What is garlic seed and what is not garlic true seed GARLIC SEED There is alot of confusion on what constitutes garlic seed. In gardening circles most would consider garlic seed as the bulbs you buy from stores, yet real or 'true' garlic seed is far more rare. If you are after garlic bulbs consider visiting our online store . True garlic seed is neither the bulb, the cloves or bulbils - as these are a clone of the plant and should be considered as 'seed garlic' rather than 'garlic seed'. Most growers purchase or grow their own bulbs and divide the cloves just prior to planting. Few grow from bulbils and in rare cases garlic gurus try to grow for true seed. True garlic seed comes in the form of tiny little black seeds barely larger than sand grains. Our growing garlic seed page has more information on what true seed is and how to grow it. The diagram below best illustrates (roughly to scale between the different images) of the difference in size between garlic bulbs, cloves, bulbils and true garlic seed.

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.

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

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

What are garlic scapes and what to do with them. 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 .

Standard Purple Stripe garlic type Standard Purple Stripe Group Late Season| Med Storing | 8-12 cloves The Godfather: The easy peeling garlic from which all other garlic groups originate ... best of all this wild one's the sweetest Standard Purple Stripe garlic grows best in cold climates with cold winters. It is considered the most closely related to the original wild garlic, from which all other garlic originated, before being classified into the ten garlic groups now recognised. This garlic group produces several tan coloured cloves and typically has a purple hue on it s bulb wrapper. It grows best in a cool to cold winter climate . Standard Purple Stripe 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 have a great all round taste that is rich, spicy, strong - a fusion of different flavours. Characteristics Clove & Bulb Appearance The bulb is normally a round shape, generally it i s white with purple hues on its wra pper (skin) which contains between 8-12 cloves. The cloves 'hug' the pseudostem . The bulbs have a single layer of cloves. Generally all cloves of a standard-sized bulb are of a size suitable for planting. The cloves are smaller than many hardneck garlics and have a long cresce nt shape, angular edges and a long tail/tip. The clove skin is a dull tan colour with a purple blush. The cloves are easy peeling. The easy peeling nature of this garlic makes them ideal in the kitchen, while they have a medium storage life of around 7-9 months after harvest. Bulbils Standard purple stripe is a hardneck garlic which sends out a scape (flower stalk) particularly in colder climates. They typically produce a large amount (80-140) of small cream to pink coloured bulbils . L eaves & Scapes Standard Purple Stripe garlic has a wide, floppy tipped green-yellow leaf . Scapes normally form as a 3/4 loop with a wide green-yell ow umbel . The juvenile garlic leaf is unusual in that it splays sideways laying flat to the soil. Some growers label their early growing form as being a bit 'alien' like.

