how to grow garlic, a q&a with filaree farm
MY FIRST EXPLORATION INTO growing garlic was also my first encounter with Filaree Farm. I hate to confess how long it has been since I first read “Growing Great Garlic,” the popular book by Filaree’s founding farmer, Ron Engeland (hint: publication date, 1991). Today, it’s Alley Swiss who farms the venerable Filaree acreage in Okanogan, Washington, where organically grown seed garlic has been produced since 1977.
In between his daunting chore list—Alley harvests more than 20,000 pounds of Allium sativum a season, representing a staggering 100-plus varieties from around the world—he made time to answer all my garlic-growing questions, from the best varieties for various regions, tastes from hot to mild, and more. We did a Q&A together (below) in 2012 that offers the methods I still go by; in 2020 we did a “New York Times” garden column together, too.
my q&a with alley swiss
Q. In my Zone 5B Northeastern location [update 2023, I am now Zone 6A], I have done very well with hardneck varieties [detail above, and growing in my raised beds, top photo]. As a seller of garlic to customers all over the U.S., can you suggest the best variety choices for different regions?
A. Many people don’t know that they can grow garlic where they live. At Filaree Farm, we have heard from customers who have grown both hardneck and softneck varieties in every state, including Hawaii and Alaska.
To clarify, garlic varieties are often divided into either softneck or hardneck, with different varietal groupings within those two categories that share common traits. The key difference is that hardneck varieties send up a seed stalk (or scape–which is edible) from the center of the bulb that should be cut, whereas softneck varieties do not have a seed stalk. I suggest these varieties for the following regions:
- Northeast: Both softneck and hardneck varieties do well in the Northeast. ‘Polish White’ is in the Artichoke group and produces large bulbs with very good flavor. Hardneck varieties in the Porcelain group also are favorites with Northeast growers such as ‘German White’ or ‘Romanian Red,’ which have huge cloves and great flavor.
- Southeast: The Turban group (below, drying) includes many beautiful varieties that do well in warm climates. For those who live in the sub-tropical coastal areas in this region, varieties in the Artichoke garlic and Turban groups are the best bet.
- Southwest: The creole variety ‘Ajo Rojo’ is well suited to the hot and arid regions of the country. A Silverskin type named ‘Mild French’ is also a top recommendation.
- Midwest and Northwest central: Varieties that survive harsh winters and hot summers do well in this region. Rocambole and Purple Stripe varieties are good options.
- Northwest and Pacific Coast: A wide range of varieties perform well on the west coast. Purple stripes such as ‘Chesnok Red’ are commonly grown as well as the Silverskin variety ‘Nootka Rose,’ which does well along the rainy NW coast.
Q. What if my soil is sandy (or clayey, or wet, or otherwise tricky)? Can you suggest the best varieties for my conditions?
A. Garlic does prefer a well-drained soil. Amending your soil structure or planting into raised beds is a good idea for poorly draining soil types. The Artichoke garlic varieties are the most adaptable and easiest to grow in a variety of soil types and climates. We do have some varieties that are well adapted to certain conditions; ‘Killarney Red,’ a hardneck type, does quite well in wet and clay soils. Porcelain varieties are such vigorous plants that they do better than others with tight soils and wet conditions, just harvest them a little bit early to avoid deteriorated bulb wrappers.
Q. It’s almost garlic-planting time here. But when should gardeners plant in different regions—and what’s the best practice for bed preparation, planting, mulching, fertilizing?
A. The ideal time for planting garlic is three to five weeks before your ground freezes hard. If you are located in a southern region where the soil does not freeze you’ll want to plant late in November or December. Garlic prefers a well-worked soil with good drainage and lots of organic matter. Don’t fear if your soil type is not perfect; garlic is a tough plant that can adjust to many soil types.
Garlic is a fairly heavy feeder that wants a good amount of Nitrogen available. We recommend spreading an organic fertilizer or composted manure in the area where you will plant and mixing it into the soil well.
After you ‘”pop” your seed by separating the bulb into individual cloves, plant the cloves about 2-3 inches deep with about 5-8 inches between each clove. Water deeply so that there is plenty of moisture for the cloves to start their root growth before the ground freezes. In climates with cold winters, mulch with several inches or more of leaves or hay.
