Garlic bulbils are tiny, miniature aerial cloves produced by hardneck garlic varieties on the flower stalk, or scape. These small bulbs are not true seeds, but vegetative clones of the parent plant, offering an effective way to propagate garlic stock. Growing garlic from bulbils is advantageous because they are generally free of the soil-borne diseases that can accumulate in underground cloves over time. This method allows gardeners to significantly increase their planting stock inexpensively, providing a renewed, healthy foundation for future harvests. The process requires patience, as it takes a multi-year cycle to develop full-sized bulbs.
Collecting and Preparing Bulbils
The harvest of bulbils begins in early to mid-summer when the garlic plant’s scape starts to straighten out or just before the umbel bursts open. Leaving the scapes on the plant allows the bulbils inside the protective papery sheath, called the umbel, to mature fully and concentrate energy. Once the entire garlic plant begins to yellow and dry, the scapes can be cut and the umbels collected. The gathered scapes should be cured in a cool, dark, and well-ventilated area for approximately two to three weeks.
After curing, the umbels become brittle and the bulbils can be easily separated by gently crushing or rubbing the flower head. Sorting the bulbils by size ensures a more uniform planting and growth rate. Bulbils can range from the size of a grain of rice to a small pea, depending on the specific garlic variety. If planting cannot happen immediately, store the separated bulbils in a breathable container, like a paper bag or mesh sack, in a dry location until the fall planting time.
Planting Timing and Technique
The ideal time to plant garlic bulbils is in the late fall, typically four to six weeks before the ground is expected to freeze, matching the timing used for planting standard cloves. Planting them in the fall allows the bulbils to undergo vernalization, the necessary period of cold exposure that triggers proper growth the following spring. Select a location that receives full sun and has excellent drainage to prevent the small bulbs from rotting.
The planting bed should be prepared by loosening the soil to a depth of at least eight inches and amending it with compost or a balanced fertilizer. Bulbils are planted much closer together and shallower than full-sized cloves, often placed in shallow furrows about one to one and a half inches deep. Spacing can be tight; smaller bulbils can be planted as close as half an inch to one inch apart, while larger ones can be spaced up to two inches apart. While planting them pointed-end up is beneficial, the small size of most bulbils means precise orientation is less critical than with larger cloves, so they can be lightly sprinkled into the furrow and covered with soil.
Caring for Bulbils and the Growth Cycle
After planting, the area should be lightly watered and then covered with a layer of mulch, such as straw, to insulate the ground and protect the shallowly planted bulbils from winter heaving. In the spring, tiny, grass-like shoots will emerge, and consistent watering becomes important, ensuring the soil remains moist but not saturated, as the small root systems are prone to drying out. Weeding must be done carefully, as the slender garlic shoots can easily be confused with grass or other weeds, which can quickly outcompete the young garlic plants.
The growth cycle of a bulbil requires multiple seasons to reach full maturity. In the first year, bulbils grow into small, undivided bulbs known as “rounds,” which are single cloves ranging from a quarter-inch to an inch in diameter. These rounds are harvested in mid-summer when the foliage dies back, then cured just like mature garlic. These rounds must be replanted the following fall, treated like standard seed cloves, to develop into full, multi-cloved garlic heads the subsequent summer.