Garlic question

[Ethansmum]

Please don't laugh at my ignorance

Can i grow a new garlic bulb from a bulb I bought from Tescos? Can I break it up and grow some new ones?

thanks!!!
Tracy

[Stacey Steve]

Certainly, although they say that there is a chance that it could have deseases.

That said I've grown my garlic like this for the last couple of years with no problems. We plait some up for fresh use, peal some of the cloves and pickle them in white wine vinegar and even mince some as lazy garlic. If you pickle or mince with vinegar though, please make sure you use containers with lids that can stand up to the acid in the vinegar. We did one lot that disolved the lid, ruined the garlic but very nice green colour.

I listened to a guy from a specialist garlic company from the Isle of Wight on the radio a couple of years ago who said that if you grow garlic and then use some of the best cloves to grow on again, that by a couple of seasons you will have a stain that is perfectly adapted to your particular area.

[JO,JO]

great advice have put a clove in a contianer and they have sprouted already.

[Mrs Dobby]

It is possible, but you wont have any idea as to whether the cultivar is suited to UK growing, so cropping may not be particularly good, but deffo worth a go!

Usually Garlic is planted in October for overwintering, or early in spring, so it 'may' be a bit late now, as some cultivars need a period of cold in order to separate into cloves, but if they dont separate, then you can still use them fresh!

Growing on some of your best cloves from the previous year is sound advice, as they will give you a strain thats perfectly adapted for yourself, so I'd deffo second that advice!

Last year we grew 3 varieties, only 1 of which did relly well, so 30 cloves of that variety were replanted along with another 30 cloves of a GC bought one, our hopes are that we'll eventually find 2 or 3 varities that are perfectly suited to our plots!

[carlseawolf]

yes you can , mine where bought in tesco 2 years ago and have used some of last years crop to re-plant so on the second batch from the original bulbs and all seam to do fine in our climate.
I planted mine in autumn and all bulbed up even though some where small and little sign of desease.

[JO,JO]

will replant some cloves in autumn
thanks for the advice

[Ethansmum]

Wow! Thank you all for your replies and advice I'll give it a go