Late maturing varieties planted at this time may not have sufficient time to size adequately before growth is slowed by the high temperatures of summer. Garlic and elephant garlic produce bulbs consisting of clearly defined sections called cloves. It is from these cloves that garlic and elephant garlic reproduce asexually. In fact, most fields are clones of the same variety. Garlic does not normally set viable seed because it is self-incompatible.
Asexual propagation has advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages include ease of handling and a large food reserve to get the plant started. Disadvantages include the bulk of the material and the possibility of propagating diseases in the cloves. Commercial growers should periodically renew their seed stocks of cloves by heat treating the cloves and micropropagating them in tissue culture. This removes any latent diseases and can dramatically increase yields. Growers in Georgia should, when possible, purchase cloves from a reputable source that attempts to minimize latent disease problems through these techniques.