Why Are My Garlic Bulbs Small? Causes and Fixes

Small garlic bulbs usually come from planting too late or in spring, small seed cloves, crowding or weeds, or dry soil while the bulbs swell. If a bulb has not split into cloves at all, it most likely did not get enough winter cold.

Common Causes

• Late or spring planting: less root and leaf growth before bulbing.
• Not enough cold: without 4–8 weeks below about 10 °C, garlic forms a single round clove.
• Small cloves: small cloves make small bulbs; plant the biggest.
• Crowding and weeds: garlic is a poor competitor.
• Too little nitrogen in spring or poor, compacted soil.
• Drought in late spring when bulbs are filling.
• Scapes left on hardneck varieties.
• Harvesting too early.
• Wrong variety for your climate.

Single-Clove "Rounds"

A single solid bulb without cloves is called a round. It is not wasted: replant it in autumn and it usually produces a full, divided bulb the next year.

How to Grow Bigger Garlic

• Plant on time in autumn with large cloves of an adapted variety.
• Space at least 10–15 cm apart.
• Keep the bed weed-free.
• Feed nitrogen in early spring and water during bulb swelling.
• Remove scapes.

More Garlic Guides

• How to Grow Garlic: The Complete Guide
• Garlic fertilizer
• Garlic diseases and pests
• When to plant garlic by zone

Frequently Asked Questions

Why didn't my garlic form cloves?

Usually because it did not get enough cold, especially when planted in spring.

Can I replant garlic rounds?

Yes, they normally form a normal bulb the following year.