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Garlic Growing Guide - Drying garlic 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.

Garlic Growing Guide - Maintaining garlic GARLIC GROWING GUIDE The ten steps of growing garlic Maintaining Garlic is generally a low maintenance crop. It does not need a lot of effort, but it be can be affected by pests and disease than many other vegetables. Thus, garlic does need some attention while growing and these are some key aspects to consider. Additives Fertilising In addition to preparing the soil before planting it is good to have a fertiliser regime while the plants are growing which consists of at least two phases. Nitro gen is important for leaf growth and is needed early on in leaf growth. Phosphorous is important for root development in the later phase of the plants' life. The first stage is for leaf growth where nitrogen is important. In mild winter climates garlic will grow up to 12 + leaves, while in colder climates less than 12 leaves are produced. Regular monthly fertiliser applications up until the maximum leaf number is obtained will support good leaf health. We apply a general organic fertiliser or blood and bone during this time. It is important to keep a regular fertiliser regime (monthly) during except over winter if the day temperatures are below 12 ° C. In winter rainfall leaches out the nutrients, while in spring the soils are beginning to warm - cold soils do not aid in nutrient uptake. So it is best to maintain a good regular balance of fertiliser just after planting and when the soils warm up in spring. The second stage is bulbing which occurs once the plant nearly reaches the max imum number of leaves before maturing. This is called the transition stage for the plant. At this point, potassium is important for root development as the plant is putting its energy into bulb growth. We apply a general organic potash during this time. Note that each garlic type has a different growing habit. Some are slow to shoot while some take off, some have floppy leaves while others have a very upright appearance. The picture below shows some of the different types all planted at the same time. Mulching Once garlic cloves are in the ground it i s worth considering whether to use mulch on top of the soil, particularly to suppress weeds . While we at Gourmet Garlic do not top cover (we use mulch on farrow beds though) others use mulch in different locations around the country . Often mild to cool winter areas, particularly near the coastal areas need not apply mulch unless the garlic is affected by salt spray or other local conditions. It is best not to apply mulch in wet climate areas. Mulch moderates the soil temperature, and reduces the effect of extremes like snow. In saying that garlic originates in cold extremes and our young garlic shoots in the deep south have no problem surviving with a foot of snow covering them in winter. Few places in the country experience permafrost for weeks on end, unlike some in Siberia, Canada and other northern hemisphere higher latitudes. Mulch retains moisture, suppresses weeds and adds nutrients to the soil. It also has its disadvantages in that it can also keep the soil temperature damp and cool during spring, slowing growth and it can foster disease, mo u lds, pests. It is better to apply mulch after winter for adding nitrogen and reducing weeds. In spring it can suppress the weeds and conditions are warmer reducing the chances of mulch being a cold waterlogged mat. Choose the mulch that holds the least amount of water, overseas sugar cane mulch fits this criteria. There is a bit of an art to using mulch. Mulch should not be too heavy or dense, it should be light and fluffy for shoots to pop through - generally 2-10cm of depth is a good guide. There are a variety of mulch options such as hay, straw, grass clippings and a mix of chopped up leaves. Choose a m ulch source wit h few weed seeds. We do not recommend using black plastic weedmat. The soil can rise above 50 degrees a few centremetres down into the soil stressing the roots and culturing disease. It is better to use this material it for the side linings of beds. If you live in a windy area and are using light mulch such as hay or dried leaves, consider wetting it to reduce its movement around the garden. Mulch is normally removed in spring and if it gets waterlogged it may prevent garlic shoots from rising to the surface. Some growers apply mulch once the shoots are several centimetres high. Watering Garlic should never be allowed to dry out, but should never be saturated ... it should be moist not wet . Roots are shallow (although can descend 60cm) but can still need deep watering. Watering is relatively intuitive often a finger test of dampness is all that is needed. If in doubt purchase a cheap moisture plunger or dig down beside the plant to spade depth and test soil conditions. If the leaf edge is beginning to yellow this is one possible first sign that the plant is deficient in moisture. The most ideal time to water is morning during sunny and warm conditions allowing the plant to dry out and reducing the risk of disease. It is not best practice to water (via a overhead method) in the evening or night as this will result in prolonged leaf wetness which can encourage disease and rust spores. Some places in winter and early spring, like here in the deep south need no or very little additional water in winter or early spring. Of course, those