If you ’ve only ever buy ail from the grocery storage , chances are you ’ve tried one or two eccentric of garlic and may have thought that ’s all there is .
But venture out intogrowing your own garlicat home base , and you ’ll find stacks of diversity that run from mild to spicy , white to purple , and everything in between , with each one disagree in flavor far more than you ’d conceive .
Many gardener are surprised by the sheer act of garlic varieties usable for planting , and choose the right one for your growing conditions and personal taste can be tricky .
You may have even heard a span of term thrown around , like hardneck and softneck , but what do they really think ? And can you establish just aboutanygarlic in your climate ?
Below , I ’ll help you unmuddy the waters to get hold the good kind of garlic to arise in your area .
How many garlic varieties are out there?
True garlic(Allium sativum)is commonly divided into two race : softneck and hardneck .
Then there are are 2 groupings of softneck ail and 8 grouping of hardneck garlic , totaling 10 major groups of Allium sativum .
Within each group are various name nisus ( cultivar ) , adding up to rough 600 cultivars that currently exist in the populace ( with about 120 of them originating in Central Asia , making that region the epicenter of garlic biodiversity ) .
But in the United States , we normally see far less than that in ourgarden catalogs , and the garlic wedohave access to for menage cultivation are reasonably clime - specific .
If you ’re in the south , for example , you wo n’t be able-bodied to grow hardneck garlic that ’s bred for northern mood .
The good news program is you may grow several different varieties of garlic each time of year ( even fuse softneck and hardneck type if you ’re in the correct clime ) and they wo n’t cross - pollinate .
Softneck garlic varieties
First , lease ’s talk softneck garlic(Allium sativum var . sativum ) .
Whether you knew that ’s what they ’re called or not , softneck ail is most familiar to everyone because you ’ve been eating it your whole life .
The two most vernacular kinds of Allium sativum sell in supermarkets — whether they came from Gilroy , California , or China or wherever — are both softneck varieties .
Softneck Allium sativum is named for its subdued , braidable stems ( magnificently hung from many an Italian restaurant ) and is sometimes phone braiding Allium sativum because of that feature .
The softneck type was originally selected from hardneck garlic . The clove be given to be either hot and aggressive ( as with Silverskins ) or mild and almost veg - like in savor ( as with the Artichoke group ) .
Compared to the exciting array of garlic out there , softneck mixed bag tend to miss the complexity and heat of hardneck types .
sizing - wise , softneck bulb have small cloves than hardneck type . But do n’t that rent befool you — it ’s not rare to see bulb up to 3 column inch across , which means they produce up to twice as many clove per medulla , all arranged in multiple layer with the belittled clove tree clustered in the shopping center .
This means there are more plantable cloves per bulb — which is great for gardeners — but since they ’re harder to peel , not so great for nursing home cooks who may find them tedious when make a big meal calling for quite a little of garlic .
Softneck garlics mature faster than hardnecks and do n’t require any effort mid - time of year to harvest scapes ( the central efflorescence stalk on hardneck Allium sativum ) . They can also be planted mechanically and have a longer shelf life , so they ’re the preferred character for maturate commercially .
Under optimal conditions , softneck garlic can sometimes store for up to a year after harvest !
Read next : The Ultimate Guide to Harvesting , Curing , and Storing Garlic
They ’re better suited to warmer clime , USDA zone 5 and above .
You ’ll find two groups in this race :
Artichoke
Artichoke softneck miscellanea are the most domesticated of all garlics , and for estimable reason : They produce reliably large bulbs and have a simple savory flavour that no one can plain about .
This group of garlic is mention for their overlapping layers of garlic clove that resemble thestructure of an artichoke . A typical bulb yields 12 to 20 clove in 3 to 5 layers .
If you need to sample something new , you ca n’t go wrong with Inchelium Red , Lorz Italian , Sicilian , California Early , or Transylvanian .
Silverskin
Though Silverskins are among the latest maturing of all the garlic varieties , they ’re also tolerant of a broad range of growing conditions and are quite fat .
They ’re a expectant option forspring - planted garlicif you want a variety that ’s more apt to acquire decent - sized bulbs by summertime . The average light bulb has 12 to 20 cloves .
Popular selections admit Nootka Rose , Silver White , Sicilian Silver , Mild French , and Mexican Red .
Softneck garlic comparison chart
Note : On mobile machine , comparison chart scroll to the right .
Hardneck garlic varieties
Hardneck garlic(Allium sativum var . ophioscorodon)is bring up for the pixilated , cardinal flower husk that form above the leaves in late spring to former summer .
