Half of mine end up naked by the time they are planted but they all grow into plants. If the skin is still there, it quickly rots as soon as it is in the ground and becomes damp. The skin serves no useful purpose after the clove is planted.

Martin

I think my garlic likes being planted naked. Then again, I only grow varieties of garlic known for being a bit pervy. ;-)

Seriously, it is as Paquebot said, it is perfectly fine. If you are a very modest person you can always wrap them in a thin tissue to preserve their modesty ;-)

Sorry, I just couldn't resist this since the subject line had the word naked in it.

It is my understanding that it is better to plant garlic naked. I draw this impression from several sources, including Gourmet Garlic Gardens:

"Garlic is subject to fungal diseases and pest infestations that can be virtually undetectable until they strike. Prevention is the best way to deal with them. In our experience, garlic that is soaked in certain solutions and with the clove covers peeled off have a better chance of growing free of pathogen or pest.

"...Soak each varieties cloves in water containing one heaping tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and liquid seaweed to protect them from fungus as well as give them an energy boost. Leave the cloves in the soda water for a couple of hours or long enough for the cloves to slip easily out of their covers. Garlics clove covers can contain fungal spores, or conidia or the eggs of pests such as mites and are best discarded rather than planted since the first thing the cloves do is to shed them, anyway. The baking soda helps neutralize the fungi.

"The bare cloves should then be soaked in rubbing alcohol or 140 proof vodka for three or four minutes and then planted immediately. The alcohol kills pathogens or pest eggs the first soaking missed. Every time I have done this, the treated garlic turned out better than the untreated control group. Alcohols are on the National Organic Program accepted list and baking soda is accepted under part 205.605."