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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: djc1allottment on August 08, 2005, 16:17:46

Title: Garlic Bulbs
Post by: djc1allottment on August 08, 2005, 16:17:46
Hi.  Can anyone suggest where I can purchase (by mail order / the web) reasonably priced garlic bulbs ?  I would like to plant some in September / October.  Garden centres seem very expensive and only sell a couple of bulbs ago.  I would really like a big bag full!  Thanks if you can help.
Title: Re: Garlic Bulbs
Post by: Jill on August 08, 2005, 16:23:11
I've bought garlic from www.thegarlicfarm.co.uk for the past couple of years.  Seem to get lots for your money which is good because we like garlic!
Title: Re: Garlic Bulbs
Post by: Moggle on August 08, 2005, 16:34:18
Or if you don't want to buy 4 or 5 bulbs at a time, try www.dobies.co.uk (http://www.dobies.co.uk)
Title: Re: Garlic Bulbs
Post by: dlmartin1972 on August 08, 2005, 17:03:08
Do you have farm shop that sells local produce ?

We got ours from our local one, the advantage is that you can pick the best fattest cloves, and so get the best crop next year...  Also it is dead cheap, think we paid £0.40 for this years crop !

hope this helps...
Title: Re: Garlic Bulbs
Post by: tim on August 08, 2005, 17:08:54
That is quite amazing!!

However - are we quite sure that they were certified seed? Big dangers lurk.

The Garlic Farm does sell on some markets, & theirs certainly are.

There is also Garlic World.  www.garlicworld.co.uk
Title: Re: Garlic Bulbs
Post by: David R on August 08, 2005, 21:34:07
aatim,

What can happen with using non certified sets? I am very tempted to use organic supermarket garlic.
Title: Re: Garlic Bulbs
Post by: blight on August 08, 2005, 21:49:41
i´ve planted the supermarket varieties for years. the results were often disappoining - minute bulbs.
two years ago i planted a certified variety from burgundy, slightly purple. the resulting bulbs were much bigger. for the next season i just saved the nicest ones till sowing time in october. again a much better crop than i had with the supermarket stuff.
Title: Re: Garlic Bulbs
Post by: redimp on August 08, 2005, 22:23:44
Quote from: David R on August 08, 2005, 21:34:07
aatim,

What can happen with using non certified sets? I am very tempted to use organic supermarket garlic.

That's often only suitable for warmer climates.
Title: Re: Garlic Bulbs
Post by: dlmartin1972 on August 08, 2005, 22:27:44
yes, you must use a type suitable for the UK conditions i think....

That is why i got mine from a farm shop, they had been grown in the ok...

Tim, i figured that if they had white rot then they wouldn't be looking plump and health, do you think i took a risk ?
Title: Re: Garlic Bulbs
Post by: Hot_Potato on August 08, 2005, 22:31:26
I bought mine from the supermarket, stored them for a while in fridge and planted them in the Spring...the other day I dug up 30 lovely garlic bulbs of varying sizes, some very big.....the ones I've used so far are very juicy....
Title: Re: Garlic Bulbs
Post by: tim on August 09, 2005, 06:19:38
It's not all doom!!

Of course you may get away with it most of the time, but it's such a menace that it seems worth playing 'safe' - for the sake of pence?

I don't know if a 'carrier' bulb has identifiable signs of the rot.
Title: Re: Garlic Bulbs
Post by: Mubgrub on August 09, 2005, 14:25:45
Kings seeds autumn catalogue arrived today sporting 3 garlic bulbs for 1.95 which is cheaper than most.  Doesn't state the variety though which concerns me.  Anyone had any trouble with King's garlic in the past?  I'm sorely tempted since I'm a wee bit skint at the mo. ;D
Title: Re: Garlic Bulbs
Post by: moonbells on August 10, 2005, 09:44:57
I got to talk to the folk at the Really Garlicky Garlic company at BBC GW live. They said they sold seed garlic in September,  so I shall be contacting them then for some porcelain garlic.

http://www.reallygarlicky.com

I shall also be getting Marco, which is a hardneck. Not the largest bulbs, but the cloves within them are huge and easy to peel. Hubby thinks they're great.

moonbells
Title: Re: Garlic Bulbs
Post by: jennym on August 10, 2005, 12:07:44
Quote from: Mubgrub on August 09, 2005, 14:25:45
Kings seeds autumn catalogue arrived today sporting 3 garlic bulbs for 1.95 which is cheaper than most.  Doesn't state the variety though which concerns me.  Anyone had any trouble with King's garlic in the past?  I'm sorely tempted since I'm a wee bit skint at the mo. ;D
At college they said that Kings supply a lot of the other companies, and that they are good, havven't tried them myself yet, but am intending to.