Q. A related question: I’m always asked by readers: Can they plant garlic in spring? Are there any zones where spring planting will yield a harvest?
A. We do recommend planting in the fall to those growing garlic in all zones for the best harvests. That said, it is possible to grow beautiful full-sized bulbs of garlic from a spring planting. The key to all successful spring garlic plantings is planting very early in the spring, as soon as the soil and can be worked–or better yet, planting directly into an area of the garden that was worked the previous fall.
Q. I’m also always asked: What about growing garlic from seed? How long does it take if it’s possible, and which kinds do come from seed best if any?
A. Garlic primarily reproduces vegetatively through cloning and will not produce true seed except in rare cases. Even when garlic does produce true seed, the seed is generally sterile. You can grow garlic from bulbils. Bulbils are small clones that appear at the top of the scape (above) of hardneck varieties and sometimes along the neck of softneck varieties. Some varieties have very small bulbils–smaller than a grain of rice–while other varieties produce bulbils that are nearly as big as a normal clove. It often will take two or three years of replanting before reaching a normal bulb size. We recommend saving bulbils from the Artichoke, Rocambole and Asiatic varieties since they are the largest.
Q. What if I don’t have much space—can I grow garlic in containers (and if so in which hardiness Zones)?
A. We have found that many urban gardeners or those who prefer the ease of container gardening have begun growing garlic on back porches and patios. It is important to find a deep container that has good drainage for growing garlic. Zone 5b or warmer is preferred, but it can be done by insulating the container with mulch in colder climates.
Q. I store a portion of my crop as peeled, whole cloves in the freezer, so it doesn’t deteriorate in my cellar before I get to use it all, but I wish I could get it to last even longer “fresh.” What are the “ideal” conditions for storing garlic?
A. Between 40-55 degrees is optimal with 60-70 percent humidity. If it is too humid you might have problems with mold, and very dry air will dehydrate garlic quicker. You do not want to store garlic in the refrigerator because there is too much moisture. We recommend a root cellar, basement or garage as the best options, but even a cupboard in a cool area of the house will work fine.
Q. Are some varieties better “keepers” that last well in storage all the way to next summer, and the next fresh harvest?
A. Yes! Softneck varieties generally keep the longest, often remaining firm 10 months after harvest. The Artichoke and Silverskin varieties are good choices for long storage. If you prefer hardnecks, some store better than others with Porcelains like ‘Romanian Red’ among the best. Rocamboles have very good flavor but often dehydrate within 3-4 months. In my home we like to eat the shorter-storing varieties first and save mostly Artichoke and Silverskin varieties to eat in the spring and all the way up to the next harvest. “Green” garlic (harvested early, before the bulbs size up) is a fresh treat in the spring if your previous year’s garlic supply is dwindling.
Q. Taste-wise, can you suggest some varieties that are hot or mild, for instance, or are excellent roasted?
A. ‘Silver white‘ and ‘Creole Red,’ and ‘Thai Fire’ are some of the hottest varieties we grow. Some of the Artichoke varieties are quite mild, which makes them great for raw use or for those who don’t like a sharp bite; ‘Susanville’ and ‘California Early’ are among the mildest. Purple Stripe varieties are revered by chefs for their sublime sweet flavor when roasted; ‘Metechi’ and ‘Khabar’ are two of the best baking garlics, with a creamy texture when done.
(Photos except top two images are copyright Phoebe Webb Photography; used with permission.)
I’ve grown soft and hardneck and several varieties.
Currently grow Music and Zemo.
Count me in. I love garlic and have wanted to start growing my own but haven’t yet. Thanks for the chance to win the book – good day. Lori aka kikithespunkymunky
I’ve grown hardneck garlic but don’t know what variety. I even found some growing with my daffodils this past spring!
Please count me in. i grow garlic from bulbs our neighbors shared that are decended from garlic that his great-great grandmother brought from Germany. Then I also throw in the left over cloves from bulb that is always on the shelf above the stove. If it gets old, I throw that in the ground and sometimes its compost but sometimes it gives me a scape or two and interesting stuff comes up. We are becoming opportunist gardeners, mixing up the flowers and the vegetables.
