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Garlic — Allium sativum

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Garlic — Allium sativum

layout: base.njk title: Garlic description: Growing Garlic in West Virginia (Zone 6b/7a) category: cool-season

Quick Reference: See detailed growing information below
Garlic bulbs with white papery covering

Type: Perennial (grown as annual/biennial)
Family: Amaryllidaceae (Allioideae)
Sun: Full sun (6+ hours, essential for bulb formation)
Water: Moderate (1" per week, reduce as bulbs mature)
Soil pH: 6.0-7.5 (optimal 6.5-7.0)
Hardiness: Zones 3-11 (very cold hardy, requires vernalization)

🌱 Expected Yield

  • Per plant: 1 bulb (composed of multiple cloves). Hardneck: 4-12 cloves per bulb. Softneck: 10-20+ cloves per bulb.
  • Per lb planted: 5-10 lbs harvested (typical 7:1 ratio).
  • Per 10' row: 15-30 lbs (depends on spacing and variety).

🏺 Heirloom Varieties (5-10+)

Hardneck Varieties (Allium sativum var. ophioscorodon)

'German Red' (German Extra Hardy)

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (rareseeds.com), Filaree Farm (filareefarm.com)
  • Days: 240 days
  • Notes: Porcelain type. Large bulbs, 4-8 cloves per bulb. Purple-striped wrappers. Extremely cold hardy. Pungent, hot flavor. Excellent storage (6-8 months). Standard for northern gardens. Reliable producer.

'Music'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek, Johnny's Selected Seeds (johnnyseeds.com)
  • Days: 240 days
  • Notes: Porcelain type from Quebec. Very large bulbs, 4-8 cloves. White wrappers with purple streaks. Cold hardy. Strong, hot flavor. Good storage (6-7 months). Popular commercial variety. Vigorous grower.

'Chesnok Red'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek, Filaree Farm
  • Days: 240 days
  • Notes: Porcelain type from Republic of Georgia. Medium-large bulbs, 6-12 cloves. Purple-striped wrappers. Rich, complex flavor—roasts beautifully. Cold hardy. Good storage (5-7 months). Excellent for roasting whole.

'Purple Stripe'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek, Filaree Farm
  • Days: 240 days
  • Notes: Classic purple stripe type. Medium bulbs, 8-12 cloves. Beautiful purple-striped wrappers. Complex, rich flavor. Cold hardy. Good storage (5-6 months). Ancestral garlic type (closest to wild garlic).

'Carpathian'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Filaree Farm
  • Days: 240 days
  • Notes: Porcelain type from Carpathian Mountains. Large bulbs, 4-8 cloves. White wrappers. Extremely cold hardy. Hot, pungent flavor. Excellent storage (7-9 months). Reliable in harsh climates.

'Siberian'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek, Filaree Farm
  • Days: 240 days
  • Notes: Asiatic type. Medium bulbs, 5-9 cloves. Light purple wrappers. Very early harvest (one of first). Extremely cold hardy. Mild flavor for hardneck. Good for cool, short summers.

Softneck Varieties (Allium sativum var. sativum)

'California Early'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek, Johnny's Selected Seeds
  • Days: 210 days
  • Notes: Artichoke type. Medium bulbs, 12-20+ cloves. White wrappers. Mild flavor. Stores well (6-8 months). Adaptable to wider range of climates. Braids well. Standard softneck.

'Inchelium Red'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek, Filaree Farm
  • Days: 240 days
  • Notes: Artichoke type from Colville Indian Reservation, Washington. Large bulbs, 10-20 cloves. Red-streaked wrappers. Mild, complex flavor. Excellent storage (8-10 months). Award-winning variety. Adaptable.

'Silverskin'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Johnny's Selected Seeds
  • Days: 240 days
  • Notes: True silverskin type. Small-medium bulbs, 15-25+ cloves. Pure white wrappers. Mild flavor. Best for braiding. Excellent storage (9-12 months). Traditional for braids.

'Polish Softneck'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Filaree Farm
  • Days: 240 days
  • Notes: Artichoke type. Large bulbs, 10-18 cloves. White wrappers with purple streaks. Hot, pungent flavor. Cold hardy for softneck. Good storage (7-9 months). Adaptable.

🌾 Seed Saving

  • Method: Garlic is vegetatively propagated—each clove planted grows into new bulb with identical genetics. Unlike onions, garlic rarely produces true seed (some hardneck varieties produce bulbils in flower head, which can be planted but take 2-3 years to form proper bulbs). For "seed saving," simply save best bulbs from harvest, break into cloves, plant in fall.

Select largest, healthiest cloves from best bulbs (size matters—larger cloves produce larger bulbs). Store bulbs in cool, dry, ventilated place until planting time. Don't separate cloves until planting (keeping intact reduces desiccation).

Plant cloves pointed end up, 2-3" deep, 4-6" apart. - Isolation distance: Not applicable for vegetative propagation. However, bulbils (if produced) can cross with other garlic varieties via insect pollination. For true genetic diversity, source new varieties from different growers. - Viability: Garlic cloves remain viable for 6-8 months when stored properly (cool, dry, ventilated).

Don't store in refrigerator (causes premature sprouting). Plant within same year. - Special notes: Save cloves from minimum 5-10 bulbs to maintain genetic health (though garlic clones, disease resistance can vary). Select for bulb size, clove count, wrapper quality, flavor, storage ability, cold hardiness.

Virus accumulation over generations can reduce vigor—periodically source new seed garlic from reputable growers (certified disease-free). Some hardneck varieties produce bulbils (tiny aerial cloves) in flower head (scape). These can be planted but take 2-3 years to form harvestable bulbs.

Bulbil growing method for virus cleanup—bulbils often virus-free. Garlic doesn't hybridize easily—nearly all reproduction is vegetative. This means heirloom varieties remain genetically stable over centuries.

Hardneck varieties better adapted to cold climates (zone 6b/7a ideal), softneck to mild climates. In zone 6b/7a, plant hardneck varieties for best results..

Added to WV Planting Guide 26155 — The Loop Farmstead