seed garlic prices

[chilli_grower]

I usually plant store bought garlic, but this years crop was not great.

So I am now considering buying a couple of 'proper seed bulbs'.

Is it me? Or are they just expensive?

£4.95 for 2 x bulbs seems a bit steep!!!!!!

[Kristen]

I usually plant store bought garlic, but this years crop was not great.

I've always resisted that - no idea if the variety is suited to Mediterranean, or UK, climate, nor if disease free etc. But plenty of folk do do that successfully ...

So I am now considering buying a couple of 'proper seed bulbs'.

Is it me? Or are they just expensive?

Hahahaha ... if you have to ask?

My theory (adopted, not of my making) is to buy good quality bulbs, and then self-save for future years. Folk say that, over the generations, they adapt to your soil / conditions. Of course you have to grow 10% - 20% more than you need for the kitchen, to have enough "seed" for next year.

On that basis I bought from Suttons and Marshalls last year, simply because I wanted two bulbs of This and That variety, and The Garlic Farm only sells them in 4-bulb packs ...

Both Suttons and Marshalls took ages to send me any bulbs, and both substituted at least one of the varieties that I ordered, so I didn't wind up with what I wanted. Seems to me that they are not stocking what they list, but sub-contracting and as such ahve no idea whether things are actually in-stock, or not

I am now tying to do a Taste Test of the varieties that I have would up growing ... how does one do that? I've also noted how much weight of crop I have got, relatively, as some have not grown very well so I am planning to avoid them in future ...

... but ... this year I am going to buy from The Garlic Farm so that I get exactly what I want, and live with having twice as many bulblets as I want to plant - or maybe I will give some away.

It had better be a one-time-cost ... or else!!!

[Martin H]

I have ordered some new garlic from one of the big seed suppliers, hopefully it arrives before the end of this month as promised.

I decided against saving from this year's crop because it suffered from quite a bad attack of garlic rust and I felt I would be best off with clean bulbs. I don't know if this is right though; if I get rust again in 2015 I won't bother buying new next time.

[Scarlet]

I've bought from the Garlic Farm this year. I originally bought some autumn planting garlic years ago at the Malvern Show. I've always saved the biggest bulbs for planting out. This year for personal reasons I missed my usual Autumn planting window and as a result my return was much smaller than other years. On that basis I've decided to start from scratch... Got my 4 bulbs for a tenner, sounds expensive but that's the first garlic I've had to buy in a very long time.

[Ananke]

I always used to plant store bought garlic, the bulbs I harvested were small as were the cloves but they were really strong tasting. I got a wee bit fed up peeling small cloves and ordered proper seed garlic and they were rubbish, even worse than the store bought stuff.

Last year I was in the asian supermarket and they had nets of garlic from China, there were around 6 large bulbs for 80 odd pence, I just couldn't resist.

Here is some of what I got back from them, the bulbs are not as big as the parent but the cloves are BIG around 3 to 4 cloves per bulb, my best garlic harvest yet.

[chilli_grower]

hmmm,

Perhaps I will buy a couple of seed garlic bulbs, and also plant something from the supermarket, and just see what happens....

Whichever does best, I will retain the cloves from for planting the following season.

ASDA normally have labels on their garlic, so I will know what variety they are.

I certainly won't be planting morado again!

[Scarlet]

If you are going to do that chilli grower you may be better off going to a local market and seeing if you can pick up some locally grown stuff.

[chilli_grower]

good idea scarlet... I will see what I can do....

[Green Gerkin]

I'm with scarlet, got four bulbs for £10 from IOW garlic farm, I know it sounds expensive but I was very disappointed with my homebase bulbs this year and will prob spit the bulbs with my brother. First time I've tried planting garlic in the autumn, so hopefully will be better.


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[Bex]

I'm with scarlet, got four bulbs for £10 from IOW garlic farm, I know it sounds expensive but I was very disappointed with my homebase bulbs this year and will prob spit the bulbs with my brother. First time I've tried planting garlic in the autumn, so hopefully will be better.


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Isn't is also £4.95 for postage though? I might just see what wilko's have.


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[Scarlet]

First time I've tried planting garlic in the autumn, so hopefully will be better.

What variety did you get? I've got early purple wight for a September(!) planting. I've always planted in Autumn (except my last lot!) and usually get a fantastic crop. Fingers crossed it's a good investment!

[Greenleaves]

Perhaps we should by as a co-opperative that way we can max the saving on postage?

[Bal]

Can I but in and ask a garlic related question please. Can I plant my garlic in pots to plant out later next year. My beds won't be ready in time for an autumn sowing

[Green Gerkin]

What variety did you get? I've got early purple wight for a September(!) planting. I've always planted in Autumn (except my last lot!) and usually get a fantastic crop. Fingers crossed it's a good investment!

hi scarlet, im trying early purple wight as well, plus Provence wight, elephant and something begging with l!!
i went for an autumn pack as I was not sure what was the best.
I thought why not treat myself!


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[Scarlet]

Oh, competition on then!! I'm only planting out my own elephant garlic and the early purple white which I bought at the chilli fair, thanks to the heads up from chilli_grower. I'll keep you posted.

Bex, I've done onions in pots and had them waiting in the wings and they've turned out fine so I'm sure the garlic will be better planted up then left to soften.