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.

Rocambole garlic type Rocambole Garlic Group Late Season| Short Storing | 7-14 cloves The Chef: Culinary perfection and renowned as the tastiest with a sweet nutty flavour Rocambole like Porcelain garlics grows best in cold climates with very cold winters. This garlic group produces several tan coloured cloves per bulb and typically has a purple blush on its bulb wrapper. For a strongly bolting hardneck garlic, it only has a short storage life. It grows best in a cold winter climate . This 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 the finest and most flavoursome. It has a deep, sweet and nutty flavour which is creamy and buttery and rich in oils resulting in it having on of the best garlic tastes. It is also excellent raw (not sulphurous). Characteristics Clove & Bulb Appearance The bulb is normally a round shape, generally has a white with a purple blush wrapper (skin), and contains between 7-14 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 wedge-shaped cloves' skin is a dull tan colour with purple blush and are very easy peeling. Clove skins have a tendency to split and double cloves are common. The ir easy peeling quality and excellent flavour makes this garlic ideal in the kitchen, but it is commercially uneconomic due to its short storage life of around 5-6 months after harvest. Bulbils T his hardneck garlic sends out a scape (flower stalk) particularly in colder climates. They typically produce a small amount of extra large bulbils (10-25) with a purple to dark purple blush and are of a similar size to asiatic bulbils. As a result, growing from a bulbil normally takes just two years to produce a normal sized garlic. L eaves & Scapes Roca mbole have narrow upright green leaves . The scape shape is unusual in that they often produce 1-3 loops with a wide green umbel, with the spathe turning white when mature. The juvenile garlic leaf is plump and robust.

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.

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.

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

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.