producing garlic in michigan - college of agriculture ...€¦ · has been used as an insect...

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Producing Garlic in Michigan

The culinary uses and recent reported healthbenefits of garlic (Allium sativum L.) havecontributed to an increased interest in

garlic by consumers, growers and backyardgardeners. Interest in growing garlic has extendedto regions outside typical U.S. production areas,where less is known about cultivar performance andproduction techniques. This bulletin presents thebasics of garlic production for commercial andhome gardeners in Michigan.

HistoryGarlic is a member of the Lily family and the genusAllium. Other members of the genus are onion (A. cepa L.), chive (A. schoenoprasum L.), leek (A. ampeloprasum L.) and several other edible andornamental species. Elephant garlic is not a type ofgarlic but a bulbing leek.

Evidence of garlic cultivation can be found as farback as 3200 B.C. in Egypt. It continues to be animportant part of Mediterranean, European andAsian diets as a food item, as well as a medicinalplant used to treat a variety of ailments. Recentresearch indicates that fresh and processed garlicmay have some health benefits. Garlic is currentlyused for its unique flavor as a food ingredient as

well as a dietary supplement. A liquid garlic sprayhas been used as an insect repellent for other crops.

TypesThe two basic types of garlic are softneck andhardneck. About 30 days after the bulbing processhas begun, hardneck garlic will produce a central“flower” stalk (called a scape, Figure 1), much asonions do, except the garlic stalk is solid instead ofhollow. Softneck types do not produce this stiffflower stalk and therefore have a soft neck that ismore conducive to making garlic braids. Garlic

Ron Goldy, Southwest District Vegetable AgentSouthwest Michigan Research & Extension Center

New, September 2000Extension Bulletin E-2722

Figure 1. “Flower” stalk or scape produced by hardneck garlic.

MICHIGAN STATEU N I V E R S I T Y

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grows much like onions except it has flat ratherthan round leaves. The bulbing process is daylength dependent. It is initiated by increasing daylength in April and May. Softneck bulbs aregenerally less winter hardy and harder to peel, withsmaller cloves, milder flavor and lower yields inMichigan trials. Softneck bulbs, however, have alonger storage life than hardneck bulbs.

Propagation and cultivarsGarlic does not flower and produce seeds. Smallbulbs (bulbils, Figure 2) are produced at the apexof the scape where flowers would normally beexpected to develop. These bulbils are clones of theparent plant and can be planted for production, butgarlic is usually propagated by dividing bulbs andplanting individual cloves. Each clove produces aclone of the parent plant. Selection of strains bygrowers has led to the naming of several hundredgarlic cultivars. Much sharing of cultivars occurs

between garlic growers, and names can easily belost, switched and duplicated, all of which can leadto a confusing cultivar situation.

Because garlic does not produce seed, breederscannot breed and develop cultivars specific togrowing regions. Cultivar testing by Michigan State


Figure 2. Bulbils produced at the tip of the scape.

German White: Hardneck withwhite skin with some purplestriping. It has six to eight largecloves per bulb, medium maturityand good storage life. It has astrong, pungent, hot flavor. Yieldwill generally be about five to sixtimes the weight planted, withmany bulbs being 2 to 2 1/2inches in diameter.

Music: Hardneck with white tolightly pink skin with some purplestriping. It has four to six largecloves per bulb, medium maturityand good storage life if grown incold climates. It has excellentflavor, pungent but not too hot.Yield will be about four to sixtimes the weight planted, withmany bulbs being 2 inches indiameter

Polish Softneck: Softneck with awhite outer skin with some purplestripes on the inner skin. It canhave 12 to 20 cloves per bulb andhas later maturity and excellentstorage life. It usually has a strong,hot flavor. Yield can be seven toeight times the weight planted(although it has not been this highin Michigan trials), with manybulbs being 1 1/2 to 2 inches indiameter. Good for braiding.

