Can You Plant Store-Bought Garlic?

It’s always fun to discover that you can repurpose your groceries in the garden. Whether it’s taking the base of a bunch of green onions and rooting them in water, or planting potatoes that hung out in the pantry too long. But what about garlic? Is this a kitchen staple that you can grow from what you purchase at the supermarket?

It’s great to use these sustainable practices to make your grocery budget go further. We love a good garden repurpose, and any time you can use every part of your produce we are fully on board. That is, as long as it doesn’t result in you wasting more time and money in the process, or coming away with a lower-quality product. 

When it comes to growing things from your store-bought remnants, for some foods, there is a simple answer. For others, trial and error are part of the process. Still, others have a more nuanced answer that requires knowledge of the specific product you purchased. Let’s discuss how to make the call on whether you can or should plant store-bought cloves in the garden. 

The Short Answer

Yes, you probably can, but you must consider the quality and age of the bulbs. Some supermarket bulbs may be too old or treated to inhibit growth. You are also limited to the varieties in the shop. If you prefer a certain variety, you’ll have a wider selection and better quality planting stock when purchasing seed garlic from a reputable source.

The Long Answer

The answer to this important question is a multi-faceted one, it rests on several factors. Some store-bought garlic may be suitable for planting, but some may not. Let’s dig into the details and see if this will work for you, or if there is a better alternative. 

Age and Health

The freshness of cloves, and the way they’ve been stored, are important factors in growing success. Garlic keeps for six to 12 months, if you store it under the right conditions. Ideally, you want to place cloves that you intend to plant in a cool location with moderate humidity. You don’t want your cloves to sprout, as this can trick them into growing new plants. 

It also needs air circulation. A temperature between 35-55°F (1-13°C) and a relative humidity around 50% is a good place to start. You should place your cloves in a breathable container, as well. Garlic that comes from a supermarket is sometimes packed in plastic bags. Leaving it in plastic for several months will lead to mold growth. 

It’s difficult to know how old the bulbs you buy at the shop are at the time of purchase. It could already be past its prime, which will lead to a poor germination rate. The manner and method in which it is packaged may also negatively impact germination. 

Bulbs purchased at a farmer’s market or from local farmers are a better bet than grocery bulbs. They tend to be fresher, so you still have some time to store them properly for planting season. 

Better yet, a retailer that sells seeds specifically for planting will consider all of these factors and sell cloves that are primed for planting. 

Potential Chemical Treatment 

Another important factor that makes growing store-bought bulbs more complicated is chemical treatments. Under the right conditions, this edible root is susceptible to mold or fungal growth. It can also sprout too soon if the environment is right, which makes it unfit for selling in shops. 

To combat these events, many farmers treat their crops with chemicals that inhibit the growth of fungus. They also commonly treat crops with chemicals that delay germination, so the garlic lasts longer on the shelves of your local grocer. 

Treating for fungus is not a terrible thing, and can even be a positive when it comes to cloves you want to plant. However, it’s likely that bulbs treated for fungus are also treated to inhibit growth. As you can imagine, treating to inhibit sprouting in on shelves may be helpful for retailers, but it has negative effects in the garden. 

You don’t want to plant cloves that are specifically treated to slow sprouting, as this would be counter-effective. Seeds produced for growing in the garden will have a significantly better germination rate in this case. 

Availability of Varieties

There are hundreds of varieties of this famous crop, and they all have different characteristics. There are two specific categories: hardneck and softneck. You may have tried both of them and have no preference, but if not, you probably want to find out. There is also elephant garlic, but that’s actually a type of leek with a milder flavor.

Hardneck is less common than softneck types on grocery shelves. Some gardeners and many chefs say they prefer the flavor, that it is more potent than softneck. Softneck types hold longer, as the skin is tighter, and it grows better in warm climates. 

There are three types of hardneck, these are porcelain, purple stripe, and rocambole. The three types of softneck are silverskin, Middle Eastern, and artichoke. Many varieties fall into each of these groups. With so many to choose from, you might not want to limit yourself to growing only one.

Lack of Options in Stores

When you purchase your bulbs at the store, you’ll probably only have one, or maybe two options. Unless you go to a specialty store, your options will likely be limited to softneck varieties. The age and method of storage are also variable, and you may end up with a less flavorful product than what you can grow in your garden. 

Purchasing seed garlic opens a whole new world of varieties. While not technically “true seeds,” these cloves are vegetative clones of specialty cultivars. This route enables you to grow a type that is well suited to your needs, both in the kitchen and in terms of your climate and growing conditions.

When it comes down to it, purchasing seed garlic is a more reliable way to get exactly what you want. The quality, production, packaging, and storage of the bulbs are better suited for gardeners.