Artichoke Garlic Group Mid Season | Med ium Storing | 10-20 cloves The Reliable: The best all-rounder loving most climate zones, is happy in a braid, and has a clean taste Artichoke garlic is named after the appearance of the clove layer pattern which looks a bit like an artichoke flower bud. This garlic is a popular mid-season softneck garlic and is considered to be the most adaptable garlic for all soil conditions and climate zones. This garlic group produces many cloves per bulb and can be plaited despite its wide leaves. It is often cropped commercially due to its high number of cloves, no scape removal required and its relatively long storage life. It grows best in a mild to cool winter climate ​ . This is a non-bolting garlic type meaning it does not send up a flower stalk known as a scape unless under stress. Under stress it does produce neck bulbils and a large, wide scape. This garlic has a mild simple vegetative flavour. Characteristics Clove & Bulb Appearance The bulb is normally a flattened oblong globe shape , generally white to tan in colour with purple blotches on the bulb wrapper (skin) particularly in cold climates. The bulbs contain between 10-20 cloves. The bulbs are generally larger than the other soft neck silverskin group. Artichoke garlic normally has multiple layers of cloves. There are often at least ten plantable cloves per bulb. The remaining inner cloves are small, tall and angular thus being less suitable as planting stock. The clove skin is often a dull, matt-white or cream colour. The outer cloves are typically plump square, flattened wedge with three flatish sides shaped with long tails on the outer cloves. The inner layers of cloves are tall, thin, roughly square sided or angular. Artichoke garlic typically stores for 7-9 months in ideal conditions. Bulbils T his softneck garlic generally does not send out a scape (flower stalk) unless it is stressed particularly by cold weather. Under stress they can produce clusters of neck bulbils on the lower half of their pseudostem . Those plants with bulbils will not be able to be plaited. Their skins are normally purple to dark purple in appearance and extra large (7-12mm) in size - the largest of any garlic . Leaves & Scapes Artichoke garlic has more sideways leaf growth compared to the silverskin softneck group. The leaf is very wide compared to other garlic groups and they tend to have leaf-flop halfway up. Thus they can be described as having a more horizontal spreading leaf appearance. Plants can tend to lie over close to harvest time. The leaf is a yellow- green colour. This garlic is easy to distinguish from silverskin and other garlics as it has a visible pink arrow at the stem of each leaf and is a softneck. Under stress ( particularly with chilly spring weather) this garlic can (rarely) produce a large scape with a purple blotch.

GARLIC GROWING GUIDE The ten steps of growing garlic Becoming A Garlic Guru Do you have a passion for growing garlic? If you can successfully grow bulbs from cloves (Level 1 - see below) then consider taking it to level 2 to successfully grow garlic bulbs from bulbils . To be a 'Garlic Guru' complete the first two levels, then try to grow garlic's 'true seed '. Growing garlic from true seed is a slower process than using cloves to propagate, but it allows growers to develop new garlic varieties and maintain genetic diversity in their crops. Garlic Guru Levels There are three levels to achieve. Each is a greater challenge and takes more time to achieve. Level 1 - Cloves (Entry Level) Follow our garlic growing guide to progress to the next level . You achieve Level 1 status once you have successfully: joined and contributed at least one post on the NZ Garlic Guru Facebook page; AND grown a bulb of any garlic group (ideally a group best suited to your climate) to at least XL grade (70mm+ width). Note: Elephant garlic is not garlic; AND gift the XL grade bulb to another gardener to grow - share the love! This goal may take between 1-3 years to achieve . Level 2 - Bulbils (Advanced) Learn how to grow bulbils by following the growing bulbil section. To achi eve this level you have to successfully: harvest bulbils* from your own garlic plant; AND plant the bulbils from your own crop; AND harvest bulbs that contain cloves that were grown originally from your own bulbils. *This goal might be a greater challenge in the Far North. This level may take between 2-5 years to achieve . Level 3 - True Seed (Garlic Guru) Persevere by researching the growing true seed section on this page. To achieve level 3 Garlic Guru status : join the True Garlic Seed Growers NZ Facebook page, AND harvest true seed* from your own garlic and video it; AND plant the true seed which grows into bulbs and video it; AND share your success and videos with the True Garlic Seed Growers NZ Facebook page *This goal might be an even greater challenge in the Far North. Level 3 while possible, may take a lifetime or possibly several lifetimes to achieve! Growing Bulbils Growing Bulbils Growing garlic bulbils is a medium-term goal. They are small secondary bulbs normally produced in th e flower cluster (umbel ) beside the flowers. In botany, a bulbil (also called a bulbel or bulblet) form on other types of plants and are defined as a secondary bulb located in the angle between a leaf and stem or in place of flowers such as with garlic. Bulbils are called offsets when full-sized, and if left fall to produce new plants. There are many good reasons to grow bulbils despite them taking 1-5 years (depending on the garlic type) as they: are a quick way of obtaining stock are economical than buying bulbs but are slower to develop reduce the risk of soil-borne disease revitalise bulb size and condition are great raw in salads, on pizzas or to spice up a meal The softneck garlic types silverskin and artichoke do not normally produce the scape flower stem nor bulbils. Also, the semi-bolting garlic types turban , creole and asiatic may not produce scapes in mild-winter areas. Thus some garlic will not form bulbils unless they are put under environmental stress. We are lucky here in the cold deep south, as most years we get some bulbils from all our garlic groups. Growing