Cultivars: The two types of garlic are softneck and hardneck (also called topset or stiffneck). Softneck typesgenerally are earlier maturing and white, have a longer storage life and are easier to braid. Softnecks, however,are harder to peel, have small cloves (especially near the center of the bulb) and have small seed cloves.Hardneck types have four to eight cloves arranged around a central stalk, are easier to peel, more winter hardyand later maturing, and have more usable garlic and larger seed cloves. The disadvantages of hardnecks arepurple pigment in the skins and shorter storage life. From Michigan yield trials the following cultivars can berecommended.

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University began in 1996 at the SouthwestMichigan Research and Extension Center nearBenton Harbor to find those best suited toMichigan conditions. In these trials, ‘Music’,‘German White’ and ‘Polish Softneck’ haveperformed satisfactorily and can be recommendedfor commercial production in Michigan. Do notplant large amounts of an untried cultivar until ithas shown promise for two or three growingseasons.

Planting stock should be stored at 50oF and no

more than 60 percent relative humidity. Lowertemperatures cause rapid sprouting, side shoots,rough bulbs and early maturity, all of which lead toreduced yields. Higher temperatures shortenstorage life and increase disease potential duringstorage. Bulbs sold for table use have been stored attemperatures near 32

oF and should not be planted.

It is important to obtain planting stock from areputable dealer who can provide true-to-name,disease- and nematode-free stock. The reputation ofa seed stock grower may be difficult to establish.On-site visits to production fields are helpful butnot always possible. Ordering small amounts of thesame cultivars from different sources will allowquality comparisons between sources. When thestock arrives, inspect it for external appearance andmold symptoms under the skin and between cloves.Also look for damaged root plates (the area wherethe roots attach to the bulb). Plates should not bediscolored or soft, and roots should not be easilyremoved. Any of these problems could indicate thepresence of fungi. If the stock is badly infected, donot plant it. Keep material from each supplierseparate and observe how it grows during theseason. Once you have quality planting stock, it ispossible to increase it yourself to the point whereyou have enough plant material for sales and forreplanting. Do not be tempted to sell your bestmaterial — keep that for your planting stock fornext year.

Soil and site preparationGarlic can be grown in a wide variety of soil types,provided they are well drained. Sandy loams arebest because of their water-holding capacity andgenerally good drainage. Clay soils are suitable ifthey can be loosened enough so as not to inhibitplanting and bulb growth. Soils high in sand aresuitable if adequate water for irrigation is available.High organic soils should be avoided because of thehigh potential for frost heaving during the winterand the seasonally high winter water table. Clay andorganic soils also tend to adhere to and/or stain theouter skins, which decreases marketability. Garlic issusceptible to the same pest problems as onions andother Allium species. Therefore, avoid plantinggarlic in fields where onions have been plantedwithin the past two years.

Garlic grows best at a soil pH of 6.5 to 7.0. LowerpH levels inhibit plant growth, and soil pH below5.0 can actually lead to plant death. A general soiltest should be performed before planting todetermine pH and nutrient availability.

If lime is needed, it should be applied according tosoil test results and incorporated. The soil should bewell worked at least 10 inches down. Some sitesmay need to be subsoiled if a hardpan hasdeveloped at the bottom of the plow layer. Garlicroots extend several inches into the soil, and ahardpan too near the surface can restrict rootpenetration and the plants' ability to obtain waterand nutrients.

The first step in site preparation is controllingannual and perennial weeds. This can beaccomplished by cultivation and/or herbicideapplication. Site preparation should begin at leasttwo to three months prior to planting in new fields.Starting early provides several opportunities forcultivation or two applications of a broad-spectrumcontact herbicide, if necessary. When using a fieldcurrently in production, review the herbicide

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program used on the current crop to be sure therewill be no detrimental carryover. Spring planting ofa legume cover crop such as an annual clover willhelp reduce weed problems and build the soil withnitrogen and organic matter.

PlantingGarlic is planted in the fall — ideally, six weeksbefore the ground freezes. Depending on yourlocation in Michigan, this is generally some time inOctober. Spring planting can be done, but yieldswill be greatly reduced, and it may be difficult tostore planting stock this long. The goal is to getonly root development before winter. If shoots doemerge shortly after planting, they will be killedback by the cold and the plant will have wastedenergy. Three factors usually result in shootsemerging too soon: the cloves were planted tooearly, they were not planted deep enough or thecultivar is not well adapted to the area. Fallemergence of shoots is controversial — somegrowers indicate they get early shoot emergencewithout significant loss of yield.

