Grocery Store Garlic

16 years ago

Perhaps the grocery stores are getting wise to new consumer interest and use of garlic. For the first time, at least in my locale, Food Pyramid has started carrying what appears to be a new, improved garlic in the produce dept. There were large bulbs of red and white striped garlic with large cloves. From what I was able to tell, this was a softneck type I bought several pounds with the intention of using some and planting others.

This was a happy surprise. I hope they continue with it.

Barbara

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Comments (5)

elkwc
16 years ago
Barbara,
I've seen some larger bulbs with large cloves in either United or Wal Mart here. Didn't buy any. I have more than enough now for planting next year. I'm sure what I saw was a soft neck. That is all I've seen in the stores here. Glad you found some. Keep me informed what you think of taste and then next year after you harvest it. Jay
ezzirah011
16 years ago
How do you plant grocery store garlic? Just pull the "paper like" peeling off and plant? root them in water first?

Thanks!
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laspasturas
16 years ago
Ezzirah,
You don't need to pull the peel off. Just break the bulb apart like you would for cooking and plant with the pointed end up. It's easy and fun to grow!

Here is a link that might be useful: Growing Garlic
elkwc
16 years ago
Just a couple of my opinions. Here I plant mine with the top about an inch below ground surface. Some growers further north plant deeper or mulch real deep. I have planted 2 inches deep and also 1/2 inch deep and haven't noticed any real difference in results. The further south you go the less mulch you need. Mulch is important where it gets colder and the ground freezes deeper. If not mulched the freezing and thawing will heave the garlic out of the ground. I mulch mainly to retain moisture. I usually lay down a few inches of leaves and cover with loose hay or straw to hold them. Then I water deep. Here we can have dry winters with little or no moisture( Of course our summers have been that way lately also). So I check mine in the winter. If the soil gets dry in Feb, March after we've had some warm spells I will water again. My tops may get nipped but have never had them freeze back like growers north of me do. Really an easy crop to grow. Mulch also keeps the weeds down and garlic doesn't compete well with weeds. Jay
scarlettfourseasonsrv
Original Author
16 years ago
Jay,
I haven't had the chance to use any of the nice store garlic yet so I can't give an informed opinion on quality, but it sure looks nice. So nice in fact that I bought another couple pounds at the same Food Pyramid yesterday. I plan to peel all that batch and pickle it for health purposes. I just want some nice, big bulbs with big cloves that are easy to peel. Not going to be picky about variety. Although, if I keep this up I could start being at some point in the future. You know how addictive this variety thing can be once the bug bites :)
I should have lots more to plant this fall. I agree that the stores are probably selling softneck since it's a long keeper and suited to our climate, although in your's and my zone, we can get away with planting hardneck if we mulch it well like you said.
I'm just hoping this will keep til fall planting time.

Barbara