Customer Service Hours
Mon-Fri 8-4 MST
Features
Family
Amaryllidaceae, subfamily Alleoideae (formerly Alliaceae) Allium or Onion family, includes onions, garlic, chives, shallots, and leeks.
Native
Central Asia
Life Cycle
Usually grown as an annual to harvest the bulbs, but can be grown as a perennial
About Sicilian Artichoke Softneck Garlic - USDA Certified Organic
While the external papery skin is white, it sometimes can develop vivid purple streaks that make it as striking in the garden as it is on the table. The cloves tend towards the smaller side, but each head is packed with them. Sicilian Artichoke garlic features a well-balanced, mild to spicy flavor. Bulbs contain 12–20 cloves. Stores up to 8 months.
Planting Garlic
Days to Maturity
250-270 days (when planted in fall)
Plant Spacing
One clove every 6"–8"
Light Required
Full sun to part shade.
Planting Depth
Plant garlic 2"–3" deep with the pointed side up.
Planting Details
| Row Spacing | 12"–18" |
|---|---|
| Seed Depth | Plant garlic 2"–3" deep with the pointed side up. |
| Seed Spacing | One clove every 6"–8" |
| Thinning | Thinning is not necessary if spaced properly during planting. |
| Start Indoors | 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. |
| Direct Sow | 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. |
| 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. |
| Growing & Harvesting | Garlic bulbs are ready to harvest when the tops are approximately 40% yellow or brown or when the tops 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 the 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. |
Find Your Frost Date & Grow Zone
Average First Frost Date
October 19
Average Last Frost Date
May 19
Your Hardiness Zone is
5b
Send Your Recommendation
Total 5 star reviews: 33 Total 4 star reviews: 4 Total 3 star reviews: 2 Total 2 star reviews: 0 Total 1 star reviews: 2
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Rating
41 reviews
- Suresh S.Verified BuyerRated 1 out of 5 stars5/24/26Poor Harvest
Bulbs sprouted but the harvest was sub-optimal with final product being smaller than i expected.
BIBotanical Interests6/10/26Hey Suresh,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts in a review. I've reached out to you via email to offer assistance. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we are committed to ensuring your experience is positive. Thank you once again for your input. Keep on growing 🌻️
- Cheryl S.Verified BuyerRated 4 out of 5 stars12/10/25Growing along.
These are really healthy looking bulbs. I planted them several weeks ago. They are in the ground with the sprouts looking good. I appreciate the quality and watching the sprouts poking out .
BIBotanical Interests12/12/25Hey Cheryl,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with our Sicilian Artichoke Softneck Garlic! We're so thrilled to hear that the bulbs are healthy looking and that your sprouts are poking out nicely! We're so glad you're pleased with the quality and thank you for trusting us with your garlic growing journey! Keep on growing 🌻️
- Magdalena N. B.Verified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars12/6/25Sicilian Artichoke Softneck Garlic
These beauties sprouted in about a week when I planted them in early November. The germination rate was 100% on all of them. I ordered several varieties from Botanical Interests, so we'll see which ones we like best.
BIBotanical Interests12/7/25Hey Magdalena,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with our Sicilian Artichoke Softneck Garlic! We're absolutely thrilled to hear you had 100% germination - that's fantastic! Sprouting in just a week is such a great sign that your garlic is off to a strong start. We love that you're trying out several varieties to see which ones become your favorites - what a fun way to discover new flavors! The Sicilian Artichoke is definitely a special one with its rich, complex taste. We'd love to hear how this variety compares to the others once you get to harvest them! Thanks for sharing your growing success with us. Keep on growing 🌻️
- TamiRated 5 out of 5 stars10/3/255 Stars
Packaged very well. Excited to plant these!
- Stephanie M. F.FL, United StatesVerified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars10/1/25My Epic Garlic Purchase
I am so impressed with my Epic Sicilian Artichoke Softneck Garlic Purchase! Wow! I can only hope my heads of garlic are this big,! Thank Kevin
Who do you grow for? YourselfHow do you prefer to grow? Raised BedBIBotanical Interests10/1/25Hey Stephanie M. F.,
Thank you SO much for your support of our small business and your order. Your excitement is contagious, and Kevin will be so happy to hear your kind words - he's incredibly passionate about bringing growers the finest quality garlic varieties.
With proper planting and care, there's every reason to believe your harvest will match or even exceed the impressive size of the seed garlic you received. Sicilian Artichoke is such a reliable performer, and starting with high-quality seed garlic like yours gives you the best foundation for growing those big, beautiful heads you're hoping for.
Your enthusiasm will be so inspiring for other garlic growers who want to experience the satisfaction of growing their own premium organic garlic!
Keep on growing 🌻️