Plant spacing depends to a certain degree onavailable equipment and how it might be adaptedto garlic production. Planting schemes range fromsingle rows 40 inches apart to double-row raisedbeds on 36-inch centers and rows 12 inches apart.In-row spacings range from 1 to 6 inches. Tighterplantings are usually used for garlic grown forprocessing, where the main interest is in total yield.The fresh market demands a larger bulb, whichrequires increased between- and in-row spacings toproduce. A suggested planting scheme is shown inFigure 3. This shows double rows 36 inches oncenter with 12 inches between the two rows. An in-row spacing of 4 inches is a good general spacingfor most cultivars grown for fresh bulb production.With this spacing, each plant has 1/2 square footfor growth, with a plant population of 87,120 per Figure 4. Marking and digging double rows with a cultivator.

Figure 3. Garlic planted in a double-row system with a spacing of 12 inches between rows and 36 inches between double rows.

acre. Cloves planted for the green garlic market canbe planted at tighter spacings because they will beharvested before bulbing. At this time, there is noprocessing market for Michigan-grown garlic.

For hand planting, rows can be made usingcultivators properly spaced and set at the rightdepth (Figure 4). After planting, the cloves caneasily be covered with a hand hoe. The plantingprocess has been mechanized by adapting potato orother planters to handle garlic. However, high-quality fresh garlic is generally hand planted (Figure5). For bulb production, cloves should be placed

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from 2 to 4 inches deep with the root plate downand the point up (Figure 6). For green garlicproduction, cloves can be planted closer togetherand either planted 6 inches deep or plantedshallower and mounded up so a significant portionof the stem remains white.

When determining how much seed garlic is needed,a good rule to follow is that hardneck types willhave about eight bulbs/pound and six to eightcloves/bulb. So there will be about 55 plantablecloves per pound. The planting scheme of one cloveper 1/2 square foot would require approximately1,600 pounds of seed garlic/acre. Actual numberswill vary with cultivar. Before planting, bulbs must

be separated into individual cloves (Figure 7). Thismust be done just prior to planting becauseseparated cloves are more prone to disease anddrying out and do not store well. Hand separationis best because it minimizes damage to the clovesand provides an opportunity to inspect cloves fordisease problems. For hardneck garlic, the hardestpart is to remove the outer skin and the first clove.Once the first clove is removed, others can beremoved much easier. Various tools can be used tobreak through the outer layers of skin to removethe first clove. Be careful not to damage any clovesin the process. Some growers use an air compressorFigure 5. Hand planting garlic cloves.

Figure 6. Proper spacing of garlic, placing root plates down.

Figure 7. Cloves should be separated and graded into sizesjust prior to planting.

set to deliver 50 to 100 pounds pressure controlledby a foot valve. This will blow off the outer skinand help loosen the cloves. (CAUTION: Make sureto wear protective eye covering.) The layer of skinaround the individual cloves does not need to beremoved.

There is a direct correlation between clove size andresulting bulb size; small cloves produce small bulbsand large cloves produce large bulbs. Knowing this,growers of fresh market garlic should plant only thelargest cloves. What constitutes a large clove issomewhat arbitrary (Figure 7). A separator for smallquantities can be easily made from a 2-foot-squareframe made of 1- by 4-inch lumber with the proper

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size screen tacked to it (Figure 8). Figure 8 showsthe use of a 5/8-inch screen which allows cloveswith diameters smaller than 5/8 inch to passthrough (Figure 9). Other screen sizes can be usedto separate out different clove sizes. Cloves toosmall for planting for bulb production can be eatenor planted for green garlic production.

The whole process of clove separation, sizing andplanting has been mechanized. Many growers offresh garlic avoid mechanical separators becausethey can damage cloves. Sizers consist of a tilted,rotating drum with smaller holes at the entranceend and larger holes at the exit end of the drum.Mechanical planters operate by simply dropping aclove into a furrow and covering it up. Most clovesget planted on their side rather than base down, asdesired. Growers will have to decide when the sizeof their planting warrants each step inmechanization.

