Garlic available at the Duluth Farmers Market for eating and planting.
Several growers have named varieties of garlic for sale. Since these are locally grown
they may be purchased for planting stock. If you intend to plant them, the bulbs need to be kept dry until planting time in October. Prepare a deep loose bed enriched with compost. The bed should not have grown Garlic relatives (onions, leeks, shallots, chives) within two years.
Break up the bulb into separate cloves, plant cloves 3-5 inches deep and 4 to 6 inches apart, the garlic plants can produce a large root mass over the winter. Cover the garlic bed with 4-5 inches of a loose mulch like straw when the plants start to grow in Spring the garlic tops can grow through a loose mulch and mulch can be left in place to keep weeds down. Dig the garlic when 50% of the leaves have started to turn brown. They can be hung in a dry airy shady place until the outer leaf bases that wrap around the cloves are dry. Garlic names in single quotation marks are the names of the cultivated varieties.
Deb Shubat has three varieties of hard neck garlic.
‘Samarkand’ also called Persian Star. “In 1989, it was found in a bazaar in Samarkand, Uzbekistan by the famed garlic collector, John Swenson. Though not long storing, this garlic has rich flavor. Throughout the US in Hardiness Zones 1-5, this garlic is a strong performer and reliable. “
Samarkand is the first of the three to be ready to harvest in late July. Each bulb has between 8-12 cloves, usually formed in one ring and all the same size. The bulbs and plants are small to medium sized and the garlic flavor is mellow and nutty.
‘Russian Giant ‘is “a Marbled Purple Stripe garlic with a rich, musky, garlicky flavor and is very hot when eaten raw. It can get really big when well grown and it has all the depth of flavor and long storage that Marbled Purple Stripe garlics are famed for, not to mention some of the largest bulbils of any garlic to speed up production since the bulbils can be eaten or planted.” The bulbs have an average of 4 large cloves.
‘Phillips’ Garlic “Named for a town in Maine. Strong rich pungent garlic flavor. It has a very rich, warm garlicky, mustardy, horseradish-like flavor with a healthy bite. Origin: Italy via NY & ME.” The largest bulbs can be 3 inches in diameter, with 6-12 large cloves. These are long keepers and maturing later than Russian Giant and Samarkand.
Farm Lande has one variety of soft neck garlic.
‘Idaho silver’ “Original source unknown. Bulbs are a beautiful silver color, good size and character. Reddish-pink cloves. Well adapted to northern interior climates with cold winters. Raw, starts slowly with the heat building to very hot.”
John Stoltz of Sproutedearthfarm has loads of garlic that should be available late August.
Silverskin – Softneck (Popular for braiding), long storage life (10-12 months), High yielding in the garden
‘Silver White’ – Originally a California strain. Very Productive
‘Idaho Silver’- Well adapted to Northern Climates with cold winters. Very hot raw. Mild and sweet when baked.
Purple Stripe – Hardneck, medium storage life (approx 6 months), very flavorful
‘Chesnok Red’ – From Shvelisi, Republic of Georgia. Retains shape and flavor when cooked – an excellent choice for baking.
‘Metechi’ – Beautifully colored bulbs. Easy to peel with a relatively short storage life.
Rocambole – Hardneck, medium storage life (4-6 months) Easy-peeling cloves
‘German Red’ – Grown in German communities throughout the U.S. for over a century. Complex and full flavor.
Porcelain – Hardneck, medium storage life (approx. 6 months). Very large cloves.
‘Music’ – A dependable variety, very large bulbs.
‘Romanian Red’ – Good storage, Hot and pungent.
