Garlic for next year planting

[Parsons Jack]

I have just pulled about 100 Cristo garlic from the polytunnel, which are certainly the biggest I have achieved. I will probably have a surplus this year as I still have three more varieties in a lean to greenhouse/frame.

Is there any reason why I shouldn't use some of these for planting later in the year?

This is the first time I have grown them under cover, and have never had them crop like this before, so I'm well pleased

[retropants]

I have used previous harvests before, just mae sure they are disease free (which by the sound of it, they are!) glad you have such a lovely crop, I haven't dared peek at mine yet

[sally wright]

Dear PJ,
you now have the luxury of being able to choose only the biggest cloves for replanting. The ones from the outside of the bulb will give the best results. September is the best time for planting and if you are lucky some time during August you will have lots of basil to make pesto with so you can use the small inner cloves for that.
this is my freezing recipe which will keep for years.
1oz basil leaves.
1oz garlic, crushed.
1oz parmesan, grated.
1/2 (half)oz salt.
1oz pine nuts.
1floz olive oil.
If you have a stick blender use that for processing as this makes a very thick paste. If you have a liquidiser chop up the basil leaves and add more oil. Freeze in small tubs in the quantities you think you can use within say a month (kept in the fridge) or squeezed flat in plastic bags so you can break a piece off to use from frozen.
A chilli paste could also be made using ginger,chillis and coriander to freeze as well.
Rgards Sally Wright.

[Geoff]

Mine are growing outside and looking well. 60 Germidour and 20 Cristo saved from my own growing. I think this is the third year of replanting and they don't seem to be deteriorating, I just choose nice plump cloves. Admittedly I shall be saving mine a lot later in the year but I think you should be OK stored cool and dark after drying.
We are still using last year's crop just hung up in the kitchen near the Aga.

[PLUMPUDDING]

I've been saving a few bulbs for re-planting for about 15 years from the original ones I bought from Marshalls. They always do well and I store them in plaits in a nice dry place - warm in summer and cool in winter. I usually don't plant them until the new year and start them off in pots in the coldframe if the weather is too bad to put them in the garden.

If you have some that haven't divided into cloves just leave them in and they will divide next year and you can leave them in a clump to use as baby garlics or divide them up and grow them on separately. If you leave them in a clump you can also use some of the tops like chives chopped up.

[Parsons Jack]

Thanks for all the replies. I'll certainly be using some of them for next year then