Does the garlic clove need to grow pointed end up?

Question

Is it important that the clove for garlic is pointed end up, or can it grow just as good on its side, and look a little funny?

Answer 1

You don't plant the whole bulb, but split them into cloves, and plant each of the cloves separately. Each clove will develop a new bulb that will be oriented correctly. I doubt it matters if the tapered end of the clove is pointed up or laterally since the stored mass is used to grow the new leaves which then create the new bulb.

However, if you plant the clove upside down, then you will get a mishapen bulb produced, and likely smaller bulbs as well.

Answer 2

It matters. Not in the "critical and you won't get garlic" sense, but you will get weird misshapen garlic if they are not base down, tip up.

Not my picture, but I've grown these, and it's due to mis-oriented cloves at planting time.

Here are some sideways examples:

Answer 3

Well it depends on what you want. If you are going to harvest it later on then you probably want to plant them mostly straight up and down.

If you aren't harvesting, it'll probably grow just fine and new cloves and divisions will likely to grow straight.