a garlic scape (without removing it) for most garlic groups will result in smaller bulb sizes. We discuss this in the section on scape removal . In brief, not removing the scape to try to grow bulbils will result in the bulb size being 10-30% smaller. Depending on the garlic group, bulbils take between 2-5 years to produce mature-sized bulbs containing cloves not just rounds without cloves. The rate of maturity depends on the climate, soils and bulbil size as each garlic group produces different sized bulbils. The larger the bulbil the quicker the formation of a good-sized bulb. Garlic Bulbil Guide Collecting Bulbils The quickest way of getting bulbils is to get them from a fellow garlic gardener or to buy them. Gourmet Garlic are the only NZ supplier of bulbils. They can be found in our online shop . Each year we sacrifice the size of some of our bulbs to produce bulbils for our interested garlic growers. When you are growing to produce garlic bulbils from your own plants, in year one (if your climate permits), grow a strongly bolting garlic such as porcelain , rocambole , standard purple stripe , marbled purple stripe or a glazed purple stripe . These are the most reliable garlic groups to grow bulbils from. Let the scape grow, and at harvest time remove the plant to cure much like a garlic bulb. It is best to cut off the scape at this time and store it separately in an open container, allowing it to to dry out of the sun and weather. This will ensure that any bulbils that come loose do not get trampled, mixed with others or lost as they cure. Store them in a dry cool spot in an aerated paper bag until planting time. Planting Bulbils Surprisingly, bulbils can be planted at the start of spring when daily temperatures reach around 18 °C . This reduces the chance of the bulbils scaping and shortens the time taken to produce large bulbs. However, some growers still recommend a cooling winter is best for bulbil growth. If planting in a mild/cool winter area, you may consider pre-cooling them before planting. Plant bulbils closer together than standard cloves, ideally in a separate area of the garden. These small plants will need a bit of care as weeds or other garden plants can shade them out. It is easy to mix them up with your standard crop - you don't want to lose track of these ones! You will need a little more room for the larger bulbil plants from asiatic and rocambole garlic types as they are from larger bulbils. In the first year prepare damp soil in a tray, pot, or in your garden bed and gently sprinkle the bulbils onto the soil. Put a light covering (mm not cm) of fine soil on top of them. Studies have reported that bulbils are more productive and winter-hardy than using standard cloves. Ensure that the soil does not dry out and that there is sufficient soil depth for them to grow roots (10cm+). Shoots will appear quickly, and after a few months in summer they will dry out. If scapes appear remove them to give the bulbil the best chance for bulb production. Harvest the small bulbil's bulb when the leaves dry out. Cure and store them just like any garlic bulb. At harvest the bulbil bulb will be a several times larger than the bulbil you planted. If you are growing from a large bulbil such as asiatic or rocambole you are likely to end up with a round bulb often with cloves. These large bulbil bulbs can be about 30mm wide. Medium sized bulbils normally produce rounds 20mm wide and the smallest bulbils from groups like porcelain , standard purple stripe and glazed purple stripe only form 10mm wide rounds. The following year plant the bulbil bulb just like a normal bulb. Be aware of the climatic zone you live in and use our planting page to know when to plant. Larger bulbils normally take two years to produce normal sized bulbs with cloves, while other groups might take another year or two longer. Growing True Seed Growing True Seed Growing garlic's 'true seed' is a long-term goal. It is something to aspire to. T here are probably less gardeners in the country that have managed to successfully get fertile garlic true seed from their plants than the number of cloves on a porcelain garlic bulb. So w hat is Garlic's True Seed? There is much confusion in gardening circles about what constitutes garlic seed. Visit an online auction or a grower's website and bulbs or cloves (and rarely bulbils) are referred to as ' garlic seed for planting'. This is not technically correct as these are all clones of the plant. True seed is the tiny black seed formed on the umbel flower head as a result of sexual reproduction. Some people may use the term 'seed garlic' to describe clones, while 'garlic seed' is true seed. Garlic seed was not recognised and widely available in modern era until the 1990's. For thousands of years widespread cultivation around the globe using cloves or bulbils to produce a bulb resulted in a decline of the plants' ability to sexually reproduce. Thus the most popular commercial garlic crops have lost their ability to bolt and form flowers. For most crops, like onions (which garlic seed looks similar to but is smaller than) when a cultivar produces a desirable trait such as a resistance to a disease, it can then be propagated asexually to produce clones. Likewise in nature. Random selection retains desirable characteristics to benefit the plant's survival. Absence of genetic renewal means garlic is not able to adapt to new conditions, threats or changing global climatic conditions. For the grower it also results in having to retain 10-25% of the bulbs for replanting rather than using seed. However, in the 1980's fertile garlic strains were collected in a small town near the Tien Shan mountains of Central Asia - the origins of wild garlic. These were primarily strongly bolting purple stripe garlic types such as standard purple stripe , marbled purple stripe and glazed purple stripe which are most genetically similar to wild garlic plus a limited number of porcelain and rocambole too. These collected plants managed to grow fertile true seed. This inspired growers to try growing garlic's true seed themselves . The garlic plant's umbel contains small individual flowers which are tightly packed in between bulbils. The