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Allotment Stuff => The Basics => Topic started by: adam apple on September 04, 2008, 21:31:20

Title: garlic
Post by: adam apple on September 04, 2008, 21:31:20: im probly going to sound really thick now. But can i buy garlic from the supermarket and plant it???????
Title: Re: garlic
Post by: Lauren S on September 04, 2008, 21:50:58: Quote from: adam apple on September 04, 2008, 21:31:20
im probly going to sound really thick now. But can i buy garlic from the supermarket and plant it???????

Yes you can....BUT...it won't produce very big cloves. Will take up room, for not much yield

Always best to get *proper* cultivated garlic
Title: Re: garlic
Post by: saddad on September 04, 2008, 22:27:04: Hi Adam, welcome to the site... ;D
Title: Re: garlic
Post by: manicscousers on September 05, 2008, 08:59:09: hi, adamapple, nice to meet you ;D
I must admit, when we started, we used supermarket garlic, plus dried peas..I prefer proper garlic now :)
Title: Re: garlic
Post by: Tulipa on September 05, 2008, 09:11:41: Hi Adam, welcome to the forum.

One way to grow garlic is to buy your first lot from a reputable grower (I used Marshalls) and grow it, then save the biggest healthiest bulbs and plant them the following year and keep doing this. It is thought that you gradually get a better yield as the garlic becomes adapted to your soil and grows better.

Sometimes the supermarket garlic is imported and not really suitable to grow here.

Good luck

T.
Title: Re: garlic
Post by: STEVEB on September 05, 2008, 20:37:03: tulipa ..good advice mine is improving every year,first year from dads site the yield was poor but keeps improving,probably some scientific mumbo-jumbo why???
Title: Re: garlic
Post by: tim on September 07, 2008, 12:15:09: Just another bit of grist to the mill??

Large bulbs compared with what's on most supermarket shelves - 55mm across and 65g/2.5oz each. Stored in a warm dry place will keep well until March. The Garlic Farm.

[attachment=1] Marshalls Seeds - who now openly market the Garlic Farm's produce.

Spot the difference?
Title: Re: garlic
Post by: ceres on September 07, 2008, 12:29:05: You on commission Tim? ;)
Title: Re: garlic
Post by: grawrc on September 07, 2008, 12:33:33: Well I keep mine cool and dry, but not cold and dry. The coldness makes it grow so no good but I find if it is too warm it goes soft and rubbery and starts to go brown (not good).

I don't think there is a problem with using supermarket garlic but there are far nicer garlics out there, eg Purple Moldovan which I grew last year from the
[size=20Garlic Farm ;D ;D ;Dpt][/size]
and which is pure dead gorgeous!
Title: Re: garlic
Post by: hopalong on September 07, 2008, 12:51:20: Jennifer Birch of Garfield Villa, Belle Vue Road, Stroud, supplies a range of short dormancy and long dormancy varieties along with some very helpful cultivation notes and points to consider when selecting seed. She has imported and sold certified French seed garlic for 20 years and I have found it to be of excellent quality. (And no, I am not getting commission).
Title: Re: garlic
Post by: KathrynH on September 07, 2008, 12:59:17: I've been using Marshalls for several years now and can recommend it.
Title: Re: garlic
Post by: tim on September 07, 2008, 13:09:03: For whom, Ceres??

French stock? If it works, fine, but most Continental seed is less good in our climate. Hence the UK stuff.
Title: Re: garlic
Post by: grawrc on September 07, 2008, 13:25:54: Quote from: hopalong on September 07, 2008, 12:51:20
Jennifer Birch of Garfield Villa, Belle Vue Road, Stroud, supplies a range of short dormancy and long dormancy varieties along with some very helpful cultivation notes and points to consider when selecting seed. She has imported and sold certified French seed garlic for 20 years and I have found it to be of excellent quality. (And no, I am not getting commission).
Does she sell online or just locally? I have never tried growing garlic from seed before, Coud be fun!
Title: Re: garlic
Post by: ceres on September 07, 2008, 13:33:06: Quote from: tim on September 07, 2008, 13:09:03
For whom, Ceres??

Your mate Colin of course! :-X
44
Title: Re: garlic
Post by: hopalong on September 07, 2008, 14:50:41: Quote from: grawrc on September 07, 2008, 13:25:54
Quote from: hopalong on September 07, 2008, 12:51:20
Jennifer Birch of Garfield Villa, Belle Vue Road, Stroud, supplies a range of short dormancy and long dormancy varieties along with some very helpful cultivation notes and points to consider when selecting seed. She has imported and sold certified French seed garlic for 20 years and I have found it to be of excellent quality. (And no, I am not getting commission).
Does she sell online or just locally? I have never tried growing garlic from seed before, Coud be fun!
She does not sell on line but you can phone her for a leaflet and order form (01 453 750 371). I should stress that her "seed garlic" is supplied as bulbs which you divide into cloves and plant in the usual way. An advantage of French garlic is that it has to meet government standards and is guaranteed to be free of nematodes and 99% virus and fungus free. And, in answer to Tim, French garlic certainly does grow well in this country
Title: Re: garlic
Post by: grawrc on September 07, 2008, 14:56:19: Thank you! I'll give it a go then. :)
Title: Re: garlic
Post by: tim on September 07, 2008, 15:52:55: My Mate, Ceres? Thought I was offering a comparison in technique between my favourite firm, Marshalls, & the other chap?
Title: Re: garlic
Post by: Tee Gee on September 07, 2008, 15:54:43: Quote
Yes you can....BUT...it won't produce very big cloves.