with sandy soils, warmer winters or dry and windy places will need a watering regime to achieve ideal soil moisture conditions even in winter. In these places (particularly without mulch) it might be necessary to water every day or every second day. Consider using a drip system. Sprinklers can wet leaves which encourages garlic rust and other diseases to take hold. It is also important to know when to stop watering. Yes, for garlic the 2-4 weeks before harvesting it is necessary to stop . At this point bulbs are drying out and are vulnerable to excess moisture. Rainfall or continued watering up to harvest time can cause storage rot plus the bulb wrapper can split and be stained. Note that once bulbing begins (8-10 weeks before harvest), the plants immune system becomes inactive and they are more prone to basal or root rot diseases. Weeds Weeding Even with using mulch , persistent weeds can still break through the soil seeking any available light. Wild garlic evolved in the cold mountains of Central Asia. They had little competition in their arid homeland and as a result grew only a few slender leaves which are unable to be replaced. As a result, garlic does not tolerate completion from weeds. It is necessary to keep on top of weeds as soon as they rise out of the soil. Weeds not only shade the garlic leaves but also drain nutrients from the soil and can cause premature bulbing. It is good practice to regularly weed and give garlic the best chance to grow large heathy bulbs. Scapes Scape Removal T he scape is a flower stem and is mostly associated with hardneck garlic types. Before harvesting, hardnec k garlic typically sends up a scape which normally curls then straightens before the garlic is harvested (softneck garlic can scape when stressed). Semi-bolting hardneck types (creole , turban , asiatic ) in milder-winter areas do not necessarily produce a scape. The garlic plant puts energy into forming the scape so many growers remove them to direct the plants resources into developing the bulb. We have found there is a direct correlation of bulb size and scape removal of around 10-30%. We remove the scape before they begin to curl, before they are longer than 20cm tall. If removing the scape, do so on a dry day so the break can heal cleanly without introducing infection and disease. When you see the firm stalk rise up from the middle of the leaves snap (not pull) it off the stalk by hand (if the scape is small) or with secateurs below the umbel before it widens. If the scape is pulled, it may result in the pseudostem becoming weak and will let water down into the bulb. More information is available on our garlic scape page. WarningSigns Warning Signs While garlic is a pretty hardy plant, i t can be affected by range of pest species (nearly 100) and the first warning signs once planted are irregular 'roguing' growth. A garlic grower should be regularly inspecting the garlic growth to find the first signs of irregular growth early. Garlic is one of the most susceptible annuals to disease for three main reasons. Firstly the cloves and bulbils are clones of the plant so unlike seed it can carry forward and accumulates disease to future generations. Secondly bulbs grow in the damp soil and for a long time where they are exposed and vulnerable to a whole range of soil borne diseases. Thirdly there are few infield treatments to cure many garlic diseases. For bacterial and viral issues there is almost no treatment options, while fungal issues only has limited options. The best method is crop rotation, raising the soil, planting good stock and removing rogue shoots early. The first sign is the plant having smaller, yellowing or shriveled leaves compared to others in the bed. It is worth inspecting plants regularly to catch these rogue sick plants as they will never grow into healthy ones. Also, be careful to remove them including the surrounding soil before disposing. To leave sick plants in the soil increases the disease and affects soil health and nearby garlic. Most fungal issues can be reduced by practicing crop rotation (recommended 3+ years), choosing good planting stock, having good watering practices and planting a variety of garlic groups known as polyculture. Once shooting begins look out for the warning signs of disease or other non-uniform growth. While it is handy to have early season garlic like turbans and asiatics , the mid to late harvesting garlics are generally are less prone to seasonal pest and diseases as the season warms up. Garlic produces roots first, before sending out shoots. In mild-winter climates where cloves are planted shal l ower, shoots are likely to appear 1-2 weeks after planting. In such climates where the daytime temperature is above 12°C then leaf growth will continue through winter. In colder climates it can take up to six weeks for leaves to appear. In colder climates only 3-6 leaves will initially grow before the plant goes into dormancy. Once spring arrives and temperatures exceed 14°C, then leaf growth resumes. Note that standard purple stripe and sometimes the porcelain garlic group has an 'alien' early growth form where they lie flat with the ground. Porcelain is also known to be the most susceptible to having viruses. The three main categories of garlic problems, having diseases , unusual growth or affected by pests . Our page on common garlic problems discusses the main garlic diseases encountered by growers in NZ, the irregular growth that an occur and common pests.

