Glazed Purple Stripe Group Late Seas on| Medium Storing | 6 -12 cloves The Dazzler: Has an easy-peeling glossy sheen of silver and gold ... it's a real head-turner Glazed Purple Stripe garlic grows best in cold climates with cold winters. It is known for its cloves that appear to have a sheen of purple, bronze, silver and a hint of gold colours on a silvery coloured 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 to be great for baking as its flavour holds up after cooking, has a medium heat and an earthy flavour. Characteristics Clove & Bulb Appearance The bulb shape is normally round and squat. This type generally has a cream colour with a purple dapp le or silvery wrapper (skin) containing between 6-12 cloves. The bulbs have a single layer of cloves. Generally all cloves of a standard size bulb are of a size suitable for planting. The elongated cloves are normally a good size with a wedge like appearance. The clove skin has a sheen of purple, bronze, silver and a hint of gold colour, and are easy-peeling. This easy-peeling chacteristic makes the m ideal in the kitc hen and have a earthy garlic flavour . 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 large amount (100-150) of small cream to pink coloured bulbils . L eaves & Scapes Glazed purple stripe garlic have wide upright green leaves . Scapes normally form a 3/4 to a full loop with a narrow green umbel with a hint of purple blush.

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.

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.

WHAT IS GOURMET GARLIC? At Gourmet Garlic we celebrate the diversity of the different garlic groups. Each of the ten global garlic groups is unique - much like the varieties of other fruit and vegetables. The garlic's variety in preferred climates, the time to harvest and storage periods appeal to us. Some are easier to peel, and all have different flavour profiles and different nutritional properties. We love offering the full gourmet suite of garlic groups for our customers to try. Our garlic is home-grown, and as such we treat it like part of the family. Corny but true! We hand rear them, watching over each one in the colder months, giving them support and a feed at the right time to nurture them into full-sized mature bulbs. It's not easy to grow all global garlic groups in one location. Some garlic group bulbs prefer mild winters others like cool or cold winters. We try our best to grow the best garlic despite the various needs of each type of garlic. ​ Commercially it would be more economic to grow softneck garlic in a warmer climate. This is because areas with milder winters get more cloves per bulb and softnecks produce 10+ plantible cloves per bulb. We stock the full range, where some garlics like porcelain produce on average four cloves per bulb so we have to keep 25% of our stock for replanting. So there are some extra cost of planting in a colder environment with less economic garlic types. It's gourmet because we: ​ Offer all global garlic groups Only plant exceptional stock (large, firm & healthy) Provide generous spacing for healthy stock Grow bulbs naturally using organic principals (no artificial inputs) Harvest by hand to minimise damage and to quality check each bulb Cure plants whole (not cut) allowing the leaf energise bulbs Grade manually not by machine for more quality control Package using compostable boxes or bags including padding Track postage of all products safely to your home garden Only the best bulbs leave our home to start a new life with you ​

Global Garlic Groups There are ten recognised types of garlic around the globe. We have managed to collect one of each type to grow and to offer in our online store . Each garlic group differs in when to plant or harvest them, how long they store for, their ease of peeling and their flavour profile. Each of the ten types have a preference to a particular climate zone. Consider picking a few groups or try them all to see what works in your unique garden micro-climate. Try our garlic group picker ​ to help decide which garlic to grow. NZ Garlic Climate Zones NZ Garlic Climatic Zones Climatically there are three main garlic zones in NZ. These are mild, cool and cold winter climates. We have placed each type of garlic into the broad range where they are most suited to grow. Cool winter areas have the most choice as most garlic types will grow adequately after acclimatising to the local micro-climate. Clicking on a type of garlic takes you onto another page for more information on each. The ten global garlic groups are: MILD WINTER COOL WINTER COLD WINTER Mild Climate Garlics MILD CLIMATE GARLICS These five garlics are the best performing for mild winter zones Creole Mid Season | Long Sto ring | 5-10 cloves The Flamb oy ant: this small one is hot, dresses in vibrant rosy clove skins, and is a real c rowd-pleaser Turba n Early Season | Short St oring |6-12 cloves The Earlybird: Likes to arrive early at the garden part y and prefers to be eaten first Asiatic Early Season | Med Storing |5-10 cloves The Oriential: this one enjoys the warm humid clim ate of the north Silverskin Late Season | Long Storing | 10-30 cloves The Keeper: A long storer that loves being braided, produces plentiful cloves, and is easy on the taste buds Artichoke Mid-season | Med Storing |10-20 cloves The Reliable: The best all-rounder, loving most climate zones, is happy in a braid and has a clean taste Cool Climate Garlics COOL CLIMATE GARLICS These five garlics are the best performing for cool winter zones Silverskin Late Season | Long Storing | 10-30 cloves The Keeper: A long storer that loves being braided, produces plentiful cloves, and is easy on the taste buds Artichoke Mid-season | Med Storing |10-20 cloves The Reliable: The best all-rounder, loving most climate zones, is happy in a braid and has a clean taste Standard Purple Stripe Late-season | Med Storing |8-12 cloves The Godfather: The easy-peeling garlic from which all other garlics originate ... best of all: this wild one's the sweetest Marbled Purple Stripe Late-season | Med Storing |4-9 cloves The Baker: An easy-peeler is know for its tastiness when roasted Glazed Purple Stripe Late-season | Med Storing |6-12 cloves The Dazzler - Has an easy-peeling glossy sheen of silver and gold ... it's a real head-turner Cold Climate Garlics COLD CLIMATE GARLICS These five garlics are the best performing for cold winter zones Standard Purple Stripe Late-season | Medium Storing |8-12 cloves The Godfather: The easy-peeling garlic from which all other garlics originate ... best of all: this wild one's the sweetest Marbled Purple Stripe Late-season | Med Storing |4-9 cloves The Baker: An easy-peeler is know for its tastiness when roasted Glazed Purple Stripe Late-season | Med Storing |6-12 cloves The Dazzler - Has an easy-peeling glossy sheen of silver and gold ... it's a real head-turner Porcelain Late-season | Med Storing | 2-6 cloves The Beauty: Large teardrop form, produces a few massive cloves, is at the top of its field Rocambole Late-season | Short Storing |7-14 cloves The Chef: Culinary perfection and renowned as the tastiest with a sweet nutty flavour