bulbils compete for nutrients and light with the flowers which the bulbils generally out compete. When the umbel matures, the bulbils begin to fall off which offers more light for the flowers which have withered by this stage. While it is possible to get true seed without removing bulbils - there's a greater chance of growing true seed by removing the competing bulbils. When the scapes begin to curl, they can be cut and placed in a bucket of water. Some true seed growers do this instead of waiting for pollination or if there are pests, windy or wet conditions, if it's regularly too hot (>30 °C) or if there is a prolonged cold (<18 °C) period. The scapes will continue to grow and eventually produce bulbils. The bucket of water serves to keep the scapes hydrated and to encourage the growth of bulbils. After a few weeks, the bulbils can be harvested and planted to grow new garlic plants. This technique has a lower success rate. It's also important to know that garlic flowers are protandrous, meaning the male antlers release pollen a few days before the female stigma is ready. Thus they rely on other nearby flowers and pollinators to become fertile. The flowering period is about 1-3 weeks during which insect pollinators (bees, flies etc) can come in contact with the flowers and spread the pollen. It is also possible artificially pollinate using a fine paint brush. How to grow fertile Garlic Tru e Seed There is a series of steps that should be followed to get the best results in producing fertile true seed. Step 1 - Pick it Right Grow several strongly bolting garlic clove s in a cool to cold winter zone . You need a cooler climate to ensure the garlic creates a scape. Standard purple stripe garlic has the greatest potential success for true seed since it's the closest genetically to wild garlic. However the bulbils are some of garlic's smallest making it incredibly difficult to extract them. An easier option is using marbled purple stripe since they have medium sized bulbils compared to fine bulbils of the other purple stripes and porcelains. It has been suggested that the marbled purple stripe group is good also because they generally have a thicker scape or flowering stalk then other purple stripe garlic. Let the plant send up a scape. In order to prolong the plant's life continue to water and feed the plant to support its health. Step 2 - The Tricky Part Keep an eye on the scape and wait for it to uncoil and point towards the sky. It might be necessary to carefully cut the spathe open to expose the bulbils and flowers. Take care. Remove the bulbils without impacting the flowers as much as possible. This is a tricky and tedious task. Consider using tweezers to remove them as they are very tightly packed in a growing umbel. Removing the first bulbil ma y be the trickiest part of this process - this creates an initial gap. When pulling the bulbil up, try to extract it from its base and remove its entire length. There might be some flower causalities during the first few bulbil extractions. Step 3 - Mind the Gap Once the first few bulbils are removed and a gap is created in the umbel, try to get the rest of the bulbils out by rocking them towards the newly created empty space. Try not to crush the bulbils and flowers as you remove them. If there is a tricky spot, leave the plant for a few days and the bulbils will realign which will make it easier to remove them later along with any crushed ones. The aim is to keep as many flowers intact as possible. Step 4 - Keep Watch Keep watch for garlic seed - most fertile garlic types have purple anthers. It is possible to detect a fertilised flower because they will have swollen ovaries which will yield seed at maturity. Note that each ovary has three chambers, each part contains two ovules - so it is possible to get six seeds per flower. Seed is tiny. Tiny! It is black with an irregular grain shape similar to onion seed, but only half their size. It takes around a month and a half to two months for seed to be produced once pollinated. Extract the seed and consider applying a weak bleach treatment to the seed to reduce disease. Also consider pre-cooling before planting. Step 5 - Plant and Cross Fingers While growing true seed is quite an achievement, developing fertile true seed is the end goal. Most first-generation seed will be undersized and infertile (possibly slightly more than 10% will be viable). Later generations will have better fertility, and after several generations most seed will grow. After a few generations seed producing garlic will produce an astonishing 600 seeds per umbel. Plant true seed much like the bulbil planting process with only mm not cm of quality fine seed raising mix covering them. Use a spray bottle to water and control soil moisture early on in their development. If possible, grow them indoors in late winter to give them the best chance of survival and to ensure the largest possible rounds. It will take them a week to sprout (most viable seeds about a fortnight), while weak seeds might take a couple of months. If starting them indoors wait until they are hardy, then harden them off and plant the seedlings outside in large pots or into the ground. The first generation plants from true seed are likely to be weak and very slow growing. Keep your fingers crossed as they are at a higher vulnerability to disease than cloves or bulbils at this stage. It can take up to four months for the plant to get its first leaves. Some plants might have irregular growth but future generations will be stronger, having less bulbils and more viable seed. Occasionally, plants can flower in the first year, although typically it is the following year when they will produce a bulb which flowers. With sexual reproduction there can be much variation in future plants' growth. Some plants might become softnecks, others might have few or no bulbils or other interesting characteristics which our current clones never develop. From there it is possible to selectively breed the desirable traits ... exciting times! Good luck - please let us know if you are successful in producing fertile garlic true seed as this is certainly something to share with the expanding kiwi garlic-growing community.