Ten tips to follow to get the best chance of healthy big garlic bulbs TOP 10 TIPS Disappointed each season with small, weak and poorly performing garlic bulbs? These are our top 10 tips for the best chances of harvesting the largest, healthiest and the best looking garlic bulbs. 1) Choose the right garlic type Each of the ten garlic groups prefers a particular climate zone. We have divided the country into three main garlic growing zones . Choosing the right garlic for your climate zone is the first step for growing big healthy garlic bulbs. 2) Prepare your garden bed Pick a sunny spot . I f possible use a garden bed which has not had any allium species (leek, onion, chives) in it for the past couple of years and ensure that your soil is rich in nutrients, light and well drained. Our guide offers more detail on garden preparation. 3) Pick the best time to plant The old saying 'plant on the shortest day and harvest on the longest' is a very rough guideline. Planting really depends on your climate zone and the type of garlic grown. Check out our planting guide for when to plant. 4) Find big cloves from big bulbs It's so important to only plant big cloves from big bulbs - research shows this provides the best results. Planting small cloves will almost always return poor results. If possible try to obtain bulbs from a higher altitude and southern latitude from your garden. These cloves from such bulbs will have more vigour when taken to a warmer and lower elevation. 5) Follow best planting practices Plant cloves not bulbs. The clove tip should sit to the top, and ideally planted 20x20cm apart and 2-7cm deep (the colder the deeper). For more planting information following our planting guide . 6) Dispose of the rogues Find the rogues! Keep a close eye on your crop for common problems or unusual coloration of leaves. Whether this be yellowing (nutrient or an infection), brooming, or multiple shoots. If it's affecting the occasional plant then dispose of it, if there are many then it might be a nutrient deficiency, a disease or a pest. 7) Fertilise y our soils While it is important to have your soils rich in nutrients prior to planting, it' s more important to put on th e right fert iliser at the right time. Choose organic slow release nitrogen fertiliser at regular intervals in spring (eg. blood and bone) for leaf growth. At maximum leaf number ( in most places 10-12), stop and change to an organic slow release potassium fertiliser (eg. potash) to enhance bulbing. 8) Weed, weed and weed! Garlic hates competition. Some growers use mulch to suppress weeds , while others do the hard mahi by hand. Either way, weed free soil ensures the best chance of larger bulbs. 9) Remove the scapes Most hardneck garlic will produce a scape, especially if you live in a cool to cold winter climate. While some hardneck garlics respond differently to scape removal, but it's best to remove the scape to give you a greater chance of a 10-30% bigger bulb. 10) Know when to harvest Harvest time depends on your climate zone and type of garlic grown. Harvest too early and bulbs have not matured, while harvesting too late results in the bulb skin splitting and will not store as long. Stop watering a month out , and follow our harvesting guide to know when to harvest your big healthy garlic bulbs.