GARLIC GROUP ID Unless garlic is genetically tested it is difficult to look at one aspect of a garlic's characteristic and identify which group it might belong to. However, it is possible to determine a garlic type by several characteristics of its growth and bulb habit over a period of time. Identification Flowchart The flowchart below is a useful guide to quickly identify a garlic group. It might take a year or two to grow a bulb and note the various differences in leaf pattern, clove features and bulbil characteristics. Identification Table The table below is a more thorough method of trying to identify a plant's garlic group.

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.

GARLIC SCAPES The scapes are the garlic's flower stem and are mostly associated with hard neck garlics. 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%. On the flip side scapes left during curing result in the bulb drawing more nutrients during the drying process and it is likely they will store longer. Different types of garlic are more affected if the scape is not removed. Creole , porcelain , rocambole , purple stripe types respond well to scape removal, producing larger bulbs while turbans and asiatics less so. In saying that, some growers believe rocambole is minimally impacted by scape removal. As a general rule, garlic types which produce the tallest, thickest and largest scapes will grow larger bulbs if the scape is removed. Some growers have found that by leaving the scape on during drying that the plant's bulbs are harder as well as storing longer. An example of a Turban scape is pictured below. We remove the scape before they begin to curl, before they are longer than 20cm tall. Some growers including ourselves believe the earlier the better. Other growers remove the scape once they curl. There is no scientific evidence to support either approach as to when to remove the scape. 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. The scape can be sauteéd, be part of a salad or stir fried as mentioned under the eating section .

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.

Turban Garlic Group Early Season| Short Storing | 6-12 cloves The Earlybird: Likes to arrive early at the garden party and prefers to be eaten first Turban garlic's name comes from the shape of the umbel which looks like squat Turban head covering. This garlic is often the first type to be harvested. It is a semi-bolting hardneck garlic which grows best in warmer climates with mild winters. It often has two pink triangles on it's false stem. This garlic group produces several cloves per bulb and has a strong purple stripe colour with a blotchy bulb wrapper. It grows best in a mild winter climate . As a semi-bolting hardneck 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 has a medium heat and a simple earthy taste and is the best garlic to be used raw in dressings or rubbed into salads. Characteristics Clove & Bulb Appearance The bulb is normally a flat globe shape, general ly has a purple stripe with blotched wrapper (skin) containing between 6-12 cloves. The bulbs have a single layer of cloves. Generally all cloves in a standard size bulb are of a size suitable for planting. The clove skin is a tan or cream colour. The cloves are very distinctive being typically squat , blunt tip a nd fat shaped like no other garlic. They also have short clove tips. They have the shortest storage life of any garlic at around 4-5 months after harvest. B ulbils Turbans are a hardneck garlic which generally sends out a scape (flower stalk) particularly in colder climates. They normally produce 30-100 medium sized cream to light pink coloured bulbils that have a wide tear drop shape. Leaves & Scapes Turbans have a wide floppy leaf . The leaf colour has is pale green. Scapes tend to form a downward 'U' shape, with the umbel having a medium green and long purple blush.