Common Garlic Diseases, Irregular Growth and Pests COMMON ISSUES While garlic is a pretty hardy plant, i t can be affected by a range of pest species (nearly 100) and the first warning signs once planted is irregular 'roguing' growth. A garlic grower should be regularly inspecting the garlic growth to find the first signs of unusual growth earl y. The three main categories of garlic problems are diseases , unusual growth or and pests . Warning Signs 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. Diseases Garlic Rust (Puccina porri) 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. More detailed information on garlic rust and how to prevent or treat it can be found on our garlic rust page. Garlic Rust Diseases Black Mould This generally charcoal coloured covering normally over the stalk and sometimes in some of the bulb wrappers (skin) with dark blotches. It is normally a cosmetic injury caused by pathogens Embellisia allii, and Aspergillus niger . These diseases sit in the soil on dead plant material and can infect the plant due to a bulb injury, or gain entry through the basal plate . It often occurs in warm dry climates such as Central Otago. The infection seems to occur more commonly on white wrapper garlic groups than red and from our experience the softneck garlics in particular the artichoke garlic group seems to get the worst infestations. Black mould typically visibly appears during the curing process if the bulbs have not dried properly. It occurs when the humidity levels are too high, curing spacing is tight and there is not sufficient ventilation flow. Fortunately, black mould can be prevented if bulbs can dry in well ventilated dry environments and can be reduced by removing some bulb wrappers before storing. Penicilium Moulds Penicillium corymbiferum is carried in the garlic bulb. The mould makes the clove soft and it will shrivel and reveal white to green or blue spores on the clove. The first signs if a clove with it is planted is the leaf yellowing and it looking different than other garlic plants. Moulds can occur more frequently when cloves are damaged or poorly stored. These moulds normally happen when cloves have been left too late for planting and their roots grow in cool and moist air conditions. Pull out the infected plant including the soil around the clove and you will notice the spores. While healthy bulbs can carry spores, only use clean planting stock to prevent this growth using a pre-treatment. Basal Rot (Fusarium root rot) Basal rot first appears in the field with young shoot yellowing, particularly the leaf tips. The fungus can continue to spread post-harvest with the thin basal plate rotting with a white mold appearing. The rot is caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum and thrives in warm and wet conditions. Remove and dispose of these plants at the first sign of disease. To reduce the chances in getting basal rot use disease-free bulbs, ensure crop rotation, proper spacing between plants, avoid root disturbance, overwatering, and overfertilising. Also cure bulbs as quickly and thoroughly as possible before storing. Neck Rot Neck rot also known as bacterial centre rot, is caused by several types of botrytis and also pantoea complex bacteria. It makes the pseudostem and cloves have a water-soaked coffee colour appearance. The infection can move into the bulb during storage and has no simple cure. To reduce the chances of neck rot consider pre-treatment before planting using a bleach soak for a few minutes. Ensure good air circulation for the crop and during storing. Also avoid bulb injury, excess soil nitrogen, too much watering or mulch around the plant. Soft Pink Rot Neck rot is a type of bacterial rot which is often not found until the garlic is cured and the garlic is cut for storage. Sometimes it can be spotted in the field when the stalk has a brown rot the centres of some of the leaves centres at the vein are water soaked, swollen and yellow-brown in appearance. It is caused by the a rod shaped bacterium called Erwina persicina and causes a pink appearance in the the stalk which sometimes travels down into the clove where rot can form. There is no solution to rid the rot but bactericides that contain copper can slow the spread of this disease. Fusarum Dry Rot Dry rot also known as 'storage rot' is a is a wet seaon or poor storage rot caused by Fusarium proliferatum fungi. All Fusarium diseases are latent and all garlic has some level of infection with most unseen while growing or on the outside of the bulb. The first signs of the disease show up on the basal plate and roots and spread to form small orange scabby lesions on the outside of the clove or water soaked brown lesions if the fungi is advanced with shrunken clove tissue. Avoid planting cloves with this fungi are their is no cure, so check while cracking garlic for soft tissue, and cloves with unusually pale, brown spots and loose skins. The pathogen overwinters in the soil and can be carried on the bulb. The best way to avoid the occurrence is to plant healthy cloves from quality bulbs, pre-treatment, crop rotation and avoid bulb injury during harvest and handling. White Rot White rot (Stromatinia cepivorum or Schlerotium cepivorum ) is a devastating fungal disease for the garlic grower. It can spell the end of garlic growing in a bed. The disease favours cool and moist soil conditions. Infection in soil temperature ranges from 10-23°C, with 15-18°C optimal for the fungus. Soils temperatures greater than 25°C have a low risk of developing this rot. Early signs are dark brown pigmentation which stain plant's neck or inner bulb skins or slimy bulb skin which soil sticks to the mycelium (white fungal threads). After a few seasons the disease in plants gets worse. The fungus creates black reproductive sclerotia which form small black poppy seed-like features in the white threads at the reproductive stage. At this stage clusters of plants dying back early and