Garlic Growing Guide - Planting garlic GARLIC GROWING GUIDE The ten steps of growing garlic Planting Planting is an exciting time in the garden, physically working the soil and starting new beginnings for your garlic crop. When to Plant When to Plant G arlic is generally planted in autumn, with the exact time dependent on your climate and the garlic group you are plan ting. The saying 'plant on the longest day and harvest on the shortest' is a rough rule of thumb which does not take account climate variations and garlic types. Check out the map and chart below to match your climate to the type of garlic you are likely to grow most successfully. Timing is a fine balance with nature, local microclimates and seasonal variability, and the best timing is not always achieved. For milder winters garlic is planted earlier and a bit later in colder areas. Garlic needs to be planted to send out roots before being struck with the winter extremes of driving wind, generally drier cooler air and chilling exposure. The strongly bolting hardneck garlics are more hardy in cold climates. Those in extremely cold areas should plant a month before the soil begins to freeze giving the garlic time to grow roots. Some growers in more mild, humid climates who get persistent garlic rus t (a fungi) plant earlier to harvest earlier thus reducing the impact of this fungi in the warmer months when rust can be prolific. Some try growing turban or asiatic garlic which matures and is harvested earlier than other garlics. However by artificially vernalising and planting early plants are more at risk of secondary shooting (witches broom) or results in smaller bulb sizes. Climate Zone Map Generally the first garlic to be planted are the semi-b olting garlics of turban , creole and asiatic . These garlics are well adapted to long seasons and milder winters because they are more domesticated. The strongly bolting garlics of porcelain , rocambole , standard purple stripe , marbled purple stripe , glazed purple stripe and the softneck artichokes should be planted a little later. Silverskins are the last to be planted in June-August depending on where in the country you live. Consider the for your climate zone, your local conditions and the type of garlic you are considering growing to decide the best time to plan t . NZ Garlic Climatic Zones MILD WINTER COOL WINTER COLD WINTER What to Plant What t o Plant First things first, plant garlic cloves not bulbs - c loves are the divided segments that make up each bulb. The clove skin is not removed. While it is possible to plant the entire bulb, bulbils or true seed (near impossible to find in NZ), the average NZ gardener plants cloves in their vegetable garden. If planting bulb ils for the first year you actually plant the m at the same time as cloves or you can also plant them in spring as well. Secondly, cloves are planted with the pointy end up. The stumpy end has the basal plate from which the root buds will begin to swell in autumn ready for planting. Plants will send down their roots from the basal plate deep into the soil in the cold winter months well before any leaf growth comes out of the pointy top end. Cloves planted upside down will grow but are likely to have stunted growth using a lot of their stored energy to find the surface . Plant only the largest and healthiest cloves. There is a direct correlation between parent bulb size and harvested bulb size. Research suggests there is a ten-fold significance in success in bulb size based on large bulbs compared to large cloves. Also, cloves from a large bulb will generally have a larger harvest bulb compared to the same size clove from a smaller bulb. Interestingly massive bulbs with more cloves have a poorer survival rate. Yet there will always be variation in growing bulbs but consider using large cloves from large bulbs to produce healthy , plump garlic bulbs. Do not plant cloves from bulbs purchased from a shop that is sourced from beyond our shores. Overseas garlic (you can tell because most supermarkets will state the country of origin and/or their roots will be entirely chopped off) poses a disease risk to our soils. Overseas garlic is normally treated with methyl bromide during fumigation and is also likely to have sprout inhibitors. How to Plant How to Plant Garlic Beds or Pots Depending on how much garlic you wish to grow and how much space you have, you might need to form a garlic bed. Garlic can also be successfully grown in pots, however avoid plastic pots where possible as it does not permit the soil to breath compared to clay pots. For pots they should be ideally be 50x50x50cm in dimension if growing only a few. A kiwi typical family (if there is such a thing?) might use 10-20 garlic bulbs per year. Depending on the type of garlic this means a family might need around three bulbs for planting with an average 6-8 cloves per bulb. However, some cannot get enough garlic to eat and might consume 100+/year thus needing at least 10-15 bulbs to divide into 100+ cloves to plant in their garlic bed. Check out the garlic planning diagram to determine how many plantable cloves for each type of garlic. If you wish to only grow a small number of cloves then you could just find a small pocket in your vegetable garden to poke them in. It is worth putting a few sticks into the soil to delineate where you planted them since they are in for a long time. If you have a dozen or more cloves then it is worth designating an area as a garlic bed. If growing in a free-draining raised bed there is no need to