Where to buy garlic?

stilernin

Where do you all buy your seed garlic? This is MSE, so I'm looking for good value rather than bottom price, but that's always a bonus.

Tales of your experience of suppliers would be appreciated.

rabidbun

This year the Seeds of Italy seed garlic has grown really well for me (http://www.seedsofitaly.com/catalogue/15), but all the Wight strains have failed to produce well alas. I got that lot from The Garlic Company (http://thegarlicfarm.co.uk/TSeed-Garlic--Grow-Garlic--Plant-Garlic--Harvest-Garlic--Sow-Garlic--Isle-of-Wight-Garlic.aspx). I also got some from The Really Garlicky Company (http://www.reallygarlicky.co.uk/garlic) which has grown ok for me.

I would recommend any of the companies, as they were all good quality for what I bought.

Will most likely be getting a few more this year from Seeds of Italy (as they worked well with my soil/climate this year) and will be using my best bulbs for all of the varieties as seed garlic as well. I eat a lot of garlic!

Previously (two or three years before last) I have tried Thompson and Morgan and Dobies of Devon for seed garlic as well - the latter seemed to provide better quality of the two in my opinion.

[Deleted User]

marshalls. I got jolimont last autumn and early wight this spring. I have had 2 very good crops. The overwintered jolimonts are particularly large. Both sets of bulbs have produced bulbs good enough for me to use as growers this coming year. All cloves produced nice bulbs. Cheap at the price and no cost from now on

harib0uk

rabidbun wrote: »

all the Wight strains have failed to produce well alas. I got that lot from The Garlic Company (http://thegarlicfarm.co.uk/TSeed-Garlic--Grow-Garlic--Plant-Garlic--Harvest-Garlic--Sow-Garlic--Isle-of-Wight-Garlic.aspx).

All but my elephant garlic from the Garlic Company failed as well

alleycat`

all of mine i got from dobies.
Had a bumper year?!?

clearing_out_my_pockets

harib0uk wrote: »

All but my elephant garlic from the Garlic Company failed as well

Our elephant garlic failed from the Garlic Company too

Sally_A

Really Garlicky Co for me...the variety "Music" does well in my soil, and also keeps well until the end of the year (Christmas time, when all turning bulbs can be mushed in oil and frozen). Another forum I'm on negotiates a bulk deal, but if you hang on for a bit, RGC sell off larger amounts ie 3kg+ at bargaintastic prices.

Depends how much you need, I tend to order by the Kilo, ie 15 heads average - 6 cloves per head.

I tend to order 2kg ie 180 plants.

stilernin

Well, lots to think about there. Thanks everyone.

Sally A, I am not sure I have the space for 180 plants. Interesting that the bulbs have an average of 6 cloves, some other suppliers I have looked at offer an 'average of 10 cloves', do you think they are being optimistic?

Sally_A

Just counted the cloves per head on some of this years harvest, 6 to 8 per head, but as I buy by weight rather than bulbs it's not really an issue.

180 cloves took up about 6ft x 7ft.

stilernin

Sally_A wrote: »

Just counted the cloves per head on some of this years harvest, 6 to 8 per head, but as I buy by weight rather than bulbs it's not really an issue.

180 cloves took up about 6ft x 7ft.

Ooh, a bit too much space for me, I have only got a half plot at the moment. One day perhaps.

Sambucus_Nigra

Instead of dedicating a whole area to garlic, plant it in lines inbetween rows/beds/areas that you will use anyway - like a living bed divider. I do that every year and because they come out in June, not too much is grown that you can't get them out before the other plants grow on.

Oh, and all mine from the Garlic Co last Sept was rubbish - but the ones that were grown from bulbs bought 3 years ago from the local greengrocer are still going strong. So I'm sticking with that.