Fertilization and water needsGarlic responds to fertilizer applications, and caremust be taken when following recommendations.Much of the research on garlic fertilization comesfrom California, where recommended rates are highbecause of the longer growing season. The plantsmay be in the ground just as long in Michigan, butgrowth is greatly reduced from December toMarch, and nutrient applications have a greater riskof leaching rather than being utilized by the plant.

Fertilizer recommendations have not yet been fullyestablished for garlic in Michigan, and ratesrecommended for onions are generally too high.Nitrogen is needed primarily for vegetative growth,so applications should be limited to 25 pounds/Anitrogen as a preplant application in the fall. Followthe phosphorus and potassium recommendations ofthe soil test. If a soil test has not been done,phosphorus at 150 pounds/A and potassium at 100pounds/A should also be applied and incorporatedbefore planting. Additional applications of nitrogenshould be made the following spring, with 40pounds/A applied in March or early April when thegarlic starts to grow, and another 40 poundsaround May 1. The goal of fertilizer applications isto grow as vigorous a plant as possible prior to theinitiation of bulbing in mid-May. Once the bulbingprocess has begun, little response is seen to

Figure 9. Cloves separated by screening.

Many reports indicate the need for a 2- to 4-inchlayer of mulch applied immediately after planting.The purpose of the mulch is to provide winterprotection and weed and moisture control. Theneed for mulch for winter protection isquestionable in areas that receive adequate snowfallor have minimal soil freezing during the winter.

Figure 8. Screen separator (5/8-inch) used to size clovesprior to planting.

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additional fertilizer applications. Ammonium nitrateis the desired form of nitrogen. Some reportsrecommend avoiding urea forms.

Composted manure also provides a source offertilizer. Actual amounts will vary, depending onthe animal source, and care should be taken not tooverapply. Growers using manure must be awarethat they could potentially increase weed problemsif the manure has not been properly composted.Proper composting is also necessary to reducehuman health concerns.

Garlic requires between 1 and 2 inches of water perweek. Like nitrogen, water will have its greatesteffect on yield prior to bulbing. Soil moistureconditions are usually adequate during March, Apriland May, when garlic growth is most rapid, but careshould be taken to compensate for occasional dryperiods during this time. Adequate moisture is stillneeded after bulbing, but irrigation should bestopped at least two weeks prior to the expectedharvest date. Late-season irrigation tends to stainthe skins and reduce quality.

Scape removalThe scape is the plant part that produces the garlic“flower.” Scapes will emerge from the center of theplant in mid-June. They start out straight and curlas they elongate (Figure 1). They will straighten outagain as they mature and can reach a height of 5 feet (Figure 10). The scapes will not produce aflower but produce bulbils (Figure 2), which areclones of the parent plant. Producing scapes andbulbils can take energy away from the developingbulb and can reduce bulb yields as much as 30 percent.

To avoid yield reduction, scapes should beremoved. Scapes can be removed by hand either bybreaking, cutting or pulling them from the plants.This should be done shortly after emergence butbefore they straighten out from their curl stage.

If removed at this time, they are still succulent andcan be used fresh or in cooking (see section onharvesting). Pulling results in a larger scape, butcare must be taken not to pull the plant out of theground.

Pest controlGarlic is susceptible to the same pest problems asonions but generally to a lesser degree. Proper croprotation can greatly reduce many pest problems.Garlic is not a good competitor, so weed control isa necessary part of successful garlic production.Problem weeds should be controlled beforeplanting.

Few weeds appear after planting in the fall. Thebiggest problem occurs the following spring.Mechanical cultivation is possible between the rows,but hand hoeing will have to be done within rows.Mulches also reduce weed pressure, but be carefulnot to put on so much mulch that it interferes withgarlic emergence. Herbicides can also be applied.For the latest recommendations, please refer toExtension Bulletin E-433, Weed Control Guide For Vegetable Crops, available from your local MSUExtension office.

Figure 10. Scapes can reach 5-feet tall and should be removedbefore they straighten out.

