Garlic From Small Cloves

Lucius_Junius · Sat Oct 13, 2012 1:25 pm

I planted garlic in the spring. It all grew, but the short season led to some rather small cloves. Is there any reason I shouldn't break these up and plant them now for next year?

DoubleDogFarm · Sat Oct 13, 2012 1:39 pm

Only good reasons, plant away. Your small cloves may only produce a single round clove, but still very useful.

I'll be planting my Music garlic and shallots, if I can find shallots, next weekend.

Eric

jal_ut · Sat Oct 13, 2012 1:46 pm

Any cloves will grow. The very largest cloves will make the nice big multi-segmented bulbs. Small cloves may just make a round, but it will be larger than what you planted. You can then use the round or save it for planting and it will make a nice multi-segmented bulb the following year.

My plan is to save the biggest and best bulbs for planting and use the others. I usually end up planting a bunch of smaller cloves too.

It is best to plant garlic now rather than in the spring.

Eric, no shallots to be found locally. I did find some on Gurney's web site, but they are quite expensive. Do you have a source?

I will also be planting a row of Egyptian Onion bulbils this fall for scallions in the spring.

Ohio Tiller · Mon Oct 15, 2012 6:26 am

jal_ut wrote:

I will also be planting a row of Egyptian Onion bulbils this fall for scallions in the spring.

I have those things walking all over the place I am going to have to dig some up this spring they are getting in the way of other stuff. I must have dropped some in the yard this year because the wife came to me and asked why I planted onions in her yard. (Yes my wife mows the grass)
I went to check and sure enough here was a small bulb ball coming up in the center of the yard. I dug it up and gave it to the daughter.

jal_ut · Mon Oct 15, 2012 9:15 am

I have those things walking all over the place I am going to have to dig some up this spring they are getting in the way of other stuff.

Yes, they will walk and sometimes the kids like to throw the bulbils so they may come up anywhere. I like to plant the bulbils about 3 inches deep in the fall, then I get some nice scallions in the spring with a good long white portion along with the greens. Actually, you can plant the bulbils any time in like manner and shortly get some scallions.