Zone 6A I have grown both hardneck and softneck garlics in the past. When I removed my raised beds (repurposed into compost bins) because the veggie garden was getting too much shade, some of the hard necks escaped into my perennial bed. I just let them grow and bloom along with the flowers & ornamental grasses and they look gorgeous. I am going to plant garlic in a container this fall and hope for the best in the spring.
We love our garlic and grow both hardneck and softneck. Next week ( Oct. 5 ) my wife and I are sort of coming up your way to tour a 25 acre organic farm at Summit, NY that specializes in garlic. We found the tour through Cornell , it’s part of the”2012 Field Days” series. I’m attaching a link to a Facebook album of our garden. There’s a frame of me holding some of this years “German Hard”. We hope to tour your garden at a future Open Garden Day. Love your blog and am looking forward to your next book. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.406814266041372.87595.100001384051108&type=3&l=2ac7c74fb7
I haven’t had much luck growing garlic. From this article I see a couple mistakes I’m making. It looks like we should try growing Rocambole or Purple Stripe.
I love the hardneck garlic, especially anything purple, but mostly for the scapes..yumm!! Bbq’d, sauteed, or pesto’d
Anchellium Red and Purple Glazer. In Northern California
Ooh that sounds like a great book, count me in! I’m in the middle of MO and this was my first year harvesting garlic from my garden. The drought was pretty hard on it and I didn’t get any good stock for this fall’s planting. Fellow urban gardeners have donated both hardneck and softneck varieties for me to plant!
We grow hardneck, but after reading your article would like to try softneck, as well. I would also like to begin to experiment with various “heats” too! Thank you for the opportunity to enter the book giveaway.
Cindy
I grow music, it’s a pretty good all purpose garlic but I’d like to try some other varieties.
I need to try garlic again. I’ve tried before and all we get is a single round clove. Tasty but small.
Please count me in! I love garlic, and grew it once many years ago, in a different location. I have many ornamental bulbs in the ground- why not grow the bulb I eat everyday? I’d like to try again…
I’ve been growing garlic for just a couple of years, but I grow both hard and soft neck varieties. I’m planting some of my own this year because I’m interested in the site adaptation I’ve read about.
Have never grown garlic, but after reading this article I’d love to try. One of those books would be a great help. ; )
count me in! I grew garlic for the first time this year – and should have read more! planted it in the spring and got small heads of potent garlic – BUT I have no idea what they are!! i promise to keep better records soon. Belinda
I live in the upper Hood River valley in Oregon. Have grown softneck varieties of garlic for over 25 years with good results. After having become acquainted with your wonderful site, I am planting 2 hardneck varieties this fall- by Halloween is the time frame here! Purchased both German Red and German Porcelain at our local nursery and am anticipating next summer’s harvest.
Karen
Count me in! Have never grown garlic but am planning to this year—your information has already been helpful!
Hardneck – Transylvanian red
This is my first year growing garlic. I’m in the Hudson Valley like you, and a gardner friend of mine gave me some of the music variety to try. I also ordered german extra hardy from a mail-order company. I’m very excited to try growing garlic!
I have yet to try growing garlic and would love to learn. I would want to grow heirloom varieties that you cannot readily buy anywhere.
I am in Zone 6b in the Northeast, and I am about to grow garlic for the first time. On its way to my mailbox at this very moment is the Rossa di Sulmona garlic that I ordered from Seeds from Italy. A hardneck variety that they import from Italy, it is supposed to have an “assertive garlic flavor, yet is somewhat sweeter than other garlics.” Can’t wait!
And thank you so much for all the knowledge and wisdom and wit and joy that you put into your newsletter–it is much appreciated.
I’m going to try growing garlic for the first time this year (wish me luck!), and I bought three kinds: Georgian Crystal, Thermadrone, and Siberian. Thanks for hosting this giveaway!
I really love garlic…my favorite variety to grow is the hardneck Music. Garlic scape pesto is soooo good, and garlic sprouting early in the spring is such a hopeful thing.