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Insects of concern to garlic production are thripsand onion maggot. Thrips feed on leaves, causing ageneral yellowing of the leaf. Thrip activity is hardto observe because of their small size, and muchdamage can be done before the pest is identified.Thrips are yellowish, about 1/16 inch long andbest found between leaves. They damage the plantby chewing on the leaf surface and feeding on theplant sap. Damage first appears as silvery blotchingthat will turn yellow and then brown as the tissuedries up.

Onion maggot is a fly that lays eggs on the groundnear the plant. The eggs hatch and the larvae crawlto the developing bulb and burrow into it. Wiltingis the first symptom in infested plants. If infestationoccurs early in the season, the plant may be killed.If it happens late in the season, the bulbs will beunmarketable and will usually have a soft rotassociated with the insect. Onion maggots are oftenattracted to bulbs that have been damaged by otherproblems, such as root rot. Corn borers have beenfound boring down stems after the scapes havebeen removed, but this activity occurs late enoughthat it does not cause economic damage.

The diseases most prevalent in garlic are green mold(Penicillium sp.), basal plate rot (Fusarium sp.),pink root (Phoma sp.) and sclerotinia rot(Sclerotinia sp.). Garlic has not been in productionlong in Michigan, so it remains to be seen whatdiseases it will contract. The biggest problem so farhas been with basal plate rot. Plants infected withbasal plate rot will show earlier maturity and rootsthat can easily be removed from the basal plate(Figure 11). The disease will eventually spread intothe cloves and make them unmarketable. Greenmold is often seen when separating cloves. It can bea severe problem if the cloves for planting havebeen roughly handled and bruised.

The best way to control diseases and insects ingarlic is to follow sound rotation practices, plantonly clean seed stock and maintain healthy

plantings through proper water and nutrientmanagement. A number of insecticides andfungicides can be used to control these pests. For the latest recommendations, please refer to thelatest edition of Extension Bulletin E-312, Insect, Disease and Nematode Control forCommercial Vegetables available from your localMSU Extension office.

HarvestThree products can be harvested from garlic: scapes(Figure 12), green garlic (Figure 13) and bulbs

Figure 11. Basal plate rot caused by Fusarium.

Figure 12. Harvested scapes.

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(Figure 14). Scapes and green garlic are notrecognizable by most people because they are notproducts sold in supermarkets. Some education andfree samples may be needed to help market theseitems.

Scapes are ready for harvest when they havecompleted their circle. Once they start to uncurl,they get fibrous and unusable. Scapes can be used

in a variety of ways in fresh or cooked products.The flavor is milder than that of the cloves but isstill uniquely garlic. Scapes are harvested by pulling,breaking or cutting them off the plant. Those thatare pulled off tend to break off down inside the leafsheath, and a significant portion of the scape will bewhite. This will increase the size of the harvestedmaterial and is desired by certain ethnic groups whoare familiar with using scapes. Pulling can be doneonly on the healthiest plants; otherwise, the plantscan be pulled out of the soil.

Green garlic is simply garlic that has beenharvested prior to bulbing. This product has muchthe same appearance as green onions (Figure 13)and can be used in a similar way in salads orcooking. It is milder flavored than bulbs. Greengarlic from fall-planted bulbs is available from lateApril to early June, depending on the cultivar. Earlyspring-planted bulbs can extend the seasonsomewhat, but later planted bulbs do not have thestem growth desired. Cloves for green garlicproduction can be those cloves too small for bulbproduction.

Green garlic can be harvested anytime in the springwhen the plants are large enough. This may be asearly as late April. Green garlic harvest maycontinue until early June or later if cloves wereplanted in late spring. Once garlic has begun thebulbing process, the base will begin to swell, thescape will form and they will lose their appeal asgreen garlic. Bulbing is day-length dependent, solate-planted cloves get the signal at the same time asearly-planted ones, and they will not be too farbehind established plants in their bulbing response.To harvest green garlic, loosen the soil and pull outthe plants. Roots should be trimmed to 1/4 inchand the leaf tips trimmed, if needed. Cutting theroots completely off will detract from theappearance by allowing the leaf sheaths to elongate.

