Can you plant supermarket garlic? Yes, but experts warn it could have this disastrous consequence for the rest of your garden

You can grow various vegetables or sprouts from shop-bought scraps, but can you plant supermarket garlic?

If you’re hoping to make use of spare bulbs in the garden, hold your horses – according to garden experts, it’s far from the best way to grow garlic, and the drawbacks outweigh the benefits (even if it seems like a great budget garden idea at the time!).

Here’s why planting supermarket garlic could do your garden more harm than good.

1. It could infect your soil

Some shop-bought vegetables can produce a second crop (you can grow celery from scraps, for example), and technically, supermarket garlic can, too – but it’s not the wisest decision.

One of the biggest risks is spreading disease to the rest of your garden plants.

‘There’s the more serious possibility of introducing an infection into your garden soil, which could be there for over a decade, like white rot,’ warns Lucie Bradley, gardening and greenhouse expert at Easy Garden Irrigation.

That’s why crop rotation is such a popular practice – diseases like this can stick around in your soil for a very long time, effectively laying a curse on future crops.

If you do decide to plant supermarket garlic, it’s worth learning how to grow your garlic in a pot and keep it in its own container, just in case – but the bulbs themselves might not produce a successful crop…

2. It might have been treated

There’s also the chance that supermarket-bought garlic has been treated with chemicals – and although it’s safe to eat, its chances of regrowing can take a hit.

‘Sprout inhibitors are chemicals which stop the garlic from sprouting so that it has a long shelf life,’ Lucie explains. ‘They reduce the chance of it growing if you plant the cloves.’

So, while it might be an easy garden idea, planting supermarket garlic isn’t the most efficient way to grow your own bulbs.

3. The variety isn't always labelled

One of the most exciting parts about growing your own vegetables, in my opinion, is picking the varieties you want to grow – and planting supermarket garlic can take that fun away.

‘Unfortunately, when buying supermarket garlic to grow, it’s unlikely that the labelling will indicate the variety of garlic or even whether it's soft or hardneck garlic,’ says Lucie.

Buying seed garlic or garlic sets from a garden retailer, which are sold specifically for planting, is the best way to grow the flavour and type of garlic you want. There are so many varieties to choose from, after all!

Where to buy garlic for planting

• Thompson & Morgan: Get started with this easy-to-grow Garlic (Autumn) Lovers Collection, now £19.99.
• Crocus: Or, try this Connoisseurs Garlic Collection for autumn planting, from £14.95.
• Dobies: Browse a range of autumn-planting garlic, from £9.99.

So, can you plant supermarket garlic? Technically, yes – but the risks far outweigh the advantages, and it’s a lot safer for your garden if you plant seed garlic instead.