This still hunt is called a garlic scape , and it ’s a bonus veggie you could pick before the harvest matures . ( Picking the scape also allow the plant to devote more Department of Energy into growing the bulb , resulting in prominent bulbs . )
Related : How to Harvest Garlic Scapes ( + 8 Easy Ways to apply Them ! )
If you get hardneck garlic at home , you might be surprised to find what front like baby garlic appearing on the flower stalks as the crop matures .
These mini Eugenia aromaticum are called bulbils , and they ’re fundamentally segmentation of the parent plant as they ’re genetically identical . This means the bulblet are n’t true garlic ejaculate ( though they may look like it)—the plant you cease up with if you sow in the bulbil would be a clone of the original .
But develop garlic from bulblet is n’t ideal for most gardeners because it shoot a much longer prison term from seeded player to glean ( anywhere from two to five years , depending on the cultivar ) .
Therefore , bulbils are best used as tiny garlic clove of garlic . They do n’t have to be peeled and can just be crush or used whole in recipes like any other garlic .
In general , hardneck garlic varieties have skillful smack than softnecks and also outstrip them in dusty climate , make them the pet type for northern gardeners .
They ’re exceptionally cold hardy , even in severe winter areas . With proper planting and care , hardneck garlic can even be grown in USDA zonezero ! Brrrr !
The bulbs have large cloves that develop in a individual row and are easy to unclothe , though big Syzygium aromaticum also mean fewer “ seed ” Allium sativum per pound at planting time .
There are eight recognized group of hardneck garlic , though three of them ( which I note below ) are weaklyboltinghardnecks that often produce softnecks in affectionate climates :
Purple Stripe
I ’ll begin with Purple Stripes because they are look at to be the grandad of all garlic .
As the most ancient group of Allium sativum , Purple Stripes are beautiful bulb with vividly colored housecoat dappled in purple .
They typically have 8 to 12 cloves per bulb and are easy to get , though they tend to get on afterwards in the time of year than other types of ail .
Chesnok Red and Persian Star are the gold criterion of this eccentric , with Red Grain , Shatili , and Siberian also being popular selections .
Glazed Purple Stripe
Both Glazed Purple Stripes and Marbled Purple Stripes were once considered subtypes of stock Purple Stripes , but are now their own unequaled strains .
This type of garlic is fairly stalwart and not particularly fussy , though it does have delicate peignoir that require careful handling during crop .
The modal bulb yields 8 to 10 cloves .
Purple Glazer , Vekak , Brown Tempest , Blanak , and Red Rezan are pop varieties in this group .
Marbled Purple Stripe
This type of hardneck garlic has more plantable cloves than Porcelains but fewer , fatter cloves than the received Purple Stripes . You ’ll normally get six to eight big cloves per electric light .
While the wrappers are sensational with their purple - blotch patterns , the cloves themselves are more on the brown side . This garlic does well under a full variety show of condition , micturate it virtually unfailing for home growing .
When arrange a Marbled Purple Stripe , you ’ll likely come across Khabar , Wenger ’s Russian , Belarus , Northern Siberian , and Metechi .
Porcelain
This is considered the hardiest type of hardneck garlic and is highly recommended for novice gardener in moth-eaten climates . They ’re fully grown , beautiful bulbs with satiny white wrappers , and have a strong flavor .
Do n’t be surprised if you sometimes see only two clove on a undivided head of garlic , though the mean yield is four to five clove per bulb .
medicine is an ever popular selection in this group ( and one of my personal favorites that I mature every year ) . You ’ll also commonly find Leningrad , Rasa Blanca , Great Northern , and Majestic from garlic seed suppliers .
Rocambole
Considered to have the best and truest look of all the garlics , Rocamboles are robust and deep in character with a pantry olfactory property .
Favored by gourmet chefs , this extremely in demand Allium sativum is not the wanton to acquire but well worth the effort .
Each bulb has 8 to 12 cloves , with loose , reddish - brown skins that make them sluttish to peel .
Popular selections include Spanish Roja , Killarney Red , Island Rocambole , Klamath Wild , and Martin ’s Heirloom .
Creole
As one of the three weakly bolting hardneck types , Creoles sometimes develop without scapes , making them more cognate to softnecks .
They expand in hot , wry climates and are heavily influence by weather wavering , so they ’re best befit for zones with class - round consistent temperature .
This was my go - to garlic when I lived in Southern California , as it produced very well with heavy tone . Since I was in USDA zone 10b , my Creole garlic never developed scapes .
An modal bulb yields anywhere from 4 to 12 cloves .
take care for Ajo Rojo , Creole Red , Cuban Purple , Burgundy , or Pescadero Red when ordering Creoles .
Asiatic
Another weakly bolting hardneck , Asian Allium sativum wo n’t form scape in warm climate . But if they do appear , Asiatics disagree from other hardnecks in that the scapes can be left on the plant without strike terminal medulla oblongata size of it .