are easily pulled out due to their decayed roots and basal plate. Also the white rot's strong digestive acids tend to dissolve the bulb wrappers which can lead to slimy film. White rot affects other allium specie s, and there is no effective organic treatment. The only option is to remove the soil or never grow alliums in the diseased soil. The disease can be still viable in the soil for 20+ years and can lay dormant for 50+ years before a allium species is planted. If the infected soil remains, the disease is likely to spread via animals and wind movement. Ensure that tools and gloves are sterilized as to not affect other areas. Alternatively it is possible to reduce the infective sclerotia in the soils by digging in dried garlic powder with no alliums growing (two teaspoons per square metre). This should cause germination of the white rot but without living matter, however needs to be repeated in spring and summer for three years. Plant clean stock. Use preventative pre-treatment measures if obtaining garlic from an unknown source such as briefly soaking the garlic clove at no more than 49°C to reduce the fungal spores. Also practice crop rotation. Pectobacterium carotovorum There is no common name for this plant bacteria. The pathogen can be present in many vegetables including garlic. In garlic, the disease affects clove and scape development. This results in single clove bulbs or fewer mis-shaped cloves, enlarged bulbils or neck bulbils on types that do not normally have them. The stalks can be also mis-shapen or have multiple stalks, can be pinkish in colour and is soft and spongy at the base. The leaves of the plant often have strong yellow edges all the way down leaves . The disease can arrive with new seed stock and there is no cure. The bacteria can be more common with overly wet soils. It is best to remove the plants from stock and avoid planting any cloves with symptoms. Garlic Mosaic Garlic Mosaic is caused by a range of viruses that is present in garlic, it's commonly caused by those of the potyvirus group. It causes angular striping and discolouration (yellow to light green) o f garlic leaves particularly in younger plants creating a mosaic pattern amongst the healthier darker green plant tissue. If severe, plants are often stunted and bulb size is reduced. The disease is transmitted from garlic stock (clonally propagated) and aphids. Most plants only show mild symptoms with only one type of virus, and are severely affected by several types. To reduce reoccurrence, cull affected plants to reduce the chances of the disease in next years crop. Other Diseases There are many other less common diseases which cause unusual growth habits of garlic plants. When the plants are shooting keep an eye on any rouge growth habits. Compare the shoots and early leaf growth to other nearby plants. If they are stunted, have unusual colour (ie. pink/red could be rhizoctonia or stemphylium) or discoloured or have wobbly growth then it is best to remove and disposed of these plants. If these plants are left to grow, the disease might spread to other plants and extend further into the soil affecting the health of plants in future years. Unusual Growth Unusual Growth S ide Sprouting (Witches Broom) Side sprouting also known as secondary shooting. It occurs when the bulb is still growing but the clove skins begin to sprout into leaves coming out of the pseudostem or false stem and into the top of the plant. Often this condition is called 'witches broom' and is caused by fluctuating weather extremes of hot and cold (typically cold), higher than usual rainfall or planting too early for the clove. It can be formed by planting store bought garlic that has been kept in cold storage, also vernalising for more than two months can have the same result. If planting in a cold winter area try planting a little later to avoid changeable weather at the plants vulnerable growing stage. This condition also occurs during bulb development and clove formation with excess nitrogen in the soil contributing to bulbs and cloves being bigger than usual. After harvesting such bulbs do not store them rather try to consume them within a month or two. Waxy Breakdown Waxy breakdown is a condition that normally develops after harvest (4-6 weeks after). It is not discovered until the bulb wrapper is removed revealing cloves with a soft waxy translucent appearance. The cloves initially appear yellow and in time transform into a orange colour and are normally become sticky. This physiological condition occurs as a result of very hot conditions prior to harvest, either too much sunlight during curing (avoid sunlight when curing), mild not hold curing conditions or poor ventilation during storage. Avoid planting cloves with waxy breakdown. Outside Cloves This where one or a few cloves begin to appear on the outside of the bulb wrapper which is often seen in the artichoke garlic group. These external cloves occur as a result of an early spring hot snap. The unusually hot weather will initiate clove development early in the lower leaves. When these leaves eventually die off and the outer cloves are exposed outside the main bulb wrapper. Providing they are not part of the fertile leaves (the last leaves to appear) these cloves will be viable for planting the following year. Double/Triple Shoots This condition is where sprouting seems to send out several shoots from the ground not just from one clove. This is as a result of not identifying joined cloves during cracking them out of the bulb pre-planting. When dividing them what appeared to be one clove was in fact several cloves. It is a good idea while cracking the bulb at the pre-planting stage to check the basal plate of extra large cloves to see whether they are doubles. This condition is easy to resolve if caught early by running your fingers into the soil between the shoots and pulling one away from the other gently to separate the roots. It should be possible to replant the