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Old June 14, 2012   #8
velikipop
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I consulted both Engeland and Merdedith on bulbing and both seem to agree that bulb formation is a function of temperature. Garlic needs to go through vernalizaton ( a cold period) at the beginning and needs heat and light late in the season for bulbs to form. This might explain the phenomenon of a single bulb, but not entirely. It can also be a "rough bulb" which is the result of the original seed being kept in the cold for too long and further facilitated by early planting, heavy fertilization and other stress factors such as too much moisture.

There does exist a single garlic from China called Chengdu it is an Asiatic turban cultivar.

On the elephant garlic both of the above agree that it is not a true garlic but a member of the species, classified as Allium ampeloprasum that includes leek, pear onions and kurrat. It is sometimes erroneously listed as Allium sativum that is true garlic.

Alex
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