The garlic I planted last fall is coming up. I planted many varieties both softneck and hardneck and one called Gypsy Rose is coming up first. I was lucky enough to meet some professional garlic growers from Washington who came into our studio, Liquid Light Glass and Elodie referred them to me where I was at the Santa Fe Farmer’s Market that Saturday. Subsequently they sent a packet of different garlic for me to grow. They were so generous that I had to build another raised bed just to plant them all!

I had the garlic beds covered in row cover all winter but they seem to be drying out faster since it is warming up and we haven’t had much rain. Last weekend I put some straw over the beds as mulch to help keep the water from evaporating and I’m now watering in earnest since the little tops have appeared.

I use to grow only hardneck because they are more flavorful but there are many very flavorful softnecks out there now as well and the softnecks have a longer shelf life, so this year I’m trying both. To learn more about the difference between hardneck and softneck garlic, go to my post, ‘Growing Garlic’.

These are the varieties I planted last fall:

HARDNECK GARLIC          FLAVOR

Chesnok                                        full flavor

Shatili                                               med

Czech                                               HOT

Gypsy Rose                                     HOT

SOFTNECK GARLIC             FLAVOR

Inchelium Red                              mild

Kettle River Giant                        med

Lorz Italian                                   spicy