GARLIC GLOSSARY While we have tried to keep our website and garlic growing guide simple to use, however our glossary might help with some explanations Annual - A plant which completes its lifecycle in one year Alliin - An amino acid present in fresh garlic which when disturbed allinase converts into allicin Allicin - The sulphur containing amino acid which once disturbed converts to cystine creating the garlic smell and taste Alliinase - A catalyst enzyme which causes the chemical change of allicin to allicin Artichoke - One of the ten global garlic groups, and one of two softneck garlics Asiatic - One of the ten global garlic groups, and one of three semi-bolting garlics Basal Plate - The part of the plant which the roots grow out of which is actually the garlic's true stem containing root buds Beak - The top of the scape or flower stalk where is narrows down to end point. The beak can be long or short depending on the garlic group Biennial - A plant which requires two years to complete its lifecycle, garlic technically is a biennial but we harvest it as an annual Bolt - The arrival of the garlic's flower stalk which extends upwards from the leaves. Softneck garlic do not generally bolt, semi-bolting in cool/cold winters usually bolt, while strongly bolting garlic groups always bolt Bract - A modified leaf such as a garlic spathe Bud - The leafy shoot as it begins to grow. There are also root buds which are in the basal plate Bulb - The swollen and round shaped unground stem which generally contain a layer or several layers of cloves Bulb Formation - A period late in the season where the plant transfers it's energy from leaf to bulb growth and when the bulb begins to swell Bulb Wrapper - The thin papery outer layer of the bulb skin Bulbil - The small secondary bulbs normally located in the umbel or stem of the plant Bulblets - Small bulbs or clove like structures that grow beside the parent bulb Clone - In reference to garlic it is a genetic replica of the plant. Bulbs, cloves and bulbils are clones, while true seed is not Clove - One of several divisions inside a bulb that is made up of many individual lobes. Most gardeners plant the clove into the soil Clove Layers - In hardneck garlic typcially cloves are stacked radially around a bulb, while a softneck has 2-3 clove layers where cloves get smaller in the innermost layers Clove Skin - The hard yet thin outer layer of the clove (it is actually a separate leaf unconnected with the clove Cracking - Also known as 'popping', is when garlic cloves are separated from the bulb on the day or the following before planting the clove Cre ole - One of the ten global garlic groups, and one of three semi-bolting garlics Cultivar - A c ultivated variety. Technically the different garlic groups are cultivars not varieties Curing - The process of hanging and drying out garlic after harvesting for several weeks prepare the bulb for longterm storage Cysteine - The amino acid that is responsible for the pungency of garlic smell and taste. Normally it is stable and odourless, however once disturbed it gives off the garlic fragrance Day-Length Sensitivity - All garlic is sensitive to the changing day lengths and when moving garlic across latitudes can affect the growth before the plant recovers from climatisation Dieback - The process of the leaves yellowing to a brown shade normally at near the onset of a bulb maturing before harvest . Dieback can also be caused from disease, pests, nutrient deficiency or weather Double Cloves/Shoots - A clove which has more than one vegetative buds which when planted forms double or multiple shoots Pseudostem/False Stem - The plant's stalk. The true stem is actually the basal plate Climate Zones - Grouping of similar regional weather pattern. In NZ there are three main climate zones for garlic being mild, cool and cold winter areas. There are thousands of local micro-climates Clove Skin - The hard yet thin outer layer of the clove (it is actually a separate leaf unconnected with the clove Cold Climate/Winter - In reference to NZ garlic this is an area in the mid to lower North Island and South Island which is at higher elevations receives greater than a cool winter normally consisting of severe frosts for prolonged periods Cool Climate/Winter - In reference to NZ garlic this is an area in the mid to lower North Island and South Island which is at lower elevations receives neither a mild or cold winter F1 - The term for hybrids or cultivars of plants obtained by modern breeding methods False Stem - Also known as the psedostem of the stalk of the garlic plant as botanically the feature is actually elongated leaf bases wrapped around tightly Flowerhead - Also called the umbel or topset consisting of bulbils and flowers Garlic - One of 800 Allium species, but only one of seven that are cultivated. The word originates from Anglo-Saxon, 'Gar' meaning spear and 'leac' being leek Garlic Groups - A c ultivated variety. Technically the different garlic groups are cultivars not varieties Garlic Rust - A fungal disease which forms round white then orange rusty spots on a plant. Glazed Purple Stripe - One of the ten global garlic groups, and one of three strongly-bolting garlics Grade - The size category of the bulb. Grading is normally undertaken commercially, however gardeners should grade to pick the largest cloves from largest bulbs planting the following year Green Garlic - Freshly harvested garlic that has not been dryed/cured Hardneck - Also known as a red garlic or topset, is a garlic that produces a scape and umbel Leaf Blade - The thin flat part of the leaf Leaf Sheath - The base of the leaf which wraps around the stalk or false stem Leaf Tip - The end of each leaf Marbled Purple Stripe - One of the ten global garlic groups, and one of three strongly-bolting garlics Maturity - The period to which the plant has finished growing and the bulb is ready for harvesting being at full size without deterioration Mild Climate/Winter - In reference to NZ garlic this is an area in the northern part of the North Island which receives more warmer winters Neck - The top of the bulb and the base of the stalk Neck Bulbils - Bulbils which form along the stalk or garlic's false stem sometimes found in artichoke