mound up the soil. If planting into a ground-level bed then consider raising the soil 20-30cm to ensure that the bed does not get waterlogged during the colder winter months or during those spring deluges that occur particularly up north. We grow ours on 30cm mounds, with the troughs for walking between rows filled in using wood mulch. We make our garlic beds no wider than a metre. This ensures that we can reach all parts of the soil from both sides when planting, applying organic fertiliser, removing scapes and during weeding. Spac ing T he more space you can give an individual clove the better. Wild garlic origins are from the cold and sparse highlands of Central Asia where there is little competition and thus garlic developed to only grow a few thin leaves. Spacing should allow the plant to maximise exposure to sunlight (> photosynthesis), root mass (> nutrient uptake) and air circulation (< risk of disease such as rust). The more space you give garlic the more sunlight and uptake of nutrients will occur from the soil. At Gourmet Garlic we have done several spacing trials and found that planting cloves only a few extra centimetres further apart makes a massive difference to plant health and bulb size. If you want to plant just a bulb or a couple worth of cloves then a short row or two can be planted in the garden bed beside other vegetables - keep in mind that garlic leaves can rise up to a metre tall and may shade other plants. While we are a small commercial grower, like the average home gardener we do not use machinery. Also like the home gardener we would love more room to plant garlic. W e plant our garlic cloves 12cm apart with 20cm spacing between rows. This gives us around 40 cloves per square metre. The generally accepted method is 10-15cm apart in rows 15-30cm apart. Ideally, we would like to have more room for them and space cloves further apart (even our trials tell us this) such as 20x20cm apart (25 cloves/square metre) but our garden space just like at home is at a premium. Our pathways between beds are 40cm wide allowing for a narrow walkway between beds to inspect the plants, undertake weeding, and remove scapes. If you have a lot of garlic to plant consider making a dibble hole jig. The jig will create several holes in the soil at the right soil depth across your row in one go. Ours is simply a narrow strip of wood just over a metre long, with five protruding bolts to make the row. On each bolt we have used a small strip of watering hose as a sleeve between the bolt head and timber. Our spacing and depth are shown in the diagram below. Depth The depth to plant cloves depends on your climate zone and the size of the clove. Those with mild winters barely have to poke the clove into the soil. This would mean the top of the clove sits only a couple of centimetres from the surface. Those with cool winters should plant with 2-5cm of soil on top. In cold climates, it is suggested to plant cloves 5-7cm below the soil surface to protect the clove from the winter extremes and to reduce the chance of frost heaving the clove to the surface. If the clove is large then consider placing it slightly deeper to allow for the longer length of the clove. It is not an exact science. Generally the top of the clove should have a covering of at least 2cm. If your soil is light then you might also sow deep as the roots have a tendency to push the clove upwards during winter and exposed them at the surface. If this happens carefully dig a minor pit beside the clove and put the clove deeper without disturbing the roots. Method This is a simple process. Make the holes for the cloves to the relevant depth. You could use your index finger to make hole and pop the clove in or use a jig. Ensure that the soil is moist, otherwise it will dry out the clove hampering growth and germination. Take a clove from an earlier cracked bulb. Holding the wider base, place the clove into the hole with the pointy end up. Once a row is completed gently apply soil to cover the holes. Early harvesting garlics like turban and asiatic garlic will take about a 1-2 weeks to show leaves, while mid-late harvesting garlics could take six weeks as they rely on cold soil temperatures to trigger leaf development. You can always check root and leaf development by gently digging down in the soil to check.

Artichoke garlic type 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 - Preparing to grow garlic GARLIC GROWING GUIDE The ten steps of growing garlic Preparing Before planting it is necessary to select your site, prepare the soil, consider pre-cooling bulbs (more on this below) and cracking your cloves from the bulb. Soil Soil Preparation Soil preparation is probably the single most important aspect of growing great garlic. It is often overlooked. An important point is that there is a big difference between dirt and soil. ' Dirt' is potential soil, while 'soil' is rich in nutrients, alive with biological diversity and deep in organic matter. Site Sel ection Garlic likes plenty of sunshine, so find a site that receives plenty of full s unlight. We have run several trials over the years and have found that shady parts of our beds reduce bulb size by 20-30%. It is important that over the winter months and early spring that the young plants get plenty of morning light. This will help the plant dry out quickly which reduces the chances of getting leaf diseases. Garlic does not like strong wind, so plant in a sheltered area. Ideally, soil preparation should begin 1-2 years before planting. If you can't