They ’re mostly well-heeled to acquire and mature importantly quicker than most other garlic types — often workweek ahead .
Popular selections admit Asian Tempest , Korean Red , Korean Mountain , Japanese , and Russian Redstreak .
Turban
This weakly absquatulate hardneck ail is an first-class pick for gardeners with short growing season , as it ’s one of the earliest garlic to be harvested .
However , it also does well in hot clime , pass water it a fairly various variety . It produces turgid , plump bulbs with bright white wrappers covered in purple striping .
A typical bulb yields 6 to 10 clove .
attempt Basque , Uzbek , Thai Purple , China Stripe , or Lotus if you often have trouble fuck off your garlic harvest to mature on sentence .
Hardneck garlic comparison chart
Elephant garlic
I put elephant garlic on the list even though it ’s not a true garlic — it ’s a member of the leek family .
But people who do n’t be intimate the vivid flavor of ail run to like elephant garlic(Allium ampeloprasum)because of its very meek , almost sweet taste , especially after roasting ( a popular way to set up the whole bulb ) .
With its whopping size ( double that of true garlic ) , elephant garlic has huge cloves that are super gentle to disunite . This draw it commodious for not only planting but cooking as well , since they peel with minimum effort .
Elephant ail uprise like veritable Allium sativum , mold a bulb underground that divides into five or six cloves . It even sends up a hardneck scape in late bounce that can be picked and rust .
If institute in fall , elephant garlic matures at the same sentence as other ail ( between May and July ) . you could also plant in spring for a harvest in 90 daylight .
The best garlic varieties to plant
When it comes to develop garlic , knowing what ’s available is only one-half of it . The most authoritative part is finding the best potpourri for your garden , and much of it look on your climate and location .
If you live on in a mild climate that does n’t get backbreaking freezes in winter , go for softneck ail . This eccentric of garlic does well in USDA zone 5 and above , make it fairly versatile .
If your winters are very cold , choose a hardneck ail , which flourishes in zones 4 and below . Not only will you have more success in a shorter growing season , you ’ll also benefit from the longer storage living of hardneck garlic and what many people debate a good savor too .
Climates that fall in the middle of the road can even try both type of Allium sativum .
There ’s no intellect you ca n’t have different varieties growing side by side , and if you choose cautiously , you’re able to harvest your garlic crop over a geological period of several week , as each assortment matures at a unlike rate .
bear on : Find First and Last Frost Dates Accurately with This Custom Planting Calendar
Set some fresh garlic away to eat straight off ( especially those with a shorter shelf animation ) and cure the residue for farseeing - full term storage .
The gravid cloves can be save separately to apply as come ail in free fall .
Do n’t let good food go to waste !
Download my Fruit & Vegetable Storage Guidefor printable charts , helpful tips , and mystical tricks for keep on your garden truck super fresh for as long as possible .
The outstanding thing about garlic is that it adapts well to your growing conditions , so if you persist in to keep your own garlic come yr after yr , your craw and harvest will only get good .
Read more : How to Save and Store Seeds for Next Year ’s Garden
This is broadly why I prefer raise garlic varieties that have large cloves : not only are they easier to cook with , but they often produce larger light bulb .
What size garlic clove is best for planting?
So how lowly is too small ? What size garlic clove should you aspire to save ?
The answer reckon on the cultivar .
First , I only look at garlic bulbs that are at least 2 inches in diameter . Anything littler than that is destined for the kitchen . ( If none of your ail passes this test , then I recommend purchasing young semen garlic . I ’ve cater a list of suppliers below . )
From that 2 - column inch ( or larger ) bulb , I save the self-aggrandizing of the outmost layer of garlic cloves . If the clove is quick and well-off to peel by hand , then it ’s commonly big enough to found .
Sometimes all the cloves in a chief of Allium sativum will be plantable ( as is the face with Music garlic , for instance ) , and sometimes you ’ll only get three to five good embonpoint ones from each bulb .
Once you separate the clove , salvage the large ones in a composition bag for plant in the surrender , and use up the rest Syzygium aromaticum first ( before you dive into your stored garlic ) .
Disclosure : If you shop from my clause or make a purchase through one of my connection , I may meet mission on some of the products I recommend .
Where to buy garlic seed
The best spot to feel garlic seed include :
you’re able to also tell garlic online . Most garlic growers and seed suppliers take pre - orders from spring through early summer , and then ship in pin . So plan in the lead if you desire the greatest diversity of come garlic to choose from !
More garlic posts to aid you this twelvemonth :
This post updated from an clause that originally seem on June 22 , 2022 .
View the Web Story on thebest garlic varieties .
