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  • From: Alliums <garlicgrower AT earthlink.net>
  • To: <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Market-farming] Re: Garlic from SEED
  • Date: Fri, 24 Dec 2004 09:05:10 -0500

Jerry wrote:


I let some of my porcelain garlic (Armenian) go to seed and harvested
the seed.

Technically, you've harvested the bubils, which are genetically the same as the cloves -- it's all asexual reproduction.

I planted some of it in November and mulched it pretty heavy (zone 3/4). I was thinking of
starting more of it in the greenhouse and transplanting as soon as the soil can be worked.

Give it lots of root space and you should be fine.


My understanding is that the first year I should get a "round" that will become a full bulb the following
year.

You might in your area simply because it's so cold -- "rounds" are a function of stress at the time that the round (all garlic bulbs start as rounds) would normally separate into cloves -- the round simply never separates.


First question: do you think the seed started in the greenhouse will be fine?

Root space is critical and do it as soon as possible.


Second question: the few sources I've found on this say to transplant the rounds just like seed cloves.

This is true.

Can I just leave some of them in the ground? I was thinking of leaving some at the proper intervals, and
pulling/transplanting the ones in between.

Well, if you're going to get 100% rounds, that would be a good thought. However, when planting with bulbils, sometimes you get rounds and sometimes you don't -- you can get a small head with cloves. If you left the small head with cloves, then next year, you would get a lovely patch for garlic greens, but a total mat of tiny cloves below the ground.

If you're getting lots of rounds from bulbils and it will save you time you need on something more profitable, then why not? In my climate, I'd pull everything to be sure, because I can't be sure I'm going to get a round and if I got a bunch of tiny cloves all growing out, it would be more of a mess the next spring than simply pulling up the bulbs when they dry down. Also, I worry a lot about disease, so I'd probably pull my garlic out of the ground so that I could cull out any that I DON'T want in my seed stock the next year. You may not be able to sell a tiny head, but if it's damaged, you can certainly eat it yourself.

Dorene


Dorene Pasekoff, Coordinator
St. John's United Church of Christ Organic Community Garden and Labyrinth

A mission of
St. John's United Church of Christ, 315 Gay Street, Phoenixville, PA 19460





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