Umbels can be purchased in our Online Garlic Store. Select them from the cultivars product page drop-down menu. Each product page provides information about how many bulbils are, on average, contained within each umbel.
We allow a good number of umbels to grow to maturity for each cultivar. But if you know ahead of time that you’ll need a lot of a certain kind, please let us know and we’ll make sure to reserve them for you. If possible, contact us before scape removal in June.
We’ve gotten a lot of questions from growers in the early spring about what they should be looking for in their bulbil patch. Does it look like regular garlic, but smaller? How can you tell them apart from weeds? Very good questions and well list the answers here.
When you’re done harvesting your first-year bulbils, you’ll probably put them back in the ground. This doesnt mean you should just leave them in the ground to grow another year. for two reasons:
Marble sized rounds (1/2″ diameter) should be planted about 3 inches apart for the 2nd year. 3/4″ rounds need a little more space—maybe 5 inches, or even 6 or 7 inches if you have the room. Plant the rounds with the right side up and at the same depth as the cloves, which is usually about 2″ from the top of the clove or round.
As any garlic lover knows, homegrown garlic is infinitely better than store-bought. The flavor is richer, the cloves are bigger, and you get the satisfaction of harvesting what you grew.
But buying bulbs or individual cloves to plant each season can get pricey An inexpensive way to keep your garlic patch going year after year is to grow new plants from bulbils,
Bulbils are the small vegetative propagules that form on the flower stalks (scapes) of hardneck garlic varieties. Resembling tiny cloves, these bulbils can be collected and planted to produce new garlic plants.
Follow this step-by-step guide to learn how to easily and successfully grow garlic from bulbils. With a little time and care, you’ll have a thriving crop of homegrown garlic.
When and Where to Source Bulbils
The first step is getting your hands on some garlic bulbils. Here are your options:
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Allow a few plants in your garden to develop scapes and bulbils. Removing the scapes prevents bulbils from forming.
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Ask fellow garlic-growing friends or family if they can spare some bulbils.
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Purchase bulbils from specialty garlic growers either locally or via mail order.
Focus on getting bulbils from hardy, proven varieties that grow well in your climate. Try to collect or obtain bulbils as soon as they mature in mid-late summer. Store them in a cool, dry place until planting time.
How to Prepare Bulbils for Planting
Before planting, bulbils require a period of cold temperature exposure. This vernalization mimics winter conditions and encourages the bulbils to grow when planted in spring.
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Place cleaned and dried bulbils in a breathable bag or container.
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Keep them in the refrigerator or freezer (not deep freeze) for 2-4 weeks prior to planting.
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Allow bulbils to reach room temperature before planting outdoors.
Proper vernalization helps synchronize growth and maturation when bulbils are planted.
When and Where to Plant Your Bulbils
You have a couple options for when and where to plant your garlic bulbils:
Fall outdoor planting:
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Plant bulbils in the garden 6-8 weeks before first expected frost date.
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Choose a site with full sun and well-draining soil.
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Bulbils are hardy but may suffer winter die-off. Plant extras to allow for potential losses.
Spring planting: outdoor or containers
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Plant bulbils outdoors as soon as frost danger has passed.
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Or start them indoors 6-8 weeks before your last expected frost.
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Harden off seedlings before transplanting them outside later in spring after danger of frost.
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Container planting lets you control growing conditions. Just ensure good drainage.
Spring planting avoids losses from harsh winter weather but requires extra care in the cold months before planting. Determine which timing works best for your climate and schedule.
How to Plant Bulbils for Success
When prepping your planting area and sowing the bulbils, follow these tips:
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Loosen soil and remove any weeds, rocks or debris. Garlic prefers smooth, well-worked soil.
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Optionally mix in a thin layer of compost or all-purpose fertilizer to enrich the soil. Don’t overdo it.
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Plant bulbils 1-2 inches deep, pointed end up. Space 2-6 inches apart depending on bulbil size.
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Gently firm soil over the bulbils and water thoroughly after planting.
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Cover planting beds with 3-4 inches of mulch to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
Proper spacing reduces competition so the bulbils develop strong. Closer spacing results in smaller bulbs at harvest time.
Caring for Your Garlic Bulbils
Once your bulbils are planted, be diligent about care and maintenance:
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Water whenever the soil dries out. Avoid overwatering.
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Weed regularly to prevent competition for water and nutrients.
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Monitor for pests like thrips, mites or nematodes and treat organically if found.
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Side dress with a nitrogen fertilizer when plants are 8-12 inches tall to support continued growth.
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Mulch heavily with straw in fall to insulate plants if you garden in cold climates.
With attentive care while growing, your bulbils will produce good-sized bulbs for replanting or harvesting.
What to Expect as the Bulbils Grow
Have patience when growing garlic from bulbils. It takes time for them to grow into mature bulbs:
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The first year, bulbils will likely produce single small cloves known as rounds.
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The second year, plant rounds spaced further apart. You’ll get small multi-cloved bulbs.
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By the third year, bulbs will be full-sized and ready for eating or replanting again.
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Some garlic varieties mature faster than others. Porcelains and Purple Stripes may take 4-5 years to reach full size.
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Bulbils grown in very close proximity will remain marble-sized and are best harvested as “garlic greens”.
