Sept/Oct 2019 37
GARDEN HERBS
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Plenty of Garlic to Go Around
Garlic cultivars fall into two main groups: hardneck (A. sativum var.
ophioscorodon) and softneck (A. sativum var. sativum). “Neck” refers to the
central stem standing at the end of the season. Softneck types (or braiding garlic)
allow you to braid the garlic, and are the most common type of garlic found
in supermarkets. Softneck garlic doesn’t have a large central stem. Hardneck
types (Rocambole or top-setting garlic) form a hard stem, and are popular with
collectors and growers who believe these types have a stronger flavor, store better,
and produce cloves that are easier to peel. Hardnecks still have their woody central
stem, so peeling the cloves away from the stalk is easier. Each is worth growing if
you’ve never grown garlic, as the crops are immensely useful in the kitchen, and
it’s fun to have a variety of different types of garlic to experiment with.
Softneck garlic can be subdivided into two further type-groups — silverskin and
artichoke. These definitions describe the overall bulb formation. Artichoke types
are much larger and often more productive in the garden, and each head can form
many cloves, yet the inner cloves can be smaller.
Most people are familiar with silverskin types, as these are the most common
cultivar at local supermarkets. They typically form cloves that are white skinned
and uniform in shape. These types also don’t form flower stalks, they way
hardneck types do. The cloves can be harder to separate from the main head, but
the cultivars are often more attractive and easier to braid. Silverskin softnecks are
the better garlic cultivar for warmer climates. Purple-tinted cultivars from Eastern
Europe tend to be the hottest and most flavorful, but it’s difficult to claim that one
cultivar is any better than another.
Outside of these two groups is a seemingly third group of garlic, commonly
sold as elephant garlic (Allium ampeloprasum var. ampeloprasum). It’s a completely
different species from typical garlic plants, but it has a similar, mild garlic
flavor. While not botanically a true garlic plant, it’s worth growing, if only for its
spectacular beauty.The Beginnings of Garlic
As a garden plant, garlic is
surprisingly easy to grow and highly
productive. It has the added benefit of
growing when many beds lie fallow, as
garlic cloves are planted in autumn but
not harvested until early to midsummer.
Garlic cultivars can grow soon after
being planted in the autumn, although
some wait until the beginning of
spring. Garlic is also a stately plant
in the garden, as every phase of its
growth is attractive. Garlic scapes — or
flower buds — must be removed before
blooming, but are beautiful as they
begin to appear in early summer. They
have several uses in the kitchen, and
make a fresh summer treat.
You can find dozens of garlic
cultivars suited for growing at home.
Seed purveyors catalog their garlic
cultivars by type — hardneck and
softneck — and usually include the
backstory of each cultivar, which is often
as interesting as that of any heirloom
tomato. The most difficult thing for
gardeners to remember is exactly when
to order garlic, because it’s shipped
during their brief dormant period in
late summer through early autumn,
just before the ideal time for gardeners
to sow. Upon arrival or purchase, open
the boxes immediately and separate the
cloves from the main bulb by carefully
peeling each clove away from the central
stalk just prior to planting.