Just put everything back into paper bags and plant when ready. My guess is everything will be just fine.

Packages can get trashed in shipping no matter what the source, but why was your order shipped so early?

You might want to request a specific ship date with future orders. If it were me I would call the vendor and explain the damage and lack of shipping protection. A good vendor should offer something other than an "I am sorry to hear that".

Having said that I have never received a damaged UPS package, usually damage is only from USPS where it seems they intentionally run over my packages for some reason.

I would definately contact Filaree Farms and let them know that the package was damaged in transit.

With UPS there's an automatic $100 insurance, so there's no reason they shouldn't replace the damaged cloves. It will ease the claim if you saved the original package, btw.

Just FWIW, I was rather disappointed in my last Filaree order. I placed the order (and prepaid) in early March, for October delivery. This should have put me pretty high up on the list, in terms of size and quality of the bulbs. Xian I got was on the small side---none of them measured more than 1 1/2 inches---and some of the cloves were kind of shriveled or otherwise damaged. If this was their good stuff I hate to think what those who ordered later in the year recieved.

GardenLad - maybe my earlier delivery got me larger bulbs. I placed my order the end of May with beginning of September delivery, but got significantly larger Xian than you. I know that it is not the way it is supposed to work, but perhaps earlier shipping also affects size. On the other hand, perhaps this year's Xian crop is better and bigger.

How well did your Xian fare in your garden this year? This is one variety that I am very curious and hopeful over.

Per Garden Lad's suggestion I called Filaree. Tom was supportive and concerned, and will apparently be sending out some replacement garlic. It is a tough situation to measure as much of the damage was nebulous (how much value does one put on most of the wrappers being off the bulb if the bulb is otherwise mostly intact?). I finished the phone call satisfied, and will wait to see what they send me for final judgement. Thus far Filaree still has my faith.

John, I grew Xian two years ago. Last fall, due to the monsoons and flooding, I didn't plant any garlic. :>(.

Anyway, I was quite happy with the Xian. It came in a little earlier than my others (two to three weeks, as I recall), sized up nicely, and tasted great.

My bulbs were significantly larger than the ones Filaree sent, and I suspect, had I been able to plant last year, they'd have reached their full potential this season.

I didn't get the color it's supposed to have. But I often don't, down here. For instance, it's rare that any of the blue-striped garlics actually show any striping for me.

GL - what happens when you miss a season due to flooding? Do you have to purchase all new seed stock? That would really suck: I find myself emotionally invested in my varieties, and would hate to lose them all in one fell swoop. Should that happen again in the future, I would be happy to plant your intended stock for you and make sure you get it back for the following year. Our climates are pretty different, but I expect that most hardnecks would do well up here.

Yeah, Uncle John, it means I'm starting over from square one.

Fortunately, thanks to the kindness of strangers, obtaining seed stock isn't a problem. Alliums growers--particularly those on this forum--are a sharing bunch, and most of my seed stock has been replaced. Only exception is, oddly enough, Xian---which hasn't, as yet, achieved the popularity it deserves.

My only real concern was the Gravel Switch, which is not replacable. But a friend in Colorado grew it out for me this year. She got it in the ground late, and only produced rounders this year. But that's ok, as they will be replanted and next year we'll have plenty of seed stock, again, for this at-risk variety.

I certainly appreciate your offer to do grow-outs for me. That's exactly the attitude I referred to. Garlic growers rock!

GardenLad - I may be able to spare a bulb of Xian given your predicament. Email me with garlic in the subject, and I will let you know when I have settled with Filaree.