wait to build soil consider adding a good quality compost to your garden beds. The bed should not have had Allium species (garlic, shallots, chives, leek, onions, spring onions or chives) growing in it for the past couple of years. We operate on a three-year rotation - growing only once every three years in the same soil. This will reduce the risk of soil disease and nutrient depletion . Root, leaf and fruit plants require different nutrients and create different soil biological diversity . If you are replanting your bed following the growing of a garlic crop it is best to next grow a leaf crop (eg. spinach, lettuce, broccolli), followed by a fruit crop the year later (eg. tomatoes, beans, peas) before replanting garlic. While it might be impractical, ideally Allium species should not be grown in the same bed for three years. Keep in mind that good garden soil has a ratio of 25% air, 25% soil solution (water and nutrients) and 50% soil particles (a mix of clay/sand/silt). Add too much water or have too much of one type of soil particle and your garden produce will be less productive. Soil Health Garlic is a long-period root crop. Unlike many seasonal crops taking three months to grow, garlic is in the soil for 7-9 months. So the soil must be healthy and in an optimal state before planting and during the seasons for leaf development and bulbing stages. If you have brought in new planting stock consider placing it in quarantine bed for a year or two to isolate from other garlic where bulbs have potential to import disease or pests. Soil should be deep (ideally > 40cm) for roots to penetrate well into the ground. Soil should also be friable looking crumbly, not caked nor a fine powder. It takes years to build and maintain your soils with rich compost, however, this can be quickly remedied using purchased good quality organic compost. Try to avoid using plastic bagged compost or manures as some growers find they get poor germination results. Being a root crop, having optimal soil conditions sets the bulb up to be healthier and stronger from the outset. Before planting it is best to loosen the soil to break up clumps and reduce compaction with a fork and aerate the soil. This will help with water, oxygen and nutrients penetrating deep into the pores of the soils. It is important not to over turn your soil as this will mix up the natural layers (horizons) of the soil profile and ultimately upset the delicate soil biota. The 'L' or the living layer is the top horizon of soil and the most biologically active with worms, slugs and snails. It sits on the 'O' or organic layer which is mostly decomposed organic matter. The 'A' layer or active soil which contains decomposed matter and mineral particles is below this. Care needs to be taken of healthy garden soil. Healthy soil is teeming with biological life which is hard at work breaking down larger organic matter, fixing and cycling nitrogen, and even working directly with the garlic roots. The soil biota consists of megafauna (worms, slugs, snails >2mm in size), mesofauna (0.1-2mm such as mites), microfauna (<0.1mm such as nematodes, roundworms and protozoa such as flagellates that live in fine water pores), and microorganisms which make up the most abundant and diverse of the soil communities such as bacteria, yeast, fungi, and algae. Take care of the soil and the garden will provide for you. Moisture Garlic prefers free-draining soils, not too wet but moist . Raised beds only 30cm high can make a massive difference in the success of your crop particularly if you have a wet season. Soil borne fungal, bacterial and viral diseases can cripple your plants if they are in a water-logged soil. If you live in a wet area and if your garlic is not in raised beds then consider raising the garlic beds slightly higher than the surrounding soil. At Gourmet Garlic we mound our soil up by 10cm and between beds have a free draining mulch layers as pathways. If you are in an extremely wet area consider raising each row by 30cm above surround soils. If you have clay soils which retain water then dry and become solid in spring then extra effort is needed to break up the clay and mix it with organic matter. As for sandy soil which holds little moisture and nutrients, it's worth also undertaking a soil building programme of organic matter with compos t ing. Soil Nutrients While garlic can survive in nutrient deficient soils, for healthy and large bulbs, garlic needs a nutrient rich soil with a relatively neutral pH (around 6.5 -7.0pH). You can buy a cheap pH and soil moisture tester from most hardware stores or garden centres. Add elemental sulphur (it will not readily leach) if the soil is too alkaline or lime if the soils is too acidic. It is important to have ideal soil nutrient conditions in the soil before planting as garlic is a heavy feeder. Garlic grows roots almost immediately after planting and is in the soil longer than any other vegetable. I nitially, garlic needs nitrogen-rich soil so consider sources of nitrogen to mix into your soil in preparing the bed. Some growers use a cover crop of nitrogen fixers, while home gardeners might add their own compost of grass clipping, seaweed, worm juice, aged manures or other available organic fertiliser. There are a few organic fertilisers available in hardware stores and garden centres too to assist with increasing your soil's essential nutrients. These semi-commercial garlic growers use no artificial nitrogen inputs with great results. They prefer natural additives like guano, bonemeal, and