Soft neck garlic
 

[COLOR=#0000ff]As we all know (or may not), soft neck garlic does not grow a scape or have a solid stem thru the bulb to the roots, those are characteristics of a hard neck. Hard neck scapes if allowed to grow will produce bulbils at the top set.
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One of the soft neck plants I pulled yesterday was odd, can anyone explain this? No scape ever grew but there were 6 bulbils about 6" above the top of the bulb. These are about 1/4 - 5/16" in diameter. The outer skin is reddish, I crushed them in a garlic press but they were mostly fibrous.
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I've read that soft neck will change to hard neck when grown up north but I thought that took a couple of seasons? The other soft neck plants do not have this. Any ideas?
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Tom
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Tom,

That is not unusual for softnecks. I had a few like that last year. Not sure what causes it but there are some varieties that like to grow the bulb above the ground. Apparently it is normal. I have not heard that soft neck will turn to hardneck...interesting though.

Alex

last night i noticed another soft neck plant has formed those red skinned bulbils. guess it is just something they do.

My 11-y-o son and I dug my bed of softneck garlic this morning. We found several (~50 or more) with the same characteristic as you've described. What we did notice was that they all grew in the crease of the neck after it had fallen over. My guess is that it is just another way of propagating itself once it starts to die back.

Lisa

I've read that when the plant is under stress it can happen.