Alkane,

I usually plant bulbils at closer spacing than full cloves - in the neighborhood of 3" apart - since I'm going for rounds (single cloves) the first year to re-plant for full heads the next year. I also plant them a bit shallower - in the 1" range - just since they're so small and they seem to break through ok and don't get heaved out during spring thaws. I've never scarified them though ... just cured the bulbils just like garlic heads by hanging the whole thing from someplace dry and shady with good ventilation and then hang them in a mesh bag until planting time.

Fall works for planting both bulbils and the rest of the cloves and I'd definitely cure them and replant in a sunnier place. It's better to get them out of the ground just to be sure that they're not starting to grow in the wrong place before you're ready for them.

Thanks a bunch for the info, Makalu!

I once kept a list of the bulbils from the varieties grown here but can't locate it. Would have been handy now since one was Asian Tempest. Thus I can't recall if it were a "+" or "o" in my code. "+" were those with large bulbils, pea-size or bigger, while "o" were those with bulbils not much larger than a grain of wheat. Those with the large bulbils may be planted in the fall and still produce a divided bulb plus more bulbils next year. Those with the small bulbils will produce only a small round but no bulbils. Those take 2 years to mature rather than one.

Example, I could plant Martin's bulbils this fall and get a 2" divided bulb plus a bulbil cluster the following July. I could plant Music bulbils this fall and get a half-inch round next July.

I'm trying to get a new Estonian variety going here. It was one with small bulbils. I got 63 rounds not bigger than a marble but that's a start. Next year, I should have 63 divided bulbs plus a few thousand small bulbils. Red Estonian will then have to compete with Martin's for space!

Martin