With proper planting and care, the wait for full-sized bulbs is worth it!
Harvesting and Storing Your Homegrown Garlic
When the lower leaves start yellowing and top growth falls over, it’s time to harvest garlic grown from bulbils.
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Use a garden fork to loosen soil and carefully lift bulbs. Handle gently to avoid bruising.
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Shake off any excess dirt but don’t wash until ready to use.
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Allow bulbs to dry and cure for 2-3 weeks in a warm, dry, shaded spot.
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Trim off roots and stem 1⁄2 inch above the top bulb.
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Store cured bulbs in a cool (65°F), dark place with good air circulation.
Proper curing maximizes storage life. Well-cured bulbs will last up to 8 months.
Enjoying the Fruits of Your Labor
With some forethought and effort, you can keep your garlic patch thriving for years by growing new plants from homegrown bulbils.
The initial investment of time and care will pay off handsomely when you harvest basketfuls of beautiful garlic bulbs. Homegrown garlic has an incredible depth of flavor that store-bought can’t match.
Use your homegrown garlic liberally to add a punch of savory flavor to:
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Pasta, pizza, and bread
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Roasted or grilled meats, fish, and vegetables
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Soups, stews, sauces, hummus and more!
Learning how to grow garlic from bulbils puts a perpetual supply of this versatile culinary staple right at your fingertips. Get planting and enjoy garlic goodness for years to come!
Outdoors in Fall – Furrows
FALL PLANTING: You can plant bulbils in the fall at the same time as cloves, but if you do, you are more likely to lose the crop to winter kill or vole/mole activity. At RCF weve had both great success and catastrophic failure using this method. If planting in the fall, DO NOT MULCH UNTIL JUST BEFORE SNOWFALL. Mulch creates a wonderful habitat for voles/moles and theyll be nesting right above their winter snacks.
All bulbils except the biggest ones (Rocambole bulbils are huge and can be planted at least 4 inches apart) are planted in a different way than cloves. You can literally plant thousands of bulbils within a very small area. Here are the steps we use:
NOTE: Bulbils can be very difficult to distinguish from weeds in the springtime. We plant in furrows so it’s easy to see where the bulbils should and shouldn’t grow. This makes it much easier to weed around them.
- Make furrows about 1 inch deep in a 3/4-inch thick board that is a few inches shorter than your bed’s width. 5 inches deep across your bed. You can use a hammer to hit the board or just your hand to get down into the ground.
- Distribute your bulbils in this furrow all the way across. Bulbils don’t have to be upside down unless they are very big, so you can sprinkle them instead of putting them in one by one if you’d like. As a guide, porcelain and other bulbils the size of rice grains should be spaced about 1/2″ to 3/4″ apart. About 1″ should separate Marbled Purple Stripes and other medium-sized bulbils. The largest bulbils should be 4 inches apart, and the next largest should be about 2 inches apart.
- Gently cover the bulbils with soil and pat it down.
- Water them in but dont saturate the soil.
- When spring comes, KEEP THEM WET for the first two to three months. Then, let them dry out as their growing cycle comes to an end. Because their root systems are so small, bulbils will die if they get too dry. Water every day if necessary to keep the soil moist.
Why plant bulbils?
Bulbils are like miniature round or oblong cloves. They can be eaten like cloves—many people don’t bother peeling them and just crush them and use them in recipes—but what’s more important to us is that they can be planted.
There are several reasons to plant bulbils, either instead of or in addition to planting mature cloves. If you don’t need to bring a full crop to market right away, try building your stock with the bulbil method. Benefits to farmers include:
- exponential growth of seed stock (see chart below)
- purging of all soil born disease (nematodes, fungus, etc)
- gradual acclimation of cultivar to your growing conditions
Growing Garlic from Bulbils and Rounds
FAQ
How long does it take to grow garlic from bulbils?
What do you do with garlic bulbils?
Can I plant garlic bulbils in the spring?
Do garlic bulbils need cold stratification?
Can you grow garlic from bulbils?
Essentially, the bulbils are clones of the mother plant that can be planted to produce a replica of this parent. There may be less than 10 garlic plant bulbils or 150, depending upon the variety. Bulbil size ranges as well, from that of a grain of rice to the size of a chickpea. So, the answer is yes, you can easily grow garlic from bulbils.
How long does it take to grow a garlic bulb?
The tiny bulbil is much smaller than a garlic clove, and the plant will need a full year to get established in the soil and grow to the size of a garlic clove. Another year later, it’ll produce a full harvestable garlic bulb. Start by planting garlic seeds in the fall at the same time as your regular garlic bulbs.
How deep should garlic bulbs be planted?
Sow bulbils in a raised bed ½ to 1 inch (1-2.5 cm.) deep, depending upon their size, and about 6 inches (15 cm.) apart. The depth difference when planting garlic bulbils accounts for their size; tiny bulbils should be sown at a shallower depth. Space the rows 6 inches (15 cm.) apart.
How do you grow garlic?
Follow this link. www.GROeat.com . Growing garlic from cloves (seed garlic) is known as vegetative reproduction or cloning. This is the most common method of growing garlic. Another method for commercial propagation involves growing garlic from bulbils. Bulbils are tiny, undivided “bulbs” that can be used as seeds.
