I am growing garlic for the first time ever this year. I ordered two soft neck varieties from two different sources: Seeds of Change & Territorial. I planted them last Fall in a well amended raised bed.

There are a lot of vendors that sell garlic! I chose these two simply because I was already ordering other items from them.

I ordered mine from The Garlic Store. I had nearly 100% germination (although some of those failures I can probably blame on the squirrels), and they are all very tall and healthy. I doubt if I can remember every single variety I planted unless I go out and write them down. Since it's cold and rainy, I'm just not going to do that. Ichelium, Transylvanian, Silverskin, Simonetti, Applegate, Bogatyr, and at least four or five others that I don't remember off hand.

I buy mine from local growers who often set up stands at garlic festivals or gatherings in September. That way you can pick the best heads and prices are much lower, about half of the mail order prices. Also you know the garlic is acclimated for your area and the growers are there to offer advice. Good deal!

This year I am growing Music, Romanian Red, Killarney Red, and Inchelium Red, and all are strong and healthy with one inch thick necks and pushing three feet tall. No scapes or browning yet and they are still pushing up new leaves.

Tom

Tom

I'm a huge fan of Seed Savers Exchange for heirloom varieties.

I'm still real new to the Garlic scene, and haven't finished my first grow-out yet, but all the cloves I planted this past October have come up. The chives are tasty, too :) Georgian Crystal and Georgian Fire.

Here is a link that might be useful: seed savers exchange, garlic

I buy from a local farmer's market. You know they will grow well in your area and, like Tom said, you get to pick the best bulbs.

I just ordered some from Filaree Farms.

Farmers markets. The ones I got on ebay disappointed me. Sellers just get rid of their skinny runts. If I do not see the cloves, I don't buy them online

The ones I got from the Garlic Store have done beautifully so far. I haven't harvested them yet, but the plants were tall and healthy.

I think it's getting on to about time, though. The garlic plants are drooping and the outside leaves are beginning to turn brown.

The thing I like about ordering online is that I have access to so many different varieties that I doubt I could find locally.

I purchased from Filaree Farms also (Silverwhite, Shatilil, Lotus and Italina Red) and so far all have done great. My only dissapointment were the cloves I purchased from the local grocery store. Some gardeners said they would grow, others said no. Now... I say NO!!! A complete waste of time.

Mary Ann

This time last year I discovered this forum, took the advice of some of the people here, and ordered from Gourmet Garlic Gardens. I ordered only one variety, Music, and had 100% germination from beautiful big cloves. So far the few that I've harvested have been small, but I'm hopeful that once they become acclimated, I'll have larger bulbs over the next couple of years. Just today, I ordered a mixture of bulbs from the same company. They are a little pricey, but the return that you get over time is so worth it. Good luck, everyone.

Chris

Here is a link that might be useful: Gourmet Garlic Gardens

Hi,

I got my bulbs from www.TheGarlicStore.com and www.SeedsofChange.com. Happy with both orders.

I also just came from the Allium Exchange forum but didn't find any recent traffic, thought I'd also put out a nudge in case there's anyone interested in any sort of exchanges?

I harvested all of my fall-planted garlic this last weekend. The bulbs were a little small, but all were firm and healthy. I'm happy with them, especially seeing as how it was my first time growing garlic.