Sorry I have to disagree with you Lauren

I have found that providing you use the largest cloves in the bulb you should be OK, eat the small ones.

This is my next years crop which has been saved from supermarket culinary bulbs (purchased many years ago).

I always save the largest bulbs each year for planting on the following year.

Note; The pot in shot is 4" diameter and the timber lath is 2" wide to give you an idea of size

(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd27/tgalmanac/Veg/18-Garlic2.jpg)

and this is my shallots saved for next year;

(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd27/tgalmanac/Veg/Shallot3.jpg)
Title: Re: garlic
Post by: tim on September 07, 2008, 18:08:02: True, TG - but, surely, the points against store bulbs are:

1. They are not bred for this country - however successful some experts are.
2. They are not 'certified' stock.

And, if you look at Tesco's recent offerings, I wouldn't even use them for wet garlic.
Title: Re: garlic
Post by: grawrc on September 07, 2008, 19:10:32: So long since I bought any that I don't know what they look like!! I don't think it's a problem though if you just want to try them out to see what you get..
Title: Re: garlic
Post by: Eristic on September 07, 2008, 22:24:44: Quote
1. They are not bred for this country
2. They are not 'certified' stock.

Why should either point matter? The fact remains that shop bought garlic generally produces as good a yield as overpriced seed stock in the south of the country.
Title: Re: garlic
Post by: grawrc on September 07, 2008, 23:02:39: yes
but no choice whatever

ok if that's what you want
Title: Re: garlic
Post by: ninnyscrops on September 08, 2008, 00:31:48: Sorry Tim - up with TeeGee on this one.

Been growing garlic for 4 seasons (so not in the least an expert) and only plant the biggest cloves, original ones were from France (a plait brought back from daughter's holiday) but also plant ones from local farmers' market in town.

Sometimes plant the ones I harvest that don't clove, ie the smallest of the crop.

Not yet bought one from a commercial supplier :)

Ninnyscrops
Title: Re: garlic
Post by: hopalong on September 08, 2008, 17:52:46: If supermarket garlic works for you that's fine, of course, but you will miss out on a wide range of delicious alternatives (from France and Spain as well as the UK, Tim!) and you can't be nearly so confident that it's going to be virus and fungus free.
Title: Re: garlic
Post by: tim on September 08, 2008, 20:22:57: Why should it all matter? Because:

1. Despite success from market bulbs, UK grown ones are more likely to succeed?
2. Some market bulbs - at great cost - would not equal three of our cloves.
3. We suppose that 'certified' stock is less likely to introduce white rot. Don't live to regret it. But, of course, if you have re-selected annually, like TG & others, you know that your stock is clean?
4. Bulbs bought fresh on the Continent - no need to apologise! - are nothing like the ****** dried up ones from the s/market.
5. Yes - if you really know what you are doing, fine. But if not, a pound or two could save you later distress.
6. Choice? All the UK ones - Scottish, East Anglian, IOW - are selected from the great variety of Continental/Russian varieties. No shortage of choice - unless you want more than 20. When will we be satisfied?

PS I'm just chatting!!
Title: Re: garlic
Post by: Eristic on September 08, 2008, 20:38:55: Quote
and you can't be nearly so confident that it's going to be virus and fungus free.

Why?

Most of the seed stock is grown under contract in Europe so what is the difference? Most of the seed stock I've ever seen has not been fit for the kitchen let alone crop planting and should never have been on the market.

OK you can all call me a food moron if you want but unless you intend to eat the stiff raw very few people will be able to taste the difference once its been in the pan so growing lots of named varieties seems a waste of effort.
Title: Re: garlic
Post by: Eristic on September 08, 2008, 20:50:18: Quote
dried up ones from the s/market.

Anyone who buys veg at the supermarket deserves what they get. Try shopping in the High Street where the turnover puts the largest stores to shame and the punters shamelessly throw anything below standard on the floor.

The large supermarkets do not buy quality, they buy uniformity.

PS. I'm just yapping too.
Title: Re: garlic
Post by: hopalong on September 08, 2008, 22:40:18: Quote from: Eristic on September 08, 2008, 20:38:55
Quote
and you can't be nearly so confident that it's going to be virus and fungus free.

Why?

Most of the seed stock is grown under contract in Europe so what is the difference? Most of the seed stock I've ever seen has not been fit for the kitchen let alone crop planting and should never have been on the market.

OK you can all call me a food moron if you want but unless you intend to eat the stiff raw very few people will be able to taste the difference once its been in the pan so growing lots of named varieties seems a waste of effort.
We'll have to agree to differ. The (mainly French) seed stock I've bought for the last couple of years has been marvellous and the taste of the garlic I've grown has been miles better than anything I've bought in a supermarket. In fact it's been a revelation.
Paul

P.S. Just yapping too
Title: Re: garlic
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on September 10, 2008, 20:45:00: The trick with all garlic is to plant the biggest cloves. Don't take whole bulbs for planting, take the biggest cloves off the bulbs, and eat the rest. If anyone complains about the shape of the bulb that arrives in the kitchen, give them no sympathy!
Title: Re: garlic
Post by: ninnyscrops on September 10, 2008, 21:09:25: Seconded Mr Brenchley! ;D