Finding a green sprout emerging from a clove is a common sight and a clear signal that the garlic has broken dormancy and is primed for growth. Instead of discarding it, you can successfully plant this sprouted clove to grow new garlic. This article guides you through confirming the clove’s health, planting it correctly, and understanding the harvest you can expect.
Planting Viability and Safety
The presence of a sprout confirms the clove is biologically active and an excellent candidate for planting. Sprouting is triggered by internal conditions, often temperature or humidity changes, initiating the growth phase. This pre-germination gives the clove a head start compared to a completely dormant one.
You can safely plant any firm, sprouted clove, as the sprouting process does not introduce health risks. The only exception is if the clove shows visible signs of mold, rot, or is soft, indicating decay rather than healthy growth. While most commercial garlic is not specifically bred for planting, its viability for growing is still high.
Some store-bought garlic may be treated with sprout inhibitors to extend shelf life, but if yours has sprouted, the treatment was ineffective or has worn off. Planting these cloves is a practical way to reduce food waste and observe the full growth cycle of the plant. Each healthy, individual clove has the potential to produce a new plant.
Step-by-Step Planting Guide
Before planting, separate the bulb into individual cloves, a process sometimes called “cracking” the garlic. Handle each clove gently to avoid damaging the sprout or the basal plate, the flat bottom where roots emerge. Keep the papery wrapper around each clove intact, as this provides protection in the soil.
Orient the clove correctly in the soil: the flat basal plate must face down, and the pointed end or green sprout must face up. Create a planting hole approximately two inches deep for the clove.
Place the clove in the hole, ensuring the sprout is upright, and cover it completely with soil, gently firming the surface. Space the cloves four to six inches apart to allow room for growth and easy harvest. Immediately after planting, thoroughly water the area to settle the soil and initiate root growth.
Optimal Soil and Climate Conditions
Garlic thrives in an environment that balances moisture retention with excellent drainage, making loose, rich soil necessary for proper bulb development. Heavy clay soil should be amended with compost or well-rotted manure to improve its structure and prevent waterlogging, which can cause the cloves to rot. The ideal soil pH for garlic growth falls between 6.0 and 7.0.
The plant requires a location that receives full sun exposure throughout the day, especially during the growing season. Full sun is necessary for the leaves to produce enough energy to form a large, healthy bulb underground. Insufficient sunlight leads to smaller, less robust plants and a reduced harvest.
For the formation of a large, segmented bulb, garlic requires a process called vernalization, which is an extended period of cold temperatures, typically 6 to 8 weeks between 32°F and 50°F. This usually occurs naturally when garlic is planted in the fall for a summer harvest. If you are planting your sprouted clove in the spring, it may not receive the necessary cold period to trigger full bulb division, but it will still grow into a usable plant.
Expected Yield: Green Garlic Versus Full Bulbs
Planting a sprouted clove, particularly in the spring, often results in a harvest of “green garlic” rather than a mature, fully divided bulb. Green garlic is an immature garlic plant, harvested early before the bulb segments into individual cloves. It resembles a thick scallion with tender, edible green tops and a small, undeveloped bulb at the base.
This young garlic has a flavor that is milder, sweeter, and less pungent than a cured, mature bulb, making the entire plant usable in the kitchen. To harvest green garlic, you simply pull the entire plant out of the ground when the green stalks are about eight to ten inches tall, which typically occurs in the late winter or early spring.
Achieving a large, cured bulb, which is suitable for long-term storage, depends on the plant receiving the required cold vernalization period. Without this cold exposure, the plant may only produce a single, undivided bulb called a “round.” While you can replant these rounds in the fall for a proper harvest the following year, the immediate result of a spring planting is more likely to be the delicious, milder green garlic.