What are bulbils? Although they have a funny name, these propagation tools don’t mean anything funny. are a foolproof method of garlic reproduction for reliable hardneck types like ‘Chesnok Red’. They They are formed from mature flower stems with scapes—The scapes produce tiny bulbs, and these are the bulbils!
Most gardeners don’t see them, as gardening recommendations say to mow landscapes to encourage clove production. But Wild garlic often uses bulbils to spread. since they can easily reach new places on the surface. Find wild garlic to see these little bulbs in the wild, or let some of your garlic bloom to grow your own.
One The garlic plant can produce. more than 50 bulblets but only four to ten teeth can grow. Bulbils are more available, although they take a year or two longer to reach full bulb size. Exponentially multiply your harvests with a combination of both. If you let one of your plants flower this year, you’ll go from a few cloves to over 200 in three years!
exponentially Increase your garlic production with small bulbils.. Follow these eight easy steps and you’ll never have to buy garlic at the supermarket again.
harvest basket
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Step 1: Let the landscapes grow
The first step to acquiring bulbils is let one or two buds open and produce flowers. If you already grow hardneck varieties, leave a gap or two in your plants for them to open up. If you don’t grow garlic, you can order seeds online or plant a clove now to use later.
Since you are not growing garlic for underground bulbs, it is not necessary to plant it in the fall. Simply plant one or two cloves in spring or early summer, then wait for landscapes and flowers to appear. The scapes curve with circular stems and then grow upward as they mature. A green cover, thin as a paper, detaches from the landscape and flowers appear.
The flowers sometimes form seeds, although most of the time, They will mature into bulblets.. Both The seeds and bulbils grow new garlic plants. successfully, although the seeds can take more than three years. Most growers will never see seeds, but will see dozens of tiny bulbs.
Step 2: harvest
bulbils have ready to harvest from midsummer. They will look like mini cloves and some will have small leaves growing out of the top. Harvest them by cutting the stems and then hanging them to dry in a brown paper bag. He The propagating material will fall to the bottom when mature.and you can pick them up without problems.
If you only want a few, you can pluck them from landscapes as they mature. Let them dry for a few days and then they will be ready for long-term storage. Store in a cool, dark and dry place. such as a pantry, a closet or a cupboard. They will keep for at least a year, although you will want to plant them this season for best growing results.
Garlic bulbils are edible too! Peel them and cook them as you would any garlic. they are sweeter and softerand they are excellent additions to pestos, sauces or chilis. Not only are they edible, but so are the garlic leaves and stems! Try each of them for unique garlic-flavored delights.
Step 3: Plant during the fall
the best is Plant bulbils at the same time you plant the rest of the garlic. in the fall. You’ll want to bury them so they receive cold temperatures all winter long. They need a cold winter to perform well next year. you will want plant these small bulbs around when the first autumn frosts occur. They will stay safe underground as storms rage across the sky.
Bury them one inch deep in rows with half an inch of space between each other and rows an inch apart. Place soil on top and then water them so they are moist but not soggy. Wait to add mulch to the site until after snowfall. as it can invite bulb-eating bugs that will ruin your harvest. Add mulch in spring after they sprout if you never get snow in winter.
Step 4 – Watch Garlic Grow
The plants grow vigorously in their first year, generating leafy growth in clusters. they will need well-drained soil, regular water during the growing season, and Six to eight hours of direct sunlight per day.. They will develop into single cloves during the first year, although some fast-growing types may create four to six small cloves instead of one large one.
Monitor your seedlings for pests and diseases. Garlic is resistant to infestations and infections. due to its strong smelling nature. It also has a protective paper cover underground that keeps it safe from root rot. If you see pests on the leaves, wash them until they are gone. Prevent diseases by rotating where you plant garlic every two to three years.
Step 5: Harvest
The bulbs need less time to mature than the large bulbs, and will be ready from mid-summer. Pull up young plants when they are the tips of the leaves turn brown. You will find small, round teeth underground. These work similarly to bulbs you would buy from a seed catalog; Although they may look different, they work the same.
you will have to dig up your rounds carefully if the stems break. He Round out bruises and damage easily with metal tools.and they will have difficulty preserving themselves in the off-season. If you have a pitchfork or a wide fork, there is a simple trick that will help you. Stab the soil well below the root zone and then lift it up. You will find them falling easily from the crumbling ground.
Step 6: Dry and Store Rounds
Rounds need identical conditions to bulbils to dry and store well. Dry them by hanging them upside down with the stems on. They will be dry when all the moisture leaves the stems and leaves, indicating that they are now surrounded by multiple layers of paper.
Once dry, cut the stems and roots. Garlic is appreciated. cool, dark and dry places that imitate the subway. keep them inside a harvest basket in your pantry, or use a similar item with holes for air flow. They will keep for a year or more.but plant them this fall for the biggest yields next summer.
Step 7: Plant Rounds During Fall
It’s been a year since you planted bulbils and now it’s time to plant the nails They became! Plant them an inch and a half deep, with at least two to three inches of space between each other. They need more space as they swell until they become giant bulbs.
Cover them with fertile soil and water them so that they are moist but not too moist. they take root from fall to spring and separate them into several sections. They will then sprout leafy shoots as the warm days arrive. Wait to add mulch to your root zone until the snow falls.or until spring if you have snowless winters; This keeps tunneling creatures that eat fresh garlic away.
Step 8: Harvest and repeat!
Most bulbils form large bulbs in their second year, but some may grow multiple small teeth. If you have little ones, repeat this process. Separate the bulbssave them and then plant them during the fall. They will form giant bulbs in mid to late summer next year.
If you have giant bulbs in your second year of growth, harvest them to enjoy! Don’t eat them all, though, as you’ll want some plant for another harvest. Save as many cloves as you need to harvest the bulbs, as each clove swells into a bulb with many cloves. For example, if you have 20 large cloves that you are saving for planting, you will have 20 giant bulbs next summer.
Repeat this process as many times as necessary to obtain infinite amounts of propagation material and cooking ingredients. Grow the two in combinationand you’ll produce enough garlic to never have to buy it at the store again.
Frequently asked questions
Yes they are! They have a paper wrapper like nails.peel them and eat them in recipes asking for garlic
You can exponentially multiply your crops by planting themor you can Eat them for a sweet, garlicky delicacy.. Garlic bulbils are like mini cloves, only needing two or three years instead of one to form mature bulbs.
Plant them in autumn around the first average frost date. If it is already spring, it is possible that plant them in their first year. Second-year cloves grow best in fall plantings, so wait until next year for the best results.
