Why is garlic so expensive?

[Dukerdawg]

I want to plant some hardneck garlic this fall. Why is everyone asking so much money for a few bulbs? Seeds of change wants $13.00 per half pound plus shipping which they say is 3-4 bulbs. Why so much?

This might be the wrong category to post, but just wanted some insight on this. $40-50 buys a lot of garlic at the store, albeit not hardneck from my own garden.

Any ideas for less $$$$?

Duane

[velikipop]

Just a guess, but it might be due to differences in production cost. Chinese garlic and the ones from California are mass produced and only one type. Speciality garlic that is far superior in taste and keeping abilities is produced by small vendors who have to recover the cost. The most prolific producer, for example, Music, will yield about 12,000lbs per acre. Even an $ 8,00 per pound for organically grown crop that is not a great return given the cost of production.

I would suggest that you purchase some of the expensive stuff or trade for some and then grow your own from saved seed. It is really easy.

Alex

[BigdaddyJ]

It's the specialty garlic that is expensive at first like Alex says above. But you only need a single bulb to get you started. You'll never have to pay for any variety a second time.

I have grown garlic from supermarket bought bulbs and that's really a cheap way to get started. It's the specialty stuff that costs...

[dice]

Tania says it takes 2-3 years to get from bulbils to full-size
garlic bulbs, too, depending on type of garlic.

[JerryL]

Dawg,

Ya need to find a local Garlic grower. At a local farmers market I got two bulbs of Music (18 cloves) for $5.

Then I went to the Dayton Garlic Festival a couple of weeks ago and found two growers. Bought German Porcelain (12 cloves), Italian Purple Stripe (20 cloves), Japanese (15 cloves) and 10 cloves of Elephant for a total of $20. I have no idea what the weight is but it’s plenty of garlic.

[Tormato]

Duane,

You're one day late on getting some for free. I just planted mine.

If you try the wanted forum, there might be someone who has some extra.

Gary

[tjg911]

like jerryl said, buy it locally at a farmer's market or from a farmer or gardener. you'll pay $5-8 a pound, seed companies have a lot of varieties but they charge a fortune. imh, most garlic tastes pretty much the same. music is very large (bulbs and cloves) and stores about 6 months, pretty long for a hardneck.

tom

[moulman]

"..Tania says it takes 2-3 years to get from bulbils to full-size garlic bulbs, too, depending on type of garlic.
__________________

bulbils?

[velikipop]

Bulbis are the seeds hardneck garlic produces. A month or so before maturity the plant will produce a scape with a little ball at the end. Inside the ball are the bulbis. You cut the scape and can eat it and save the bulbis.

I agree with the others about purchasing good garlic from farmers markets or even better at garlic festivals. The average price is about $ 8.00 lb or $ 3.00 per head.
Music is a very good variety and similar if not same as Northern Quebec and Susan Delefield. Not all garlic tastes the same some are hotter than others and have some subtle differences. If all you are used to is the Chinese variety, which is hot with very little flavour, you will notice the difference at once.

Alex

[Dukerdawg]

Thanks everyone. I appreciate all of the input. Dave, I ordered a hardneck assortment from Bob. Looks like a nice mix. The other site was less expensive but was sold out of alot of the varieties. I could look around locally, but I bit the bullet so I can get started no later than next week. The weather is 80 degrees right now, but knowing Michigan it could snow next week, eh?

Thanks everyone.

Duane

[Suze]

Duane, the best time to put in your garlic order is starting as early as June. In terms of your original question (price), waiting until later probably doesn't have an effect, but it definitely affects availability. I've found that most sources run out of the more popular or interesting varieties rather quickly. When ordering, I also specify the earliest shipping window, because I want to increase the chances of receiving the largest/best possible planting stock.

Hard to remember about garlic that time of year, but I put a reminder note on my calendar so I don't forget to order early.

[tjg911]

Originally Posted by velikipop

Not all garlic tastes the same some are hotter than others and have some subtle differences. If all you are used to is the Chinese variety, which is hot with very little flavour, you will notice the difference at once.

Alex

true, some are hotter and some are milder. i have grown at least 8 maybe 10 no more than 12 varieties, only 2 are soft neck the rest hard necks, and other than hotter or milder they taste, to me, seems pretty much the same. so for me i prefer music for it's size, flavor and storage ability. storage is very important to me. i readily admit that i do not appreciate subtle differences so to me 'they all taste pretty much the same'. but i have not grown all that many so perhaps if i tried some others maybe i'd notice some differences other than heat. now in tomatoes i do differentiate taste differences but that's another thread.

tom

[Earl]

Duane,
Grow some green garlic. Get some from the grocery that's starting to sprout and plant it. When it's about the size of green onions harvest and use like regular garlic. It just takes more and is sweeter tasting.

Green garlic puts magic in a pot of soup.