why are there little cloves about 4 inches above ground ?

4season · June 26, 2016

On a couple of garlic plants there are one to four little cloves on the stem. Last year there were a few too but I don't remember any in years before that. No flowers or bulbils either.

Kazedwards · June 26, 2016

Could you post a pic?

-Zach

4season · June 26, 2016

I knew someone would ask.
Found camera and cable, photo to desktop. (My windows 10 doesn't let me use the photo folder, I want XP back)
Most of the cloves are small, we have a friend who has grown for years and her garlic stayed small this year too.

henry · June 26, 2016

Some softneck varieties if they've been stressed do develop a secondary bulb above ground, that contains bulbils.

Ricky Shaw · June 26, 2016

I get them more in years when there's been a start, then a restart. We had warm weather in December, and I have some this year again.

4season · June 26, 2016

I don't remember weather, but there was drought stress even with mulch and drip tape.

PhilaGardener · June 26, 2016

Interesting. This was my worst year for garlic in a decade (I didn't get any of these stem bulbils this year, but I have seen them once or twice in the past).

Ricky Shaw · June 26, 2016

and like this.

Kazedwards · June 26, 2016

Is it a soft neck variety? Some soft necks will try to through up a scape if really stresses

-Zach

joseph · June 26, 2016

I don't know if I'd attribute this trait to stress. It might be that the garlic is getting conditions to which it is better suited, so it tries to do the normal garlic pattern of trying to flower...

Zeedman · June 27, 2016

Stem cloves occasionally form on soft neck garlic, but their appearance in large numbers seems to be stress related. Due to heavy rains, my garlic last year spent much of May & June in muddy soil, and all the artichoke garlic had more stem cloves than normal. For some varieties, every plant had stem cloves, and sometimes in more than one location. The bulbs themselves were much smaller than normal. Last Fall, I moved the garlic bed to a location with better drainage, and have virtually no stem cloves this year. I planted many of the stem cloves from last year, to see if they will grow into stronger stock.

guruofgardens · July 11, 2016

Thanks, Zeedman. I had never heard of/seen stem cloves before.

Zeedman · July 12, 2016

The stem cloves I planted last Fall had very good winter survival, and have grown into fairly good-sized plants - larger than most of the hardneck bulbils that were planted at the same time. It is my hope that stem cloves represent a chance to "clean up" soft neck varieties which may have accumulated soil-borne diseases over the years... time will tell.

June 26, 2016	#1
4season Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: albuquerque Posts: 308	why are there little cloves about 4 inches above ground ? On a couple of garlic plants there are one to four little cloves on the stem. Last year there were a few too but I don't remember any in years before that. No flowers or bulbils either.

June 26, 2016	#2
Kazedwards Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 368	Could you post a pic? -Zach __________________ -Zach

June 26, 2016	#4
henry Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Midway B.C. Canada Posts: 311	Some softneck varieties if they've been stressed do develop a secondary bulb above ground, that contains bulbils. __________________ Henry

June 26, 2016	#9
Kazedwards Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 368	Is it a soft neck variety? Some soft necks will try to through up a scape if really stresses -Zach __________________ -Zach

June 26, 2016	#5
Ricky Shaw Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Zone 6a Denver North Metro Posts: 1,910	I get them more in years when there's been a start, then a restart. We had warm weather in December, and I have some this year again.

June 26, 2016	#7
PhilaGardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Near Philadelphia, PA Posts: 1,940	Interesting. This was my worst year for garlic in a decade (I didn't get any of these stem bulbils this year, but I have seen them once or twice in the past).

June 26, 2016	#10
joseph Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: Cache Valley, N/E of The Great Salt Lake Posts: 1,244	I don't know if I'd attribute this trait to stress. It might be that the garlic is getting conditions to which it is better suited, so it tries to do the normal garlic pattern of trying to flower...

June 27, 2016	#11
Zeedman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 313	Stem cloves occasionally form on soft neck garlic, but their appearance in large numbers seems to be stress related. Due to heavy rains, my garlic last year spent much of May & June in muddy soil, and all the artichoke garlic had more stem cloves than normal. For some varieties, every plant had stem cloves, and sometimes in more than one location. The bulbs themselves were much smaller than normal. Last Fall, I moved the garlic bed to a location with better drainage, and have virtually no stem cloves this year. I planted many of the stem cloves from last year, to see if they will grow into stronger stock.

July 11, 2016	#12
guruofgardens Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: zone 5 Colorado Posts: 942	Thanks, Zeedman. I had never heard of/seen stem cloves before.

July 12, 2016	#13
Zeedman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 313	The stem cloves I planted last Fall had very good winter survival, and have grown into fairly good-sized plants - larger than most of the hardneck bulbils that were planted at the same time. It is my hope that stem cloves represent a chance to "clean up" soft neck varieties which may have accumulated soil-borne diseases over the years... time will tell.