Figure 14. Cleaned and graded bulbs prepared for sale.Left to right: large, medium and small bulbs.


Figure 13. Freshly harvested green garlic prepared for sale.

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Bulb harvest will usually take place during July.Maximum yield and maximum quality are twodifferent goals. Maximum yields are obtained byallowing plants to grow as long as they can. Ifallowed to grow too late, however, the cloves willexpand to the point that the skins will split, whichlowers quality. Bulbs are harvested when 30 to 50percent of the leaves have died back. This stage willallow for the best yields and best quality.

Garlic bulbs should be harvested when the weatheris dry. In small plantings, it can be harvested simplyby taking a shovel and loosening the soil next to theplants and pulling them out. Laying them on theground and leaving them to dry for a few days willhelp dry the soil adhering to the roots, and much ofit will fall off when the plants are picked up.Harvest of larger plantings is similar to onionharvest. To loosen them from the soil, a cutting baris passed down the row underneath the plants.Once loosened, they can be hand pulled and placedinto windrows. Several rows of garlic can be placedin each windrow. If the weather is expected to bedry, plants can be left out to dry further for up to aweek. To minimize sunburn, hide the bulbs underthe tops as much as possible. After field drying, topsand roots are removed before or after storage. Topsand roots are removed by hand, leaving 1/2 inch ofthe root and 1 inch of the top.

If a section of the planting is to be grown only forseed production, it could be allowed to maturemore than bulbs grown for consumption. This willmake clove separation somewhat easier. If left in thefield too long, however, cloves may separate fromthe basal plate at harvest.

Drying and storageIn humid growing regions such as Michigan,further curing after harvest may be needed. Ifmoisture can be squeezed from the cut stem, more

drying time is necessary. Plants placed into curingconditions with tops still attached will take longerto cure than those that have the tops removed.Curing in larger volume storage containers will alsotake more time. Containers need to have fairly opensides and bottoms that will provide for the freemovement of air. Garlic should not be stacked morethan 3 feet high in the container. Forced ambientair at a rate of 5 cu ft/min/cu ft of garlic willsignificantly reduce drying time. Small amounts canbe bundled together and hung to dry in a wellventilated area away from direct sunlight.

Storage conditions depend on the intended use. If the garlic is to be used as planting stock, it shouldbe stored at 50

oF at a relative humidity of 60

percent or less. Temperatures lower than this willcause physiological changes in the cloves that willlead to reduced yields. At higher temperatures,molds can become a problem. Storage forconsumption is similar to onion storage. Oncecured, it is best to store garlic near 32

oF at 65 to

70 percent relative humidity. Higher humidities andtemperatures lead to greater storage problems.Root development is pronounced at 40

oF, especially

under high humidity. Stored bulbs continue totranspire, so adequate ventilation is needed tocontrol humidity.

Storage times of scapes and green garlic are not aslong as for dried bulbs. Both products need 32

oF

and 95 to 100 percent relative humidity. In theseconditions the products will stay in good shape forthree to four weeks.

Grading and marketingGarlic is graded on the basis of appearance and size.Poor-looking bulbs with missing or diseased clovesor split or badly stained skins are graded out. Bulbswith good appearance are graded into sizecategories based on diameters of large (>2.5inches), medium (2.0 to 2.5 inches) and small


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(<2.0 inches) (Figure 14). Another category,Jumbo (>3.0 inches), can be added if enough bulbsreach that size.

Scapes and green garlic should be graded intosimilar sizes. Green garlic can be put in bundles ofsimilar-sized plants and banded together. Scapes canbe placed into bulk containers or into plasticcontainers that hold a known weight.

Marketing Michigan-grown garlic is left up toindividual producers, and it is something they needto consider and establish, even before planting.Direct marketing through farmers' markets isprobably the best approach at first. Ethnic andupscale restaurants are probably the best outlets forgreen garlic and scapes. Many chefs are looking fordifferent and unusual items to use in their entrees.Green garlic and scapes can be eaten fresh in saladsor cooked. In cooked dishes, it will take moreproduct to get the desired garlic flavor, so it is avisible part of the entree as well as a flavoring.Green garlic leaves can also be used. If you are in ahigh-traffic area, roadside marketing is anotherpossibility. Whether the traffic is due to populationcenters or to tourists, be sure to offer a variety ofgarlic products.

