Choosing the Right Size Garlic Bulbs to Plant: A Gardener’s Guide to Big, Healthy Harvests

If you’ve ever wondered how to grow garlic that’s big, flavorful, and healthy, the secret starts before you even put a clove in the ground. Choosing the right size bulbs—or deciding whether to start from bulbils—can make all the difference in the size and strength of your harvest.

Whether your goal is to grow giant garlic bulbs or to cultivate the healthiest, most disease-resistant plants, your planting strategy should match your priorities. Let’s dig into what that means for you.

Growing Garlic from Bulbils: A Three-Year Journey

Many gardeners start garlic from cloves, but there’s another path: growing from bulbils. Bulbils are the tiny, air-borne “seeds” that form in the flower stalks (scapes) of Hardneck garlic varieties.

Starting from bulbils is a slower process—taking about three years to reach full-sized bulbs—but it offers a big payoff in terms of plant health and vigor. Here’s how it unfolds:

Year One – The Round

In the first year, each bulbil grows into a Round, a small, single-clove bulb.
These Rounds are the smallest bulbs you’ll harvest, but they’re also the healthiest and most disease-free starting point for your garlic patch.

Think of Rounds as your garlic seedlings—tiny but mighty.

Year Two – Small to Medium Bulbs

When you replant your Rounds, you’ll harvest small to medium-sized bulbs with just a few cloves each.
These second-year bulbs are stronger and more developed, and they’re perfect for saving and replanting.

At this stage, your garlic is building the foundation for larger bulbs next year.

Year Three – Large Bulbs

In the third year, the magic happens.
Planting the cloves from your second-year bulbs yields large, mature garlic bulbs—the kind you’d proudly braid, store, or bring to the farmer’s market.

It takes patience, but this natural progression results in garlic that’s both robust and resilient.

For Big Bulbs: Size Truly Matters

If your goal is to harvest the biggest garlic bulbs possible, the key is simple: plant your largest cloves every year.

Larger seed cloves generally produce stronger plants and, in turn, bigger bulbs. It’s a principle that seasoned garlic growers live by:

“Bigger seed cloves = bigger bulbs at harvest.”

By consistently saving and replanting the largest cloves from your healthiest bulbs, you’ll gradually improve both the size and quality of your crop.

Garlic Planting Tips for Success

To make the most of your garlic-growing efforts, keep these quick tips in mind:

  • Choose your variety wisely: Hardneck garlic produces bulbils and thrives in colder climates, while Softneck garlic is ideal for warmer regions.

  • Plant in fall: Garlic needs a period of cold to develop properly—typically planted 4–6 weeks before the ground freezes.

  • Use rich, well-draining soil: Garlic loves fertile soil with plenty of organic matter.

  • Mulch well: Mulching helps protect young shoots from frost and keeps weeds at bay.

  • Harvest when the leaves start to yellow: Timing is key for full-flavored, long-storing bulbs.

The Bottom Line: Match Your Garlic Goals

When it comes to choosing the right garlic bulbs to plant, there’s no single right answer—just the right choice for your goals.

  • For size: Keep replanting your biggest, healthiest cloves.

  • For long-term plant health: Start from bulbils and follow the three-year cycle.

Either way, your reward will be delicious, homegrown garlic that’s bursting with flavor and satisfaction.