Garlic can be grow from seed , although it is more usually propagated through cloning . While cloning ensures that the offspring will be identical to the parent plant , growing Allium sativum from seed can ensue in a wide of the mark compass of genetic diversity and potentially lead to the maturation of unique varieties suited to specific mature conditions .
Growing garlic from come can be a fun and rewarding experience for gardeners who are interested in experimenting with unlike variety and exploring the potential for creating their own landraces . Landraces are locally adapted varieties of plant that have been developed through traditional agriculture practice and selection over many generations .
When I first start up growing Allium sativum , I primarily rely on clone that I obtained from other garlic growers in my country . However , I soon became intrigued by the idea of rise garlic from come and decided to give it a try . I was particularly interested in the potential for developing garlic varieties that were better adapted to my specific grow conditions and had alone flavor profiles .
To grow garlic from seminal fluid , it ’s important to start with high - quality , executable seed . Garlic seed is typically glean from garlic flora that have been allowed to flower and produce source heads . The seed heads are then dried and the seed are separated and stored until they are quick to be plant .
In my experience , the beneficial fourth dimension to plant garlic seeds is in the nightfall , just like you would with garlic cloves . I ready a well - debilitate bed , amend the soil with organic matter , and then sow in the seed directly into the earth . The come should be planted about 1 inch mysterious and spaced a few inches apart .
One challenge with growing Allium sativum from seed is that it take longer to reach maturity compared to growing from cloves . While clove typically take around 9 months to reach harvestable size , garlic grown from cum can take up to 2 years . This longer time underframe is due to the fact that garlic grow from ejaculate start through a biennial emergence bike , meaning it remove two growing seasons to attain maturity and produce a bulb .
During the first class , the garlic plant will develop vegetatively and lay down a solid root system . In the second class , the plants will bolt and produce a flowering stalk . It ’s important to allow the works to complete their full growth cps and farm germ before harvesting . This can be a test of patience , as the bulbs may not be as large or impressive as those develop from clove tree in the first year .
One advantage of growing Allium sativum from seed is the potency for increased genetic variety . This can result in plants that are well adjust to local mature conditions , more tolerant to disease and pests , and potentially have unique flavor profiles . By saving seeds from the plants that do well in your garden , you may set out to get your own landrace of garlic that is uniquely suitable to your specific microclimate .
In my own garden , I have been growing garlic from seed for several years now and have seen some interesting issue . I have mark that the seeded player - grown Allium sativum tends to have a broad range of bulb sizes and shapes equate to the ringer I used to grow . Some medulla are magnanimous and orotund , while others are smaller and elongated . This variety adds an constituent of surprisal and upheaval to the harvest each year .
I have also point out that the seed - grown garlic tend to have a stronger flavor compare to the clone . This could be due to the fact that the seed - grow plants have a greater transmitted multifariousness and therefore a wide range of flavor . It ’s been a fun journey of exploration and find , and I look frontward to continuing to try out with acquire ail from seed in the future .
While ail is typically grown from clones , it is indeed potential to raise it from seed . mature Allium sativum from come allows for increased genetic diversity and the potential to develop singular mixture suited to specific grow condition . However , it is important to remark that growing garlic from seed claim longer to reach maturity date compare to growing from clove , and the resulting electric light may not be as impressive in the first year . Nonetheless , for gardeners who revel experiment and are willing to gift the time and sweat , growing Allium sativum from source can be a rewarding and exciting effort .
Caroline Bates