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German White Stiffneck Hardneck Garlic

German White Stiffneck Hardneck Garlic

#4940

This, porcelain garlic is also known as 'German Extra-Hardy', 'German White', and 'Northern White'. Impressive bulbs are 2" or larger with white skins, containing 4-7 fat cloves with red-striped wrappers that are easy to peel. The strong, robust flavor has staying power but isn't overwhelming or hot. High sugar content makes these bulbs excellent when roasted. Originally from Germany, this long-time favorite was popularized by an organic farmer from New York. Especially cold tolerant and grows best in areas with cold winters and cool springs. Long roots help to anchor this cultivar deep in the ground, resisting heaving to the soil surface, as soil freezes and expands in the winter months. Good storage of 6 months.

Due to state restrictions, we cannot ship garlic to Idaho, Hawaii and the following counties in Washington—Adams, Benton, Franklin, Grant and Klickitat (including cities such as Othello, Pasco, Moses Lake, Kennewick and Richland). Please do not order garlic if you live in one of these locations.

Photo credit: Filaree Farms

Garlic ships late September through early October.

$7.80
$7.80
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  • Variety Info
  • Sowing Info
  • Growing Info
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Variety Info

Family: Alliaceae (formerly Liliaceae) Allium or Onion family, includes onions, garlic, chives, shallots, and leeks.

Type: Porcelain

Native: Central Asia

Exposure: Full sun to part shade.

Variety Info: Rich, strong, robust flavor; sweet and nutty when cooked. Bulbs contain 4–7 large cloves. Stores 6 months.

Sowing Info

When to Sow Outside: Garlic is planted in fall for harvest 7 to 9 months later (midsummer). In areas with cold winters, sow individual cloves from mid-September to mid-November. Garlic is frost-hardy, but ideally should be planted 4 to 6 weeks before the first hard freeze to give the bulbs time to establish roots. In areas with mild winters, garlic can be planted until January.

When to Start Inside: Not recommended if you want to grow bulbs. If you don't get your garlic in the ground, the cloves can be planted indoors any time of year for the green tops that make tasty garlic-flavored raw greens or stir-fry ingredients.

Seed Depth: Plant garlic 2"–3" deep with the pointed side up.

Seed Spacing: One clove every 6"–8"

Row Spacing: 12"–18"

Growing Info

Harvesting: Garlic bulbs are ready to harvest when the tops are approximately 40% yellow or brown, or start to fall over. This is typically in June and July. Do not leave bulbs in the ground too long or the skins will decay, reducing storage life. To harvest, lift the bulbs gently with a digging fork, (flat tines) or a shovel, digging widely to avoid cutting into them. Gently brush off any loose soil and remove any damaged cloves, but leave the roots and shoots attached. Lay or hang whole plant in a warm, airy location out of direct sun and protected from rain before curing. For more information, see Garlic: Harvesting, Curing, and Storage.

Special Care: After planting, apply 2"–4" of mulch (e.g., straw, untreated grass clippings, shredded leaves) to maintain moisture, insulate the cloves through the winter, and help prevent frost from pushing cloves to the surface. Loosen mulch in spring to allow shoots to push through thick or compacted mulch. In very cold climates, remove mulch after the last hard freeze to allow soil to warm more quickly. Reapply mulch after shoots emerge to maintain consistent moisture and reduce weeds.

Remove weeds regularly to reduce competition for water and nutrients. In spring, hardneck garlic will produce a tall stem with a curlicue at the top and a swollen flower bud at the end. In most cases, this flower stalk, called a scape, should be removed to keep the plant's energy focused on bulb growth and to keep bulbs tight. Scapes can be eaten and have a mild garlic flavor.