extra shoot if caught early (less than 10cm high), and if there is room in the garden. The softneck types (silverskin and artichoke ) of garlic which have multiple layers of cloves that are very tightly bundled can make separating the cloves challenging. Sometimes, only a hairline fracture is barely visible between cloves. Generally, the single layer hardneck types are more uniform and easier to spot joined cloves. Sometimes this condition is outside our control. Bulbs divide into cloves well before bulbing. Clove division is actually is a result of tiny clove buds that swell into large cloves that make up the bulb. This can be impossible for any gardener to spot. Yellowing Leaves Leaf colour can also indicate a deficiency in the soil. This often occurs a month after sprouting when the clove no longer supplies nutrients for growth. If the leaf tip yellows around this time, it is likely frost damage, minor nutrient deficiency or nutrient imbalance. A little yellowing is normal unless you have very fertile soils where the leaves are a standard green. If the yellowing continues and advances into the season (and it's not a mould or rot) then there is a likelyhood it is either a serious disease, lack of water or a soil nutrient deficiency. If it's a disease, remove and dispose of the sick plant or plants. Note that leaf yellowing is not to be confused with maturity where leaves turn yellow from the leaf tip down beginning with the leaves at the bottom of the plant. Nutrient imbalances in garlic can generally be determined by the effect on their leaves . A lack of: Nitrogen - yellow leaf tips affecting oldest leaves first, each new leaf smaller, folded, stunted leading to purple veins at base of leaf Phosphorus - same as nitrogen except young leaves do not fold Potassium - deep yellowing of older leaf tips then leads to complete leaf yellowing Magnesium - mottling (chlorosis) affecting base first with lower leaves yellow Calcium - spotting on all leaves particularly the upper third which increase in size Rounds The occurrence of the bulb not dividing into cloves (called rounds) is difficult to determine pre-harvesting. This condition is a result of the cloves planted being too small, being planted too late in the season and not wintering over or if the weather conditions have been either too dry or wet. They can be still eaten (some imported garlics are rounds) or replanted the following year. It is typical to get rounds in the first year of growing bulbils before replanting over the next 1-2 years to get bulbs with cloves. Pests Pests Nematodes Nematodes or roundworms are microscopic to tiny creatures which there is thought to be over a million types. They have successfully adapted to nearly every ecosystem including the 35 species in humans and thousands of types in soils. Only a couple of types affect garlic; Pratylinchus species attack th e garlics roots while the Ditylynchus species which are 1.5mm long and attack the stems and bulbs. The damage to garlic is known as bulb and stem nematode or bloat nematode. They can be identified on a clove as tiny pimple-like spots or the brownish desiccated discoloration just above the basal plate where they have entered the plant. Once way to kill them from gloves is to soak the cloves in hot water (43 °C) for ten minutes before planting. For the soil, reduce populations by growing mustard seed family such as brassica plants then tilling the green plants into the soil as brassica are toxic to nematodes. It will take 3-4 years for the mustard seed family crops to release the compound that reduces nematode populations Otherwise avoid growing allium species in the same soil. Black Aphids Aphids, particularly black aphids can quickly infect garlic plants. These tiny oval insects which are 2-3mm long can be undetected at first before rapidly hatching to cover plants. They expand rapidly because female aphids give birth to other females, who are already pregnant when born. If there is only a few then you can pick them off. However it is difficult to get every one so they are best treated with neem oil which an organic and biodegradable treatment. A soil using a mustard family crop as mulch a month before planting will reduced the chances to getting aphids. Bulb Mite Bulb mites (typically Rhizoglyphus echinopus) is a tiny (0.5-1mm) type of mite. The mite burrows into the garlic basal plate and then migrate into the stem and cloves if there is sufficient moisture. They leave a hollowed out honeycombed soft void of rot to bulbs. In some cases the mites leave very small brown spots on the garlic cloves visible once the bulb wrapper and clove skins are removed. They may look like small fungal lesions starting, but by looking closely bulb mites might be spotted living under the skin of the clove. The spots create scars left behind from the bulb mite feeding. Pre-treat garlic before planting, use free draining soil in raised beds or mounded soil. Ensure that crops are rotated. Mites do not survive dry conditions and rapidly changing humidity. Bulb mites are more common in high ambient relative humidity around harvest time. Thus the most effective way to control bulb mite infestations is to cure the crop quickly after harvest (1-2 days via fans) rather than passive drying over a few weeks. Allow plenty of airflow around curing bulbs. Other Pests Other pests which might affect your NZ garlic include rats (pre-shooting), rabbits, slugs and thrips. It is possible to protect against some of these larger pest by installing fine netting and using neem soil or pyrethrum for smaller pests. It is best to quarantine new garlic for your garden into a separate bed if possible. This reduces the possible spread of any disease or pest from the source garlic in the first year or two.

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

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

Garlic identification chart 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.