Garlic

OVERVIEW

Easy to grow, deeply rewarding to harvest, and far superior in flavour to anything from a grocery store. Garlic is planted in autumn and harvested the following summer -- one of the most satisfying long-season crops in BC gardens. All garlic falls into two main types: hardneck and softneck. Understanding which suits your cooking style, storage needs, and growing conditions is the first and most enjoyable decision you will make.

HARDNECK

•     Produces edible flower stems (scapes) in spring -- remove them for bigger bulbs

•     Rich, complex, often spicy or pungent flavour -- the choice of many serious cooks

•     Fewer, larger cloves per bulb -- easier to peel

•     Stores 4-9 months depending on variety

•     Excels in colder winters: particularly well suited to Penticton and colder inland BC

•     Ideal for fresh use, roasting, and peak-flavour cooking

SOFTNECK

•     No scapes produced -- all energy goes directly into bulb development

•     Milder, more versatile everyday flavour -- the standard pantry garlic

•     Many smaller cloves per bulb; layers of cloves like an artichoke

•     Stores 9-12 months -- best choice for long-term pantry supply

•     Flexible, pliable stems make it perfect for traditional garlic braids

•     Adapts readily to mild South Coast winters; very reliable and productive

HARDNECK VARIETIES -- Rich, complex flavour and edible scapes

Russian Red

Rocambole type

•     One of the most popular and widely sold hardnecks at GARDENWORKS -- a BC favourite

•     Deep, rich, complex flavour with a robust, lingering heat

•     Large cloves, 8-10 per bulb, with loose purple-streaked skin that is easy to peel

•     Best used by January-February; stores 4-6 months

Music

Porcelain type

•     Large, beautiful bulbs with just 4-6 very large cloves per bulb

•     Bold, full flavour with moderate, clean heat; excellent raw or cooked

•     One of the most reliable all-round hardnecks for BC gardens

•     Outstanding storage for a hardneck: up to 8 months

German Red

Rocambole type

•     Bold, fiery heat with a rich, full-bodied flavour that lingers

•     Large bulbs with 8-12 easy-to-peel cloves

•     A favourite of cooks who want a pronounced, assertive garlic flavour

•     Stores 4-6 months; best used fresh

Chesnok Red

Purple Stripe type

•     Widely considered one of the finest roasting garlics available

•     Sweet, mellow flavour that deepens and sweetens beautifully when roasted

•     8-12 cloves per bulb; well-suited to BC's South Coast climate

•     Good storage: 6-8 months

Purple Glazer

Purple Stripe type

•     Stunning purple-striped outer wrappers; beautiful for display and gifting

•     Rich, complex, slightly sweet flavour -- outstanding roasted

•     8-12 cloves per bulb with vivid purple markings on the cloves themselves

•     One of the longer-storing hardnecks: 6-9 months

Metechi

Marbled Purple Stripe type

•     Intense, complex flavour that mellows and sweetens beautifully when cooked

•     Particularly well-adapted to BC's cooler coastal winters

•     6-8 large cloves per bulb with marbled purple markings

•     Good storage: 6-9 months

SOFTNECK VARIETIES -- Mild, versatile flavour and exceptional storage

Regular White

Softneck type

•     A reliable, classic everyday garlic

•     Mild, clean, versatile flavour; excellent raw, cooked, and for preserving

•     Many cloves per bulb with tight, white papery wrappers

•     Outstanding storage: up to 12 months when properly cured

•     Flexible stems make it ideal for traditional garlic braids

•     Well-suited to BC South Coast mild, wet winters; consistent and productive

WHICH TYPE SHOULD I CHOOSE?

For the richest, boldest flavour, edible scapes, and colder climates (including Penticton): start with a hardneck. Russian Red is the most popular entry point and a perennial GARDENWORKS favourite.

For the longest storage life, braiding, mild everyday cooking, and reliable production on the mild South Coast: Regular White is our softneck offering and an excellent all-round choice.

SPRING CARE

•     Apply a light topdressing of bone meal, SeaSoil, compost, or organic fertilizer in early spring to support bulb development

•     Garlic is a heavy nitrogen feeder: apply a high-nitrogen fertilizer (such as blood meal or a balanced vegetable fertilizer) at planting and again in early spring, before the end of April. Nitrogen drives the leafy top growth that directly determines final bulb size

•     Stop applying nitrogen fertilizer after the end of April: feeding nitrogen too late in the season pushes leafy growth at the expense of bulb development as the plant shifts its energy downward

•     Water during dry spells but avoid overwatering; poor drainage or excess moisture causes bulb rot

•     Remove garlic scapes (the curling flower stems) from hardneck varieties as they form: this redirects energy into the bulb

Tip: do not compost scapes -- saute in butter, chop into stir-fries, or blend into garlic scape pesto. Softneck varieties do not produce scapes.

CURING AND STORAGE

•     Cure in a warm, dry, well-ventilated spot for 1-2 weeks; leave space between bulbs for airflow

•     Never wash garlic bulbs

•     Once dry, brush off remaining soil and trim dead leaves

•     Store in a cool, dark, dry spot with good airflow

•     Hardnecks store 4-9 months depending on variety; use before late winter for best flavour

•     Softnecks store 9-12 months when properly cured -- ideal for year-round supply

•     Never refrigerate garlic: cold causes cloves to soften, sprout, and lose flavour