sheep pellets. Aged manures can be good to add to soils before planting, providing not too much is applied. Ensure that the manure is not too nitrogen rich. Nitrogen-rich chicken manure for example might need a stand down time or be mixed into the soil well before planting (at least two months) to ensure the garlic roots are not burned on contact. Note that many manures will contain seeds and will introduce unwanted weeds. We use organic fertilisers to cure imbalances. Generally, soil organic matter and micro-organisms are far better at curing imbalances although taking time to break down and release their blend of nutrients via natural processes. Consider applying blood and bone, matured animal manure, potash, gypsum and other organic material. Nitrogen is important for leaf growth which is needed early on in growth, while phosphorous is important for root development in the later stages of garlic maturity to get good bulb sizes. Vernalisation (pre-cooling) Vernalisation (Pre-cooling) Garlic needs cool winter temperatures of 5-10°C for 1-2 months for the bulb's development. In most parts of the country this is a normal winter temperature. In the warmer northern climates of NZ with their milder winters natural vernalisation might not be achieved. In this case growers may choose to artificially vernalise their bulbs before planting by placing them in the warmest part of the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks before planting. Most garlic cloves are ready to plant in autumn. You might discover some of your cloves in the bulb are beginning to sprout. Normally, if you can see exterior shooting, then the plant is past the ideal planting time. Ideally the yellow-green sprout inside the clove should be about halfway up internally within the clove. If you are unsure you can cut a clove lengthways and see its development and then add it to a meal. Cracking Cracking/Popping Before planting cloves it is necessary to separate them from the bulb. Cracking bulbs should be undertaken on the day of or the day before planting as cloves can dry out once bulb wrappers have been removed, which might help diseases, encourage the swelling of roots and begin sprout growth. So crack on the day! Only the bulb wrapper (skin) needs to be removed, not the clove skin. It is important to separate all cloves from the bulb. The divisions in the basal plate can sometimes be very difficult to detect. We find the softneck silverskins and artichoke types the most challenging to crack. What appears to be single cloves can be several closely joined. You can often see a fine crack in the basal plate of the clove which is the dividing line between cloves. The small and often misshapen cloves in softnecks will grow regular shape bulbs but they will be smaller. Save the tiny ones for eating. In cracking, look for the large bulbs with large cloves which will put the most energy into the early stage of growth . Growers have found that large cloves from large bulbs provide the most success at harvest with good, healthy-sized bulbs. Cloves should be firm. Ensure that you check each clove for any disease such as mould, rotting or other imperfections. If there is any doubt, throw them out (the entire bulb not just the individual infected clove as the disease can be spread). Sometimes, particularly for the cracking hardneck bulbs, the clove skin may tear. These can still be planted providing there is no bruising or they have not been cut by fingernails. Take care not to damage cloves that have been cracked/popped before planting. There is an art in cracking. Do not crack bulbs from the base as this can damage root buds in the basal plate making the clove less vigorous. One of the best ways to crack involves three steps: 1) Run your thumbnail around the false stem above the clove tips to break the bulb wrapper 2) Grab the false stem and twist it vigorously 3) Apply pressure down and out to break and remove the bulb wrapper Ensure cloves are put in a breathable container or bag with good air circulation until it is time to plant. It is important to avoid them sweating, heating up and getting mould. Store for planting away from heat, out of direct sunlight and at room temperature. Pre-treatment Pre-treatment Some growers sterilize their cloves before planting. This is because the clove may have come in contact with a leaf disease from bulb skins or have had mites infecting the clove. This will result in the best start for strong growth for the garlic clove in the germination stage. While at Gourmet Garlic we do not pre-treat cloves, we would do if we were having problems with diseased plants. Growers may choose to sterilise the clove to reduce fungal problems. There are a few options. If the clove has not shooting then some growers soak cloves for 2-3 minutes in a hospital grade chorine bleach (Sodium hypochlorite) before rinsing in water. If cloves are shooting then add 1 part bleach to 3 parts water and use the same technique. Alternatively some growers use a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda or potassium carbonate per litre of water to dip cloves in before planting. Some users also use neem oil. These are considered less effective than the bleach treatment. Some growers use a 5% alcohol (vodka) and water mix to sterilise cloves from infection and pests before planting. In addition some garlic growers elect to give the cloves an added benefit by soaking them in a seaweed solution (1 teaspoon of solution per litre of water) for less than 12 hours to enhance root growth.

