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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] 2 garlic questions

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  • From: Vern and Amy <vaspencer AT sisna.com>
  • To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] 2 garlic questions
  • Date: Wed, 14 Sep 2011 04:59:34 -0700

I am glad someone else has these questions, as well as me. I don't know about the greening.

I read that if garlic doesn't get enough winter chill it will not differentiate into cloves. I have some like this, but it wasn't because it didn't get enough winter. I have been thinking of growing and selling "undifferentiated garlic." Doesn't that sound cool? You don't have to peel so much!

I haven't seen any other responses, so I will take a stab at it. I bet that it is the size of the cloves that trumps the "genetics." I think the genetics are really the same for each variety, since we are propagating vegetatively, not sexually. I would liken it to a Honeycrisp apple. Every one is genetically identical to the original tree. But if you crossed a Honeycrisp with another Honeycrisp, you are no longer propagating vegetatively, and who knows what you will get.

Maybe I cracked this discussion open a little more and we can get someone more expert in garlic and genetics to weigh in. Have you checked out the garlic bible, /Growing Great Garlic: The Definitive Guide for Organic Gardeners and Small Farmers/ by Ron Engeland? He runs Filaree Farm (www.filareefarm.com) and sells dozens of varieties of garlic "seed". He says their yield is 4-5 tons per acre.


Vern




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