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I found this mold growing on two of my garlic cloves today. I have planted the garlic in a pot indoors at least two weeks ago with two others. I water it only when I think the soil feels dry, the ventilation is not ideal, and the cloves seemed perfectly healthy before planting. The plants still feel firm and strong. I did some research and I think it's blue mold but I'm not sure as it seems to be missing some symptoms. Any idea what it is or what steps I should take to remove it and save the garlic?

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Thank you in advance.

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  • Were the cloves bought as "seed" for planting? Or are you reusing supermarket garlic?
    – Graham Chiu
    Commented Apr 26, 2018 at 5:16
  • Is it on the roots, too? I'm wondering if it might be mycorrhizae, but I don't know if that covers bulbs.
    – Brōtsyorfuzthrāx
    Commented Apr 26, 2018 at 6:13
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    They are from supermarket and the mold isn't on the roots but it is on the area that the roots are attached to the clove
    – Erbium
    Commented Apr 26, 2018 at 11:59
  • I saw something similar on tulip bulbs kept in too humid soil over the winter, but I don't know what it is.
    – Alina
    Commented Apr 26, 2018 at 20:36
  • I have just found similar on some, but not all of my just dug up bulbs. A whitish mould where the roots attach to the bulb, and also then spread as a darker greyer mould from the root base down through the clove joins themselves...also soggy at the bulb to stem join. There has been high rain fall lately in clayish soil base plus regular watering. Maybe too humid soil?? Maybe came in with paddock collected horse manure??
    – Mary
    Commented Nov 27 at 5:15

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It looks like it has been infected with the blue fungus that can attack garlic cloves. Best to toss it, or scrape off the fungus and cook them.

Garlic is best bought as commercial cloves because then they're more likely to be suited to your local climate. Cloves planted from supermarkets might or might not work, and as you can see, these were infected due to inadequate drying.

Is there a reason you're trying to grow garlic inside in pots? To make it worthwhile it's best grown in ground outside.

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  • Thanks! I was planning on growing it inside until I am confident the frost is gone.
    – Erbium
    Commented Apr 27, 2018 at 15:13
  • @Erbium frost is what causes the separate cloves to form, and is necessary. Although a severe frost might cause the shoots to die back or slow down, it will grow again.
    – Graham Chiu
    Commented Apr 27, 2018 at 22:20
  • ok, I'll plant them outside as soon as I can then. Thank you.
    – Erbium
    Commented Apr 27, 2018 at 23:05
  • And dispose of the contaminated potting mix.
    – Graham Chiu
    Commented Apr 28, 2018 at 22:21

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