garlic types Nitrogen - Is a naturally occurring chemical element, and is one of the most important nutrients for a garlic's plant leaf growth. Natural sources of nitrogen for your garlic bed include blood and bone, coffee grounds, nitrogen fixing cover crops (peas, beans or other legumes), fish emulsion, grass clippings, leaves, and animal manure Non-bolting - One of the two soft neck garlic groups (silverskin and artichoke ) that generally does not send up a scape Ophio Garlic - A Latin term meaning 'serpent', an old term used for the eight semi or strongly bolting garlic that typically sends up a scape flower stalk Psedostem - The false stem of the stalk of the garlic plant as botanically the feature is actually elongated leaf bases wrapped around tightly Popping - Also known as 'cracking', is when garlic cloves are separated from the bulb on the day or the following before planting the clove Potassium - Is a naturally occurring chemical element, and is one of the most important nutrients for a garlic's bulb growth. Natural sources of potassium are wood ash, banana peels and compost made from food scraps and seaweed Porcelain - One of the ten global garlic groups, and one of three strongly-bolting garlics Quarantine - A bed which is used for the planting of new cloves which is isolated from other garlic where bulbs have potential to import disease or pest risk. Quarantine normally lasts 1-2 years Rocambole - One of the ten global garlic groups, and one of three strongly-bolting garlics Roots - The organs of the plant which are underground and form out of basal plate Rotation - Refers to crop rotation for annual crops to reduce the risk of disease and replenish nutrients. Garlic should be not planted in the same bed location ideally for at least three years Rounds - The term for when a clove produces a single bulb with no individual cloves. This normally occurs for most first generation bulbils, early harvested bulbs or poorly performing bulbs Rust - Garlic Rust (Puccina porri ) is a persistent pathogenic fungi affecting plants during the bulbing period Sativum - A Latin term meaning 'cultivated', an old term often referring to softneck garlics Seed - Technically the seed of garlic is 'true seed' formed in the flowerhead. All other plantable stock (bulbs, cloves and bulbils) are actually clones and not seed. It is common-place to hear bulbs being called seed garlic or garlic seed ​Scape - Also known as a flower stalk it rises out of the bulb on hardneck garlics to produce the flowerhead. Scapes can be picked early to increase bulb size and can be used for culinary dishes Semi-bolting - One of the three hardneck garlic groups (turban , creole and asiatic ) that generally send up a scape unless in a warmer winter zone Silverskin - One of the ten global garlic groups, and one of two softneck garlics Softneck - Also known as 'white garlic' i s a garlic that does not produces a scape and umbel (silverskin and artichoke ) and are easier to plait for storing Spathe - The covering and enclosing the flower cluster and bulbils which extends to the beak Species - Garlic is just one species (sativum of the allium genus). The ten garlic groups are cultivars of the species Split Bulb/Skin - When a bulb has been harvested too late and the cloves are pushing away from the centre of the bulb breaking open the bulb wrapper Strain - The lowest division of plant classification, in reference to garlic is is the small variations of cultivars/garlic groups that can be used to label a particular garlic. Often commercial growers will brand a garlic which has certain characteristics as a result of the areas mirco-climate, soils or local factors which influence a garlic group. The creole group or cultivar has a popular strain called Ajo Roja Standard Pur ple Stripe - One of the ten global garlic groups, and one of three strongly-bolting garlics Strongly-bolting - One of the five hardneck garlic groups (porcelain, rocambole and the three purple stripe groups) that sends up a scape Topset - Also known as a hardneck, is a garlic that produces a scape and umbel True Seed - Technically the tiny black seed formed in the flowerhead. All other plantable stock (bulbs, cloves and bulbils) are actually clones and not seed. It is common-place to hear bulbs being called seed garlic or garlic seed True Stem - The flat base of the bulb being the basal plate, not above the bulb which are leaves or the false stem Turban - One of the ten global garlic groups, and one of three semi-bolting garlics Umbel -The flowerhead at the top of the scape which includes the bulbils, flowers, spathe and beak Vegetative Reproduction - Any plant grown asexually and reproduced vegetatively such as garlic bulbs, cloves and bulbils. Garlic 'true seed' comes from the flowerhead from sexual reproduction Vernalisation - Either natural or artificial cooling for several weeks in order to initiate garlic's bulb development Wild Garlic - Naturally uncultivated garlic

GARLIC RUST The fungi that creates garlic rust is prolific around the country. It's the 'spring sorrow' of any garlic grower. It's a frustrating time to see one's healthy garlic leaves begin to get white round flecks then turn into rusty orange spores that spread. There are 7,000 species of rust, but garlic rust ( Puccinia porri ) is a real th reat to garlic crops. This pathogenic fungi is prevalent, and seems to have infested every corner of our country. This fungal disease generally spreads from spores in the wind (it can travel long distances), animals, people and their machinery. Puccinia allii also infects other garden vegetables too such as leeks, onions, spring onions and chives, so it's best not to plant these in the same soil each year. Rust spores are microscopic. Rust spores from the soil can reach the leaves from disturbance of the soil, rainfall splashing and other transfer methods. If possible, is best to water the soil via a dripline and not overhead. Rust can be transported from the leaves and bulb into the following years crop. Consider a pre-treatment of the clove before planting. The presence of rust is highly variable from year to year and between locations. Garlic rust thrives when soil nitrogen levels are high, close planting, high humidity (wet leaves for 4+ hours), poor drainage, stressed plants or when plants are in their bulbing stage, and in temperature ranging from 12-24 °C. It seems that growers at higher altitudes (>500m) or in very cold climates are less affected by garlic rust. We have found this to the the case for our plot located well above sea level (300m+) in a dry mountain environment which gets regular wind and air movement between the beds. The first sign of rust are small white spots which occur on the leaves. At this stage you can pick off the leaves and dispose of them (not in the compost). Do not pick too many leaves as each leaf contributes to 10% of bulb weight, and the last few are a protective cover for the bulb. The garlic rust stages progress as the white spots turn into a rusty orange appearance as the rust reproduces. The final garlic rust stage is destructive. This is where the leaf is covered in many orange or advanced black spots. Minor rust will not affect bulb size, moderate rust will, while severe rust will result in tiny or no bulbs. It is awfully disappointing to the grower as the stages progress. While there are inorganic treatments (systemic fungicides - normally two treatments in the early stages), there is no organic treatment to kill rust. Organic treatments using sulphur, sodium and potassium bi-carbonate based sprays on contact with the rust pustules will only sterilise the surface and reduce the spread to surround leaves and soil. However the internal pathogen in the leaf will remain. We tend to use potassium bi-carbonate as it's known to act quicker and is a more powerful agent to sterilise leaves. The organic method to reduce the impact and spread is by mixing a teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) or potassium bicarbonate per litre of water (plus a teaspoon of vegetable oil to make it stick and a drop of dish detergent to penetrate the leaf). When sprayed onto the leaf it makes the surface highly alkaline, anti-fungal and as a result slows the spread of rust growth for a week before reapplication is necessary. Do not spray any acidic formulas (like vinegar) as this will feed the rust. If it is raining alot it can be a very frustrating time to reapplying regularly this treatment. Another option is using hydrogen peroxide with water following the manufacturers instructions and spray on leaves every few weeks. Some growers elect to plant their cloves earlier to hopefully harvest earlier before garlic rust takes hold. Another consideration is to grow an early harvesting group such as turban or asiatic garlic types for the same reasons. This has mixed results with growers using this technique, others believe the strongly bolting garlics that are harvested later are a more robust in fighting rust . We have found planting early has not helped our crop, and the best resistant to date has been our later harvesting types. Micro-climates and seasonal weather variability certainly alters the presence of this persistent fungi on garlic leaves. Orange spores from leaves than reinfect soils can live there for 1-2 years before the soil biota will break it down. So for this reason it is best to have a three year rotation on garlic beds particularly if you experience rust. Black rust spores (acute stage) can live in the soils for 5-10 years, so it is best to remove the emergent black rust spores leaves early.

GARLIC GROWING GUIDE The ten steps of growing garlic Drying Garlic needs to be cured before storing. The drying process begins in the ground as the plant ceases growing, and the leaves begin to wither. The next stage involves removing the bulb from the soil to finish off this curing process. Why Cure? Why Cure Garlic? Green garlic is garlic that has been harvested and has not dried. It is prone to rotting in storage if it has not been dried properly. The drying process will result in the bulb lo sing up to 30% of its weight due to moisture loss . It also results in the cloves' skin drying out which protects the inside from further dehydration. The curing process helps garlic begin its natural dormancy and bring out the rich, intense garlic flavours. This usually occurs after three weeks of curing. Unless it is being eaten straight away, drying garlic is an important and necessary step before its storage. How to Cure How to Cure Optimal Conditions Garlic once removed from the soil should be cured in a dry and low humidity environment , shaded, out of rain and with some air flow. It is best to remove any large clumps of dirt on the roots or bulb if it was harvested during damp conditions. It is not necessary to remove any bulb wrappers (skin), scapes or roots at this stage. Commercial growers use fans to circulate air but a well ventilated shed will also work. Ideally daytime temperatures should be >20 °C at <55% humidity, with 1m/sec air speed. However in domestic drying conditions try to keep the garlic out of the sun, in a warm, dry place with good air flow. Hanging Garlic is best hung as an entire plant for optimal drying. They are commonly bundled in groups of up to ten plants and strung up with string to dry. It is not good practice to remove any leaf material or roots, despite this being done by larger commercial growers to save drying space. This can open up the plant to infection such as molds into the bulb or basal plate and does not allow the bulb to draw the final nutrients from the leaves. Some growers place garlic in a single layer on a screen, while some home growers use saw horses, ladders, clothing racks or old bed frames for small quantities. We hang ours from rods that holds the bulb upside down to reduce mold that sometimes grows on bundles of bulbs that touch each other. We feel the bulb is in a heathier stage for storing if hung bulb up. Length of Time The length of time it takes garlic to dry depends on a range of factors such as temperature, relative humidity, air circulation, if a scape is present, bulb size and number of clove layers. A basic guide is to allow a month, but it can vary from 4-10 weeks. The longer you leave them to cure, (6-10 weeks) the longer they will store and the bulb wrappers should be dry and wrinkly . Always keep an eye on how they are d r ying and watch for infection of molds or pests.

