Growing Garlic

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07 Jan 18 Carolyn (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, I have 4 Pearl Garlic Plants that all have a head of seeds on them. The seeds are still white. do I wait for them to go black before I collect the seeds. And when I do - how do I go grow from seeds. when do I plant the seeds in the ground? I also have a bag of pearl garlic dried cloves from the Barossa (I am in Melb) - when can I plant the dried cloves. Would it still be in March/April? Any help would be appreciated :-)
09 Jan 18 Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I would suggest you research on the internet - how to grow garlic from seed. A lot easier and quicker from the bulbs I think.
18 Jan 18 DavidG (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I suggest saving 4-6 bulbs from each crop, divide the cloves and plant them. Simple and 100% strike rate
22 Feb 18 Tony.E. (Australia - temperate climate)
If your plant that smells like garlic has a stem with a seed pod at the top then it is not a garlic, it has the name giant russian garlic or elephant garlic, but it is not a true garlic it is closer related to the leek family. True garlic does not grow seeds.
17 Jul 18 Ray S (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I’m afraid that’s not quite correct Tony. Garlic can and does set seed though only some varieties manage it. There is at least one breeding program, in Israel I believe, using true garlic seed to develop new varieties, among other things. It took them a while to track down varieties that do set seed but they managed. I have heard that the variety Duganski sets seed readily.

If your plant that smells like garlic has a stem with a seed pod at the top then it is not a garlic, it has the name giant russian garlic or elephant garlic, but it is not a true garlic it is closer related to the leek family. True garlic does not grow seeds.

- Tony.E.

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