Garlic Bulbs

Garlic bulbs are one of the most rewarding vegetables to grow at home. With just a quiet corner of the garden, a patch of well-drained soil and a handful of cloves, you can enjoy fresh garlic by early summer. These hardy planting bulbs settle easily into the cool UK climate, lifting their green shoots through winter and swelling into full bulbs as the days warm. Our selection of garlic bulbs offers dependable growth, rich flavour, and a harvest you can truly look forward to.

Plant Highlights

  • Garlic bulbs settle easily once planted in UK soil
  • Grow well in simple spots like beds, veg patches or big pots
  • Keep steady growth through cold spells and early spring
  • Softneck and hardneck options, so you can pick the flavour you like

Our Varieties of Garlic Bulbs

In our collection, you will find softneck garlic known for its strong keeping quality, along with characterful types that offer a deeper aroma. Each bulb contains firm cloves. They are ready to plant and quick to settle into the soil.

  • Garlic Planting Bulbs Cristo: A softneck garlic with a clean, bright flavour.
  • Garlic Planting Bulbs Germidour Pink: A gentle soft pink skins and a mild taste.
  • Garlic Planting Bulbs Marco: A crisp, fresh garlic with neat white bulbs.
  • Garlic Bulbs Mixed Varieties: A helpful way to explore different types.
  • Elephant Garlic Bulbs: A unique crop with enormous, mild cloves.

Which Garlic Bulbs Should You Choose to Plant?

our garlic varieties explained

  • Germidour (Softneck) – Mild but rich, French-grown, large white bulbs
  • Cristo (Softneck) – Strong, aromatic cloves, great for cooking and repels insects
  • Marco (Softneck) – Sharp, distinctive flavour and clean white skin
  • Mixed Variety Pack – 6 bulbs (e.g. Marco, Germidour, Dario), great for beginners
  • Elephant Garlic – Technically a leek, huge cloves, mild and sweet, very easy to grow

Why Choose Garlic Bulbs from Carbeth Plants?

All the experience we've gained over the years working with plants has given us a name that people in the UK trust. Here's why you should always pick Carbeth Plants for garlic bulbs:

  • Handpicked garlic bulbs chosen for strength and healthy cloves
  • Sourced from reliable UK growers who specialise in alliums
  • Packed with care so bulbs arrive clean, dry and ready to plant
  • Nearly twenty years of growing experience in UK conditions
  • Guided by growers who understand garlic from soil to harvest

When we're delivering our garlic bulbs, we make sure that you're only getting the best product!

Seasonal Interest: From Planting to Harvest

Garlic follows a calm, natural rhythm through the year.

  • In autumn, the cloves settle into the soil and begin forming roots.
  • By winter, the first shoots stand tall even on cold days.
  • Spring brings steady leaf growth as the bulbs begin to swell underground.
  • Early summer is harvest season, when the leaves yellow and the bulbs are lifted to dry.

This steady growth makes garlic one of the most satisfying vegetables to grow at home, even for beginners.

How to Plant and Grow Garlic Bulbs

Learn to grow this amazing vegetable in your garden with ease! Here are some expert tips for you:

  • Planting time: The best practice is to plant garlic between October and early April, as they grow well in cold weather.
  • Soil: Choose well-drained soil, lightly enriched with compost. Raised beds and open veg patches are ideal.
  • Spacing: Place each clove root side down and keep them around fifteen centimetres apart. Leave thirty centimetres between rows for air circulation.
  • Watering: Keep the soil just moist during dry spells. Garlic dislikes heavy, wet conditions.
  • Weeding: Clear weeds as the garlic grows, so the bulbs have room to expand.
  • Harvesting: Lift bulbs between June and July when the leaves fall over and begin to turn pale. Allow the bulbs to dry in a warm, airy space before storing.

Our Quality Promise and UK Delivery

At Carbeth Plants, we check every bulb for firmness and freshness before wrapping it to send away. The packaging is secure and will protect the cloves during travel and keep them dry until planting. With our fast UK delivery and clear instructions included, your garlic bulbs will reach you ready for their new spot in the garden.

Frequently Asked Questions

A bulb of garlic is the whole head made up of multiple cloves. Each clove can be planted to grow a new bulb.
Most bulbs contain between eight and twelve cloves, depending on the variety.
A garlic bulb is the full head. A clove is one segment of that bulb. You plant individual cloves, not the whole bulb.
Most gardeners plant garlic from October to early spring, with autumn being the most traditional time.
It is better to buy garlic bulbs for planting. Supermarket garlic is often treated to prevent sprouting. So, they may not suit the UK climate.
Softneck garlic keeps well and produces many cloves. Hardneck types often have stronger flavour but shorter storage life.
A single bulb provides enough cloves for a small patch. Larger gardens usually plant several bulbs to ensure a bigger harvest.
Garlic grows through winter and spring. Most bulbs are ready for harvest by early summer.
Yes. Use a deep pot and well-drained compost, and leave a good amount of space between each clove.