Garlic var, which ones are you trying this year.

[4390evans]

At the shop where I work we only get in one var in red and the other in white, last year I tried both and harvested this year and they turned out canny, was very pleased.
I will be planting them again this year but I want to try a canny few.

We eat garlic daily so I think Ill plant a lot, I want a big garlic var but not the elephant one as apparently that is not even a real garlic.

Any suggestions?

[veggiechicken]

What varieties did you grow?

[bearded bloke]

Hardneck or softneck ?

[Jay-ell]

This year I've ordered

Carcassonne (hardneck )
Lautrec Wight (hardneck)
Early Purple Wight (softneck)
Marco (softneck)

[4390evans]

What varieties did you grow?

Off the top of my head, I cant remember :s I've been hunting for the labels but can't find them. I'll have to wait till they come in stock. We get the same ones every year

[Jay-ell]

I will also be planting elephant garlic cloves, mono bulbs and bulbs.

Although they are more related to leeks they have a mild garlic taste and are used just like garlic.

[cptncrackoff]

I grew elephant garlic for the first time this year and to be honest mine is pretty much as 'garlicky' as my garlic, really strong.

I'll be growing that from my saved cloves, and my third generation Solent Wight again from my own bulbs!

[Jay-ell]

Just remembered that I'm also doing elephant garlic from a topset which developed on one of my plants (which was grown from a bulbil).

Also sown a pot of wild garlic. So that's 4 proper garlics, 4 different ways of doing elephant garlic and wild garlic (if that isn't enough garlic flavours then there's also garlic chives but they don't count )

[Scarlet]

I've got those "little bulbs" offthe elephant garlic to try again. Fingers crossed they work this time,

[cptncrackoff]

My 'bulbils' got removed from the elephant garlic and replanted at the same depth straight away, that was the advice I was given!

The Brightlingsea improved Solent Wight will go in on September 1st.
The elephant garlic October.

[muddled]

I can't remember the names of my garlic....been replanting each year.

I have noticed though, that my hardneck is deteriorating each harvest (smaller bulbs, rougher taste and lasts a shorter time in storage) while my softneck seems to get better each year!

So this year I will plant double the softneck variety.
I will still plant some of the hardneck because it may just be the mild winters causing its decline...a real cold spell could ruin the soft and only the hardneck survive.

Also got garlic chives ready to plant out.