Silverskin garlic group Silverskin Garlic Group Late Seaso n | Long S torage | 10-30 cloves The Keeper: A long storer that loves being braided, produces plentiful cloves, and is easy on the taste buds Silverskin is a popular softneck , late-season (normally the last to mature) garlic. It can be grown in a good range of climates and is considered to be the longest storing garlic (along with the creole type). It grows best in a mild to cool winter climate . This garlic group produces the most cloves per bulb of any garlic and is the easiest to plait due to it's long, thin, and sturdy leaves that are highly pliable. Silverskin is often the favoured commercial crop because of the high number of cloves per bulb, having no s cape to remove and having a long storage life. The garlic is a non-bolting type meaning it does not send up a flower stalk known as a scape unless placed under stress. The stalk can be weak and may lie over near harvesting time. The bulbs have multiple layers of cloves. Clove skins are tight and thin which make peeling more challenging. Silverskin's when eaten raw typically have a very garlicky hot, spicy and sometimes aggressively sulfurous taste lacking complexity. The sulfurous taste can be minimised when cooking by ensuring it is sauteed to a straw or deep tan colour, while roasted is a strong, earthy and deep flavour. Characteristics Clove & Bulb Appearance The silverskin bulb is normally a flattened globe shape, it generally has a white or off white bulb wrapper (skin) and contains between 10-30 cloves - the most of any garlic group. The bulbs are generally smaller than other soft neck artichoke group. Silverskins normally have multiple layers of cloves. Often there are at least ten plantable cloves in a bulb, with the rest quite small and not as suitable for planting stock. The clove skin is often a glossy white or a light pink. The inner cloves are tall, concave in the centre, slender and sma ll. The outer cloves are large, wide, flat and tallish and have rounded corners with a graceful curvature like a teardrop or petal shape. The large, wide, scalloped cloves tend to cup the next clove layer in the bulb. Bulbs typically store in ideal conditions for 12+ months, one of the longest storing of any garlic type. Bulbils T his softneck garlic generally does not send out a scape (flower stalk) unless it is stressed. If it does scape, it often looks like an upside down 'U' shape and produces bulbils . The bulbils are large and pink to light purple in colour. Leaves & Scapes Unlike many other garlics the silverskin leaf grows nearly vertical . The leaf is very thin compared to other garlic groups and they shoot to the sky rather than flop. The leaf colour is a deep blue-green. This softneck garlic does not send out a scape (flower stalk) unless it is stressed , particularly by chilly spring weather.

Become a garlic guru, growing bulbils and growing garlic true seed 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.

Porcelain garlic type Porcelain Garlic Group Late Season| Med ium Storing | 2-6 cloves The Beauty: Large teardrop form, produces a few massive cloves, is at the top of its field Porcelain like Rocambole garlics grows best in cold climates with very cold winters. This garlic group produces the least number of cloves per bulb and typically has a white papery bulb wrapper. It's probably the easiest garlic to peel cloves they almost rub off with ease. It grows best in a cold winter climate . Porcelain is a strongly-bolting hardneck type meaning it sends up a flower scape with a solid stem which is not braidable. It has a simple strongly sulfurous garlic taste and has the highest allicin content of any garlic type. Characteristics Clove & Bulb Appearance The bulb is normally tear drop shape d , generally has a white papery wrapper (skin) and contains between 2-6 cloves - this is the least number of cloves per garlic bulb of all the groups. The bulbs have a single layer of cloves. Generally all cloves from a standard-sized bulb are of a suitable size for planting. The clove skin is a tan colour, fat, wedge-shaped and easy peeling. They are known to have the highest allicin (the sulfuric bio-active antibiotic in garlic) yield of any garlic. The clove probably the easiest garlic to peel since the skin is so papery and does not tend to stick to the clove. The lack of clove numbers makes Porcelain garlic very distinctive from other garlic, thus they are not typically a commercially viable crop. They have a medium storage life of around 7-8 months after harvest. Bulbils T his hardneck garlic sends out a scape (flower stalk) particularly in colder climates. They typically produce a massive number (100-200) of small grain-of-rice-size cream bulbils - more than any other garlic. Growing from a bulbil can take 3-5 years to produce a normal-sized garlic. L eaves & Scapes Porcelain garlic have wide upright leaves that are a vibrant green c olour. Scapes shape can be very random, often they are a downward 'U' shape, with a umbel that is short, narrow and green. Scapes tend to be very tall prior to harves t and the mature spathe is white. The juvenile garlic leaf is very stumpy and robust.