Rocklobster
Master Chef
Just got this batch from a local customer of ours..three types..Polish, Purple Stripe, and Racambole..
They are hard neck varieties....some are stronger than others...I have more coming from my brother who always gives me a batch every year...I hang them in mesh bags along the stairway to the basement..should last me well into the spring..Are those what they call hard necks, or stiff necks, or something like that? They say that the more colorful the garlic is, the tastier (less pungent/more sweet) it is. I'm not sure if that's true, but if so, you hit a good load.
Should be easy enough to identify them if you were ever so inclined...there is tons of info with good photos available...I was in Wisconsin last week at a farmer's market and picked up a dozen bulbs of different varieties (mostly hard-neck). Unfortunately, the vendor threw them all into the same bag before I had a chance to write down what was what.
Should be easy enough to identify them if you were ever so inclined...there is tons of info with good photos available...
Can you just put a store bought cloves in the ground and grow your own garlic?
It is stocked in every store here, but sometimes the quality is not the best.
I have a very small garden and would gladly make room for some garlic.
Do you plant cloves, whole bulbs or both?
How deep to plant?
Sure you can. We did that when we first started and we found that we didn't know the 'type' of garlic, but if that doesn't matter, then use store bought cloves. If you live in the north, look for garlic with a stiff hard neck, and for people in the southern areas, look for garlic that can have a soft neck, like in braids (only softneck can be braided very well). This is so the weather suits your garlic and they'll be bigger and more healthy. Avoid garlic with the entire bottom roots shaved off, that means it is probably from another country (where importing requires, no roots and no dirt attached). Looking at Rock's picture, you can see roots cut off but not completely removed--that is locally grown and not imported.
We plant in october/november, plant 1 inch deep, 8 inches apart. Plant cloves only, pointy end up, root end down. Here's my link on growing it.
Joy's Garlic
There's a garlic farm, not too far from me, that gives a lecture in September on how to grow garlic, tips ... Im looking forward to going. They also sell seed garlic. I had real good luck with the varieties that I grew this year. That being said , I think it will be great to pick up some seed garlic from a local professional. This way I know it is a variety that is good for local conditions.
I hang them in mesh bags along the stairway to the basement.