Garlic bulbs can be sold individually or in varyingamounts placed into nylon mesh bags or boxes.Make sure to keep cultivars separate so customerscan keep track of the various cultivar characteristics.You may want to offer a “variety pack” of three orfour different types. The best way to suggest thatcustomers sample the cultivars is by roasting thegarlic and spreading it on fresh bread or crackers.

Michigan has several onion packing operations, andpacking and marketing garlic would be a natural useof their equipment and marketing channels. Itwould take a sizable increase in acreage to be ableto justify this.

Organic productionGrowing garlic organically is also a possibility. The trials at the Southwest Michigan Research andExtension Center have been grown withoutfungicides or insecticides. Nutrients can beprovided through composted manure applications,legume cover crops and other alternative sources.Weeds can be controlled through mulchapplications or cultivation. Proper crop rotation iscritical in organic production, and garlic should notbe planted in areas that have had any Allium specieswithin the past two years or, better yet, three. Thisreduces potential disease and nematode problems.Remove diseased plants as soon as they areidentified. Maintain healthy plants through propernutrient and water management. This is particularlyimportant for management of onion maggot.Onion maggot adults are capable of locatingstressed plants. Healthy plants are not as attractiveto them.

Organic garlic commands a higher price than non-organic garlic. Certain requirements must be metfor a crop to be labeled as certified organic. Contactyour local MSU Extension office for information onbecoming a certified organic grower.

EconomicsPotential growers should not plant garlic withoutfirst considering the cost. Garlic productionrequires a fair amount of hand labor and can beexpensive. First-year expenses are usually higherthan subsequent years because of purchase of seedstock. Seed stock ranges from $3 to $9/pound,with price depending on the amount purchased, thecultivar and whether it was grown organically.Because of this high cost, many growers start with asmall amount (200 pounds) and increase their ownstock. This is a wise option for first-time growersbecause it allows time for gaining production


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experience and establishing markets. Whenincreasing seed stock, care must be taken tomaintain high standards in record keeping andcontrol of disease and other potential pests.

Actual inputs and returns will vary substantially,depending on equipment already available,intended market, quantities planted and harvested,family labor vs. hired labor, and many other factors.Recent figures from Ontario suggest that garliccosts approximately $1/pound to purchase andprepare seed stock, produce, harvest, cure andmarket. Organic garlic production will likely behigher than $1, but returns will also be higher.

Expected yield from garlic grown for bulbs is about6 pounds for every pound planted. With 1,600pounds/A planting stock, yields of 9,600 poundscan be expected. Out of that 9,600 pounds, about1,000 pounds will be culls and another 1,600pounds will be saved for replanting. That leaves

MSU is an affirmative-action equal-opportunity institution. Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color,national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, or family status. • Issued in furtherance of Extension work in agricultureand home economics, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Arlen Leholm, Extension director, Michigan StateUniversity, E. Lansing, MI 48824. • This information is for educational purposes only. References to commercial products or trade names do not imply endorsement byMSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned. This bulletin becomes public property upon publication and may be printed verbatim with credit to MSU. Reprintingcannot be used to endorse or advertise a commercial product or company.

New 9:00 - 1M - KMF - GP, Price $5.00, For sale only.


7,000 pounds/A to market. This does not includeyields from scapes, and it assumes all cloves plantedwent for bulb production and not for green garlic.

At these numbers, the break-even price is$1.37/pound, a number easily attainable. At$2/pound, a profit of $4,400/A would be realized.Scapes are an additional crop from the same bulbs,so any income from those would make that muchmore profit. High-quality scapes (those that havebeen pulled and have a large portion of the scapewhite) can be sold for between $3 and $5 a poundif there is a market that can utilize them.

At $2/pound, each bulb is worth about 25 cents.So green garlic has to recover at least this cost if thegarlic was intended for the bulb market. A fairamount of hand labor is involved in preparing greengarlic for market, therefore a return of $2 for abundle containing four or five plants is needed.

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