susanville

Also, Elephant.

Back to Characteristics

Makes the best scapes

Hardneck(s): Music is our favorite, followed by German Red, Fireball, and Spanish Roja. However, all hardnecks make a scape.

Back to Characteristics

Good for garlic braiding

Softneck(s): All (favorites include Silver Rose, Polish White, Siciliano, Inchelium Red).
Consider buying the “average size” garlic, as a huge stalk may not be as pliable.

Back to Characteristics

High Allicin Content

All garlic, with higher content possibly in Zemo, Georgian Crystal

Back to Characteristics

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WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SEED GARLIC AND FOOD GARLIC?

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SEED GARLIC AND FOOD GARLIC

Food garlic is generally the comprised of the prettier, smaller bulbs of the season. Seed garlic is typically the largest of the harvest’s bulbs.

Garlic meant for seed is often left to grow for a couple more weeks than garlic that will be sold as food. The purpose of this extra time is to allow for as much growth of the cloves as possible, as larger seeds (cloves) can produce larger bulbs in the next harvest.

While the variety remains unchanged by this extra maturation time in terms of flavor or genetics, the resulting bulbs are often larger and may have a “less pretty” appearance. The two most common effects in addition to clove size are discoloration of the wrapper around the bulb, and the loss of some of the wrapper layers. Also, larger bulbs often don’t last as long in the cupboard and smaller bulbs do.

NOTE: Some years, the wrappers are not affected or are minimally affected.

But in some years, the wrappers may have a less-bright-white color, and some cloves may burst through the wrappers. In particular, artichoke softnecks are more susceptible. Some hardnecks may lose wrappers and become less white as well.

This later harvest is not detrimental to the garlic as seed, and in fact, the larger seed is desirable for planting!

Some growers may choose to bleach or use other detergents to wash their wrappers so the bulb wrappers appear brighter white. We do not attempt to alter color with chemicals.

A comparison of bulb wrapper colors, using German Red as an example.
On the left is one pound of German Red, smaller-sized food-quality bulbs with white wrappers.
On the right is one pound of German Red, showing a less white wrapper color and larger size.

Examples of softnecks in a cold and wet year, which have stained wrappers and blown wrappers.
Not all years’ weather/growing conditions result in this much change, but these pictures from an extremely-wet year show it clearly.
This is not a problem for seed garlic, but definitely is an example of how seed garlic “can” be less pretty than the food bulbs.

Can Seed Garlic Be Eaten?

Yes. We obviously eat the garlic we raise. The garlic’s flavor characteristics are not changed by a longer growth period before harvest. Generally, the only difference between seed garlic and food garlic is, at times, a change in wrapper color and the loss of some wrapping. However, bulbs without wrappers probably won’t store as long in the cabinet. Therefore, the advantage of harvesting late is seed and bulb growth, but not storage length.

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WHEN CAN YOU PURCHASE GARLIC?

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PURCHASE GARLIC

You may wonder why garlic is not offered for sale earlier in the year. Having an accurate inventory of garlic before harvest, curing and drying time, cutting from stalks, and weighing is impossible.

For this reason, seasoned and reputable garlic growers offer a small percentage of their expected harvest for sale to help prevent overselling, and possibly no garlic is for sale until inventory can be completed.

Even conservative pre-harvest and pre-curing estimates can be unexpectedly far off the actual total! Growers don’t enjoy canceling orders and disappointing customers, and customers don’t like that either. Most growers do their best, but can’t be held liable for unexpected inventory problems.

Summary

Selling garlic before some time in July is risky for growers because inventory can be drastically different from estimates:

  1. Garlic may look great and large above the ground while growing, but in some years, even large and gorgeous plants can have a small bulb below ground.
  2. Garlic can lose as much as 25% or 30% of its weight and size during curing/drying. Different varieties shrink at different rates during curing. This is another reason to NOT buy garlic from a grower that grades, weighs, and ships less than 3 weeks following harvest!
  3. Until the garlic is actually handled individually, bulbs with damaged cloves can’t be accounted for. Damaged bulbs can still get by the best inspector when large quantities must be processed, but during inventory, most are discovered and those bulbs are set aside for non-shipment. This affects inventory quantities, as the damaged bulbs reduce pounds in inventory.
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