German Red Garlic Bulbs

Scientific name

Allium sativum. Hardneck (stiffneck) garlic is var. ophioscorodon; softneck garlic is var. sativum.

Hardneck or softneck?

Hardnecks grow one ring of large cloves around a woody center stalk and send up a curling flower stalk, the scape, in late spring. They like real winters. Softnecks keep a pliable neck, rarely make a scape, carry more cloves in several layers, usually store longer, and can be braided.

Site and soil

Full sun and loose, well-drained soil rich in organic matter, pH about 6.0–7.0. Work in compost before planting and use raised beds where water stands; soggy ground means rot and small bulbs. Rotate away from onions, leeks and other alliums for at least three to four years.

When to plant

Plant in fall, about one to three weeks after the first killing frost, when soil at planting depth is near 50°F. The cloves root before the ground freezes and the shoots usually wait until spring. Spring-planted garlic tends to make small, poorly divided bulbs.

Planting

Break heads into cloves no more than a day or two before planting and leave the skins on. Use the biggest cloves; they make the biggest bulbs. Set each clove pointed end up so its base sits 2–3" deep and the tip has 1–2" of soil over it (up to 4" deep where winters are severe), 6" apart, in rows 12–24" apart or in double rows on a bed.

Mild-winter areas

Hardnecks need a few months of cold to form good bulbs. Where winters stay mild, hold the heads in a paper bag in the refrigerator for several weeks before planting.

Mulch

Once the soil starts to freeze, cover the bed with 3–4" of weed-free straw or shredded leaves to stop frost heaving. In spring, pull it back from the shoots and leave it between the rows to hold moisture and smother weeds.

Fertility

Garlic needs plenty of nitrogen. Follow a soil test; feed lightly as shoots come up and again two to three weeks later, then stop by about mid-May so bulbing is not delayed.

Water and weeds

Give about 1" of water a week in spring, more on sandy soil, and stop roughly two weeks before harvest. Keep the bed clean; garlic competes poorly with weeds, so cultivate shallowly.

Scapes

On hardnecks, snap or cut the scape once it curls. The plant then puts more into the bulb, and the scapes are good to eat.

Harvest

Dig from late June to late July, when the lower leaves have browned but the top four or five are still partly green; each green leaf is one wrapper on the bulb. Lift with a fork instead of pulling and handle the bulbs gently.

Curing

Hang in small bundles or lay on racks in a dry, shaded, airy place such as a barn for two to four weeks, until the necks are tight and the skins papery. Keep curing garlic out of hot sun.

Storage

Trim roots and tops, or braid softnecks. Keep in mesh bags or open crates somewhere cool, dry and airy. For long storage, near freezing (about 30–32°F) with 60–70% relative humidity works best; around 40°F, as in many refrigerators, garlic tends to sprout. Hold heads meant for planting at about 50–60°F until fall.

Cloves per pound

Varies with variety and bulb size: roughly 40 for large-cloved porcelain hardnecks and about 50–90 for multi-layered softnecks. At 6" spacing, 1 lb. plants roughly 20–45 row feet.