Asiatic Garlic Group Early Season| Med Storing | 5-10 cloves The Oriential: enjoys the warm, humid climate of the north Asiatic garlic is harvested early, normally just after the turban group. It is a semi-hardneck garlic growing best in warmer climates with mild winters. This garlic group produces several cloves per bulb and has a white colour with a purple striped bulb wrapper. It grows best in a mild winter climate ​ . As a semi-bolting hardneck garlic type it generally sends up a flower scape with a relatively solid stem which is not braidable. This garlic might not produce scapes when grown in warmer climates if not vernalised . The garlic's taste ranges in heat from mild to hot, and is considered very complex and flavoursome. Characteristics Clove & Bulb Appearance The bulb is normally a flat tened globe shape , it generally has a purple stripe d wrapper (skin) and contains between 5-10 cloves. The bulbs have a single layer of cloves. Generally all cloves of a standard sized bulb are suitable for planting . The clove skin can be pale or very vibrant and can be tight and hard to peel. The cloves are wedge-shaped with short clove tips. They have a moderate storage duration of around 6-7 months after harvest. Bulbils T his hardneck garlic generally sends out a scape (flower stalk) particularly in colder climates. They typically produce only a few bulbils (4-10) which are extra large and dark purple coloured. They are also known to sometimes have large bulbils embedded in their stems known as ne s t sets. Leaves & Scapes Asiatics have wide leaves which are tall and grow upright . The leaf colour is medium green. Scapes tend to droop and not coil, while the umbel has a narrow, pale yellow-green appearance. The spathe typically has an elongated dimple on lower part.

Creole Garlic Group Mid Season | Long Storing | 5-10 cloves The Flamboyant: this small one is hot, dresses in vibrant rosy clove skins, and is a real crowd-pleaser Creole is a very popular mid-season semi-hardneck garlic. It grows best in warmer climates with mild winters. This garlic group produces several cloves per bulb with strongly coloured rose to crimson clove skins. It grows best in a mild winter climate ​ . The Creole is a semi-bolting hardneck type meaning it generally sends up a flower scape with a relatively solid stem which is not braidable. This garlic might not produce scapes when grown in warmer climates if not vernalised . The garlic has a very hot, complex and spicy garlic taste which is considered to be a sweet, rich and exceptional flavour. Characteristics Clove & Bulb Appearance The bulb is normally round and generally has a white to cream bulb wrapper (skin) containing between 5-10 cloves. The bulbs are typically small er than most garlic varieties and have a single layer of cloves. Generally all cloves of a standard-sized bulb are of a size suitable for planting. The clove skin (not to be confused with the bulb skin) has a distinctive bright rose, burgundy to crimson colour. The cloves are typically wedge shaped with a sharp inner edge and will store for 12+ months in ideal conditions - one of the longest of any garlic type. Bulbils T his hardneck garlic generally sends out a scap e (flower stalk) particularly in colder climates. They typically produce 30-40 medium purple bulbils . Leaves & Scapes Creoles have a r eally wide leaf which is very short and tend to fold over halfway up. The leaf colour is pale green to yellow. Scapes tend to form a downward 'U' shape, with a slim yellow-g reen umbel .

TEST This is a test page, generally not seen by users. Please return to the main menu. tEST The g

GARLIC BULBILS Bulbils are small secondary bulbs taking longer than standard bulbs to mature into bulbs with cloves. Growing bulbils over a few years results greater plant vigour, less disease, are great in cooking and is a more economic way of getting bulbs. What are Bulbil s? Bulbils are small secondary bulbs normally produced in th e flower cluster (umbel) beside the flowers. The eight hardneck varietal groups generally send up a long, strong stalk late in the season known as a scape. The scapes' flower stalk (technically an umbel) produces bulbils - this is an extra survival mechanism for the plant. Bulbils' size can be rice-sized to pea-sized depending on the varietal group. They are in fact clones of the plant just like the bulb and cloves. While people often call bulbs or cloves seed this is not strictly correct, it's just that until recently that was the only way to garlic could be grown. Around the bulbils of the scapes, flowers can form. In botany, a bulbil (also called a bulbel or bulblet) forms on other types of plants and are defined as a secondary bulb located in the angle between a leaf and stem or in place of flowers such as with garlic. Bulbils are called offsets when full-sized, and if left fall to produce new plants. There are many good reasons to grow bulbils despite them taking 1-5 years (depending on the garlic type) as they: are a quick way of obtaining stock are economical than buying bulbs but are slower to develop reduce the risk of soil-borne disease revitalise bulb size and condition are great raw in salads, on pizzas or to spice up a meal The softneck garlic types silverskin and artichoke do not normally produce the scape flower stem nor bulbils. Also, the semi-bolting garlic types turban , creole and asiatic may not produce scapes in mild-winter areas. Thus some garlic will not form bulbils unless they are put under environmental stress. We are lucky here in the cold deep south, as most years we get some bulbils from all our garlic groups. Growing a garlic scape (without removing it) for most garlic groups will result in smaller bulb sizes. We discuss