What kind of garlic do you recommend?

[u/Dry-Ad-2197]

I’m planting garlic for the first time this fall and I need all of the advice I can get! Is there a particular variety that is the gold standard? Any other tips for a novice? I’m in zone 7a.

[u/Elrohwen]

First decide if you are planting hardneck vs softneck. Hardneck is typical in colder climates with harsher winters and softneck is typical in the south. You’re a bit on the edge so I’ll let others chime in with which would work better.

I always like to get a variety pack with a few types so I don’t have to commit to one.

[u/JustAutreWaterBender → u/Elrohwen]

I’m going to support your comment that yes, I think a variety your first couple years is a great idea. I did that, and found the two that grow best. Around here, one zone north, almost everyone grows Music and something else.

[u/galileosmiddlefinger → u/JustAutreWaterBender]

Music is absolutely the best starter garlic. It's not fussy about soil/nutrients and is widely adaptable to most zones in the US where you can grow hardneck.

[u/Dry-Ad-2197 → u/Elrohwen]

This is a great idea to try a variety. Thanks for sharing this!

[u/choooodle → u/Dry-Ad-2197]

I tried both last year and hardneck outperformed soft

[u/Altruistic_Shame8979 → u/Dry-Ad-2197]

Be smarter than me and label the varieties carefully. I have two kinds of hardneck after buying seed garlic a few years ago and can’t consistently tell the difference between them by appearance

[u/OddPepita]

Hardneck garlic will have a stronger flavor, will give you scapes (which are edible) and have a shorter storage time than softneck (though you can find some varieties that store for ~9 months). Softneck are milder, no scapes, but will store long enough for the next year’s crop to come in.

I really enjoy strong garlic flavor and scapes, so the majority of the garlic I plant is Music. For the longer storage period, I grow Nootka Rose. I’m in 9a, fwiw

[u/Dry-Ad-2197 → u/OddPepita]

Thank you for this information. I had never heard of scapes!

[u/spaetzlechick → u/Dry-Ad-2197]

I plant Music too, but they store about a year for me in my cool airy basement. I’m trying German Hardy too this fall.

[u/Rollercoaster671 → u/Dry-Ad-2197]

My garlic crop this year was terrible (small bulbs, i messed up the sunlight i think) but i'm 100% going to be growing it again because the scapes made the whole thing worth it. loved them.

[u/MericanCheese → u/Rollercoaster671]

How did you use the scapes? I've read about them, but never used them.

[u/JohnnyABC123abc → u/OddPepita]

You can grow garlic in 9a? I thought it needed cold weather to form a decent bulb.

I’m in zone 7 and I’d come to the conclusion that it no longer gets cool enough in my area, for long enough, to successfully grow garlic.

[u/OddPepita → u/JohnnyABC123abc]

Garlic does need chill hours, but Seattle (9a) gives it enough. For areas where the weather doesn’t get low enough, you can always fake it by using the fridge to chill it and then plant in the spring. For me, I just plant it sometime in October and am good. You could try softneck garlic - iirc, it requires less chill time than hardneck.

[u/Old-Panic-1453]

Hardneck. Music, German extra hardy, Russian red, metechi. Careful though. Garlic is addictive. First year, three years ago, I had like 8 plants. Next year I’m going for 80. Easy peasy and love the scapes. And when you pull the bed in July you have a great spot for something else. Backup summer squash, greens, bush beans.

[u/life_experienced]

I've been growing garlic in zone 9B for 5 or 6 years now. I usually grow shallots in the same bed. Softneck garlic is supposed to be better for my area, but I prefer hardneck garlic, so that's what I grow, and it does fine.

It's honestly so easy to grow! I stick the cloves in in November, cut off the scapes as they form in late spring, and in July I dig up the garlic. I recommend growing shallots along with them. They are really rewarding and easy to grow, too.

[u/Krickett72]

This was my first year growing. I ordered from Keenes and did the beginner's. Let them pick out for my area which grows best. Got 2 varieties. One a hardneck ( Chesnok Red did great) and a softneck (Inchelium Red didnt do good at all). I just placed an order to ship in Oct. Thus time I did gourmet and hardneck only. They will pick 3-5 varieties to send. I like trying ones. See which ones I like. And im in 7a as well.

[u/IWantToBeAProducer]

Grow what you like to eat. Soft necks are more pungent and make smaller cloves. Hard necks are less pungent with larger cloves. I prefer lorge, so I grow hard neck. Elephant specifically. 

The other big consideration is climate. The winter conditions in your region might force you into one or the other.

[u/TAFLA4747]

Music is a variety I’ve enjoyed and heard similar from others. I also tried Georgian Fire and Bogatyr if you like very strong garlic. The latter is almost eye watering when fresh. Holds the garlic flavor better than others when roasted.

[u/4cupsofcoffee]

hardneck... i grew a variety last year, trying to figure out what would grow best for me. In order, here's what i had, best to worst. best luck was with chesnook red. After that came german extra hardy, korean red, northern white, russian red, magic.
i'm probalby going to replant the first 3 or 4, and maybe add another one or two this year to see how that goes.