this in the section on scape removal . In brief, not removing the scape to try to grow bulbils will result in the bulb size being 10-30% smaller. Depending on the garlic group, bulbils take between 2-5 years to produce mature-sized bulbs containing cloves not just rounds without cloves. The rate of maturity depends on the climate, soils and bulbil size as each garlic group produces different sized bulbils. The larger the bulbil the quicker the formation of a good-sized bulb. Bulbil Chart Collecting Bulbils The quickest way of getting bulbils is to get them from a fellow garlic gardener or to buy them. Gourmet Garlic are the only NZ supplier of bulbils. They can be found in our online shop . Each year we sacrifice the size of some of our bulbs to produce bulbils for our interested garlic growers. When you are growing to produce garlic bulbils from your own plants, in year one (if your climate permits), grow a strongly bolting garlic such as porcelain , rocambole , standard purple stripe , marbled purple stripe or a glazed purple stripe . These are the most reliable garlic groups to grow bulbils from. Let the scape grow, and at harvest time remove the plant to cure much like a garlic bulb. It is best to cut off the scape at this time and store it separately in an open container, allowing it to to dry out of the sun and weather. This will ensure that any bulbils that come loose do not get trampled, mixed with others or lost as they cure. Store them in a dry cool spot in an aerated paper bag until planting time. Planting Bulbils Surprisingly, bulbils can be planted at the start of spring when daily temperatures reach around 18 °C . This reduces the chance of the bulbils scaping and shortens the time taken to produce large bulbs. However, some growers still recommend a cooling winter is best for bulbil growth, particularly if you want to form cloves for the larger bulbils. If planting in a mild/cool winter area, you may consider pre-cooling them before planting. Plant bulbils closer together than standard cloves, ideally in a separate area of the garden. These small plants will need a bit of care as weeds or other garden plants can shade them out. It is easy to mix them up with your standard crop - you don't want to lose track of these ones! You will need a little more room for the larger bulbil plants from asiatic, rocambole and artichoke garlic types as they are from larger bulbils. In the first year prepare damp soil in a tray, pot, or in your garden bed and gently sprinkle the bulbils onto the soil. Put a light covering (mm not cm) of fine soil on top of them. Studies have reported that bulbils are more productive and winter-hardy than using standard cloves. Ensure that the soil does not dry out and that there is sufficient soil depth for them to grow roots (10cm+). Shoots will appear quickly, and after a few months in summer they will dry out. If scapes appear remove them to give the bulbil the best chance for bulb production. Harvest the small bulbil's bulb when the leaves dry out. Cure and store them just like any garlic bulb. At harvest the bulbil bulb will be a several times larger than the bulbil you planted. If you are growing from a large bulbil such as asiatic, rocambole and artichoke you are likely to end up with a bulb often with cloves. These large bulbil bulbs can be about 30mm wide. Medium sized bulbils normally produce rounds 20mm wide rounds and the smallest bulbils from groups like porcelain , standard purple stripe and glazed purple stripe only form 10mm wide rounds. The following year plant the bulbil bulb just like a normal bulb. Be aware of the climatic zone you live in and use our planting page to know when to plant. Larger bulbils normally take two years to produce normal sized bulbs with cloves, while other groups might take another year or two longer.

Marbled Purple Stripe Group Late Season| Med ium Storing | 4 -9 cloves The Baker: This easy - peeler is known for its tastiness when roasted Marbled Purple Stripe garlic grows best in cold climates with cold winters. It is known for it s consistently large cloves. This garlic group produces several tan and purple coloured cloves on a purple marbled hue cream bulb wrapper. It grows best in a cool to cold winter climate ​. The garlic is a strongly-bolting hardneck type meaning it sends up a flower scape with a solid stem which is not braidable. This garlic is considered great for roasting with its sweet, hot flavour. It is more sulphurous than Standard Purple Stripe garlic. Characteristics Clove & Bulb Appearance The bulb of this garlic type normally has a round , squat shape and is generally a cream colour with a purple dappled or marbled wrapper (skin) appearance. The bulbs have a single layer of 4-9 cloves. Generally, all cloves of a standard-sized bulb are of a size suitable for planting. The clove size is normally large and has a wedge like appearance . The clove skin is a dull tan colour with purple blush and is easy peeling. The ir easy-peeling nature makes them ideal in the kitchen and have a hot and sweet taste . They have a medium storage life of around 6-7 months after harvest. Bulbils T his hardneck garlic sends out a scape (flower stalk) particularly in colder climates. They typically produce a moderate amount (20-60) of medium purple to dark purple co loured bulbils . If trying to experiment to grow true garlic seed (not a clone as from cloves or bulbils) then m arbled purple stripe is the garlic most likely to succeed in producing the elusive tiny black seeds. Leaves & Scapes Marbled Purple Stripe garlic has a wide floppy pale green leaf . Scapes normally forms as a 3/4 loop with a wide green-blue